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American Morning
90-Second Pop, Culture Watch
Aired February 26, 2004 - 07:44 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hollywood's big party is on Sunday night. And this morning, our "90-Second Pop" segment is all about Oscar.
Joining us to talk about some of the best and the worst from Oscar's past is humorist Andy Borowitz.
Nice to see you, Andy.
ANDY BOROWITZ, HUMORIST: Good to be here.
O'BRIEN: Thelma Adams is an "US Weekly" critic -- film critic. Easy for me to say. Nice to see you, Thelma, as always.
THELMA ADAMS, FILM CRITICS, "US WEEKLY": Nice to see you.
O'BRIEN: And "TIME" senior editor Christopher John Farley.
Hey, Chris, nice to see you. Good morning.
CHRISTOPHER JOHN FARLEY, SENIOR EDITOR, "TIME" MAGAZINE: Thanks for having me.
O'BRIEN: My pleasure.
Let's get right to it. And we're not going to talk about movies at all. We always talk about movies. Forget the movies. We're going to talk about spectacles and wardrobes and hosts.
And we'll start with host. Chris, Billy Crystal is going to be the host. I think it's his eighth time, is that right?
FARLEY: It's too many times, as far as I'm concerned.
O'BRIEN: I was going to say, do you like him? But I'm going to guess.
FARLEY: It's not that I don't like Billy Crystal. I think being the host of the Oscars is kind of like making a movie sequel. So, I think that if you do it too many times, it's like making too many sequels. It's kind of like...
O'BRIEN: Bob Hope did it 20 times.
BOROWITZ: Right.
FARLEY: Well, I think right now Billy Crystal is on, like, "Alien 5." It's too many times.
BOROWITZ: Oh, wow!
FARLEY: So, I think that he should have stopped after one or two, and now it's just too many times.
O'BRIEN: Do you not like the previous performances?
ADAMS: Well, I think -- but it's kind of like going to a party where you really like the party and you really like the host, so you go back.
O'BRIEN: Same party every year, but you always go.
ADAMS: And, you know, as someone said, you know, that's the first -- was it you? His first thing is the best part of Oscars.
BOROWITZ: Yes.
ADAMS: When he comes out and does the song.
BOROWITZ: The song is good. I think it's just such a thankless job. It's probably the most thankless job in show business.
O'BRIEN: Right, because people are only going to hate you.
BOROWITZ: Yes, it's right up there with, like, screenwriter for Madonna. I mean, it's just a terrible...
ADAMS: It's a bad thing.
BOROWITZ: It's a terrible job. But I think he -- you know, I think he pulls it off well.
O'BRIEN: I always thought he did a pretty good job.
BOROWITZ: Yes.
O'BRIEN: So, we'll beg to disagree with you on that, Chris.
You also say another bad host, Whoopi Goldberg.
BOROWITZ: Well, it's not so much that I think -- I think Whoopi is really talented. But one thing that Whoopi does and a lot of these hosts do is the show goes really long -- the show goes really long, and then their shtick is reminding us of how long the show is going. And that's actually compounding the problem. It really does.
O'BRIEN: It feels longer.
BOROWITZ: Yes, so no knock on Whoppi, but I just wish they would all stop doing those jokes.
O'BRIEN: Who do you think was the best host?
FARLEY: Well, I'll tell you who I think could be the best host, if they'd ever recruit him. I think Conan O'Brien. I think they should get him to host the show. I think he's funny. I think he's fresh.
BOROWITZ: With the dog, with the puppy.
ADAMS: Right.
FARLEY: Bring on Triumph, the insult comic dog.
BOROWITZ: OK.
FARLEY: And whatever, I think he'd be a great host, but he has not yet done it. I think he should.
BOROWITZ: What about Seinfeld? I think he would be good.
ADAMS: You know who would be great? Chris Rock.
BOROWITZ: Yes.
ADAMS: I would love for him to do it.
BOROWITZ: Oh, that would be...
FARLEY: He'd be excellent.
BOROWITZ: Yes.
FARLEY: He'd be excellent.
O'BRIEN: All right, well, we know. We put our votes in. Let's see if any of them actually pony up and come in.
BOROWITZ: Yes, we're part of the solution, not just part of the problem. It's like (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that I do.
ADAMS: Excellent.
O'BRIEN: Thats what we try to do here at CNN each and every day.
BOROWITZ: Exactly.
O'BRIEN: Let's talk about the clothes, because honestly that's why I watch these shows. I want to see it. But these days, no one really is a walking fashion disaster anymore.
ADAMS: Oh, yes they are.
O'BRIEN: Not many.
ADAMS: But I do call it, you know, Hollywood's biggest prom night.
O'BRIEN: It is.
ADAMS: You know...
O'BRIEN: Everyone has a stylist.
ADAMS: Everyone has a stylist, but, you know, you always get the Biorks (ph). You always get the person who thinks they're a designer...
O'BRIEN: Who does their own.
ADAMS: The Demi Moore when she wore those bike shorts and the train, you know.
