Forget everything you know about Oscar show themes and past telecasts.
Twenty ten was truly the year of the woman
Elyse Glickman is US west coast editor of Lucire.
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FORGET EVERYTHING you know about Oscar
show themes and past telecasts. Twenty ten was truly the year of
the woman.
While this years Academy Awards show was
brilliantly hosted by Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin, it was capped
with Kathryn Bigelow taking the nights two biggest prizes
(Best Director, Best Picture) and seizing the spotlight from the
one-time king of the world (former husband James Cameron,
who recently received accolades in the press for the strong female
characters in his films, Avatar included).
The night, however, also belonged to Mo-Nique
and Sandra Bullock. Both actresses just happened to star in films
focused on at-risk teens beating the odds. Though the roles were
180 degrees apart, the pertinence of their wins were not lost on
the crowd attending the annual Children Uniting Nations 11th
annual viewing party at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
The charity, which helps