BOROWITZ: I'm sorry. I'm still traumatized by that outfit that Gwyneth Paltrow wore in 2002, that sort of see-through thing. I usually applaud see-through clothing, but that was really a terrifying dress that she wore. I don't know if you remember that.
ADAMS: Well, you know, that goes back to the prom thing, which, you know, it's all about the dress you pick and being comfortable in it, which has largely to do with boobs. It's like if you wear something -- I always say, if you wear something...
BOROWITZ: Oh, so, we're back to that?
ADAMS: Yes. If you wear something strapless, you've got to hold your hands down and not yank it up.
O'BRIEN: Right.
ADAMS: You know, and if you're going to wear something...
O'BRIEN: It's hard to be a girl, Thelma. You know, I mean, come on. That's basically what you're saying.
ADAMS: We know that.
O'BRIEN: It's hard to be a girl in a dress.
FARLEY: I liked that Biork (ph) dress, and you couldn't really tell from the camera, but she actually had this egg strapped to her shoe. And I think that attention to detail is what really made that dress work.
ADAMS: Well, the thing is what she was saying, and I think it's true, is that I'm still Biork (ph).
BOROWITZ: Right.
ADAMS: I can walk the red carpet, I can do the Oscar thing, but I'm still me.
O'BRIEN: I'm still me.
BOROWITZ: Right.
ADAMS: Which is what a lot of women do, which is a little scary. O'BRIEN: Let's talk about some acceptance speeches. What do you think is the all-time weirdest? I mean, Robert Benigni had that climbing over -- remember?
BOROWITZ: Right.
O'BRIEN: Practically over people's heads after he won for "Life is Beautiful." That was one.
BOROWITZ: I mean, Sally Field was, do you remember, for you like me, you really like me. I mean, that was a famous one. I actually like, you know, the actress Ruth Gordon, when she was 72, said the coolest thing. She said, I can't tell you how encouraging a thing like this is. And I think that was just (UNINTELLIGIBLE) for a 72-year-old actress to say.
ADAMS: Exactly.
O'BRIEN: Worst?
ADAMS: You know, I hate those -- the Vanessa Redgrave, Michael Moore, I'm going to use this as a political platform kind of thing, always turns me off. And the great one, the Marlon Brandro, when he didn't accept the reward for "Godfather," but sent...
O'BRIEN: Still made a political statement, and yet didn't even accept.
BOROWITZ: Right.
ADAMS: I know.
O'BRIEN: Now that's power.
ADAMS: You know, for the Native Americans. I know. That's power. So, those are the ones I always kind of dread.
O'BRIEN: Well, you know, we'll be talking about these Oscars, I'm sure, for years to come.
As always, you guys, thanks so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired February 26, 2004 - 07:44 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hollywood's big party is on Sunday night. And this morning, our "90-Second Pop" segment is all about Oscar.
Joining us to talk about some of the best and the worst from Oscar's past is humorist Andy Borowitz.
Nice to see you, Andy.
ANDY BOROWITZ, HUMORIST: Good to be here.
O'BRIEN: Thelma Adams is an "US Weekly" critic -- film critic. Easy for me to say. Nice to see you, Thelma, as always.
THELMA ADAMS, FILM CRITICS, "US WEEKLY": Nice to see you.
O'BRIEN: And "TIME" senior editor Christopher John Farley.
Hey, Chris, nice to see you. Good morning.
CHRISTOPHER JOHN FARLEY, SENIOR EDITOR, "TIME" MAGAZINE: Thanks for having me.
O'BRIEN: My pleasure.
Let's get right to it. And we're not going to talk about movies at all. We always talk about movies. Forget the movies. We're going to talk about spectacles and wardrobes and hosts.
And we'll start with host. Chris, Billy Crystal is going to be the host. I think it's his eighth time, is that right?
FARLEY: It's too many times, as far as I'm concerned.
O'BRIEN: I was going to say, do you like him? But I'm going to guess.
FARLEY: It's not that I don't like Billy Crystal. I think being the host of the Oscars is kind of like making a movie sequel. So, I think that if you do it too many times, it's like making too many sequels. It's kind of like...
O'BRIEN: Bob Hope did it 20 times.
BOROWITZ: Right.
FARLEY: Well, I think right now Billy Crystal is on, like, "Alien 5." It's too many times.
BOROWITZ: Oh, wow!
FARLEY: So, I think that he should have stopped after one or two, and now it's just too many times.
O'BRIEN: Do you not like the previous performances?
ADAMS: Well, I think -- but it's kind of like going to a party where you really like the party and you really like the host, so you go back.
O'BRIEN: Same party every year, but you always go.
ADAMS: And, you know, as someone said, you know, that's the first -- was it you? His first thing is the best part of Oscars.
BOROWITZ: Yes.
ADAMS: When he comes out and does the song.
BOROWITZ: The song is good. I think it's just such a thankless job. It's probably the most thankless job in show business.
O'BRIEN: Right, because people are only going to hate you.
BOROWITZ: Yes, it's right up there with, like, screenwriter for Madonna. I mean, it's just a terrible...
ADAMS: It's a bad thing.
BOROWITZ: It's a terrible job. But I think he -- you know, I think he pulls it off well.
O'BRIEN: I always thought he did a pretty good job.
BOROWITZ: Yes.
O'BRIEN: So, we'll beg to disagree with you on that, Chris.
You also say another bad host, Whoopi Goldberg.
BOROWITZ: Well, it's not so much that I think -- I think Whoopi is really talented. But one thing that Whoopi does and a lot of these hosts do is the show goes really long -- the show goes really long, and then their shtick is reminding us of how long the show is going. And that's actually compounding the problem. It really does.
O'BRIEN: It feels longer.
BOROWITZ: Yes, so no knock on Whoppi, but I just wish they would all stop doing those jokes.
O'BRIEN: Who do you think was the best host?
FARLEY: Well, I'll tell you who I think could be the best host, if they'd ever recruit him. I think Conan O'Brien. I think they should get him to host the show. I think he's funny. I think he's fresh.
BOROWITZ: With the dog, with the puppy.
ADAMS: Right.
FARLEY: Bring on Triumph, the insult comic dog.
BOROWITZ: OK.
FARLEY: And whatever, I think he'd be a great host, but he has not yet done it. I think he should.
BOROWITZ: What about Seinfeld? I think he would be good.
ADAMS: You know who would be great? Chris Rock.
BOROWITZ: Yes.
ADAMS: I would love for him to do it.
BOROWITZ: Oh, that would be...
FARLEY: He'd be excellent.
BOROWITZ: Yes.
FARLEY: He'd be excellent.
O'BRIEN: All right, well, we know. We put our votes in. Let's see if any of them actually pony up and come in.
BOROWITZ: Yes, we're part of the solution, not just part of the problem. It's like (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that I do.
ADAMS: Excellent.
O'BRIEN: Thats what we try to do here at CNN each and every day.
BOROWITZ: Exactly.
O'BRIEN: Let's talk about the clothes, because honestly that's why I watch these shows. I want to see it. But these days, no one really is a walking fashion disaster anymore.
ADAMS: Oh, yes they are.
O'BRIEN: Not many.
ADAMS: But I do call it, you know, Hollywood's biggest prom night.
O'BRIEN: It is.
ADAMS: You know...
O'BRIEN: Everyone has a stylist.
ADAMS: Everyone has a stylist, but, you know, you always get the Biorks (ph). You always get the person who thinks they're a designer...
O'BRIEN: Who does their own.
ADAMS: The Demi Moore when she wore those bike shorts and the train, you know.
BOROWITZ: I'm sorry. I'm still traumatized by that outfit that Gwyneth Paltrow wore in 2002, that sort of see-through thing. I usually applaud see-through clothing, but that was really a terrifying dress that she wore. I don't know if you remember that.
ADAMS: Well, you know, that goes back to the prom thing, which, you know, it's all about the dress you pick and being comfortable in it, which has largely to do with boobs. It's like if you wear something -- I always say, if you wear something...
BOROWITZ: Oh, so, we're back to that?
ADAMS: Yes. If you wear something strapless, you've got to hold your hands down and not yank it up.
O'BRIEN: Right.
ADAMS: You know, and if you're going to wear something...
O'BRIEN: It's hard to be a girl, Thelma. You know, I mean, come on. That's basically what you're saying.
ADAMS: We know that.
O'BRIEN: It's hard to be a girl in a dress.
FARLEY: I liked that Biork (ph) dress, and you couldn't really tell from the camera, but she actually had this egg strapped to her shoe. And I think that attention to detail is what really made that dress work.
ADAMS: Well, the thing is what she was saying, and I think it's true, is that I'm still Biork (ph).
BOROWITZ: Right.
ADAMS: I can walk the red carpet, I can do the Oscar thing, but I'm still me.
O'BRIEN: I'm still me.
BOROWITZ: Right.
ADAMS: Which is what a lot of women do, which is a little scary. O'BRIEN: Let's talk about some acceptance speeches. What do you think is the all-time weirdest? I mean, Robert Benigni had that climbing over -- remember?
BOROWITZ: Right.
O'BRIEN: Practically over people's heads after he won for "Life is Beautiful." That was one.
BOROWITZ: I mean, Sally Field was, do you remember, for you like me, you really like me. I mean, that was a famous one. I actually like, you know, the actress Ruth Gordon, when she was 72, said the coolest thing. She said, I can't tell you how encouraging a thing like this is. And I think that was just (UNINTELLIGIBLE) for a 72-year-old actress to say.
ADAMS: Exactly.
O'BRIEN: Worst?
ADAMS: You know, I hate those -- the Vanessa Redgrave, Michael Moore, I'm going to use this as a political platform kind of thing, always turns me off. And the great one, the Marlon Brandro, when he didn't accept the reward for "Godfather," but sent...
O'BRIEN: Still made a political statement, and yet didn't even accept.
BOROWITZ: Right.
ADAMS: I know.
O'BRIEN: Now that's power.
ADAMS: You know, for the Native Americans. I know. That's power. So, those are the ones I always kind of dread.
O'BRIEN: Well, you know, we'll be talking about these Oscars, I'm sure, for years to come.
As always, you guys, thanks so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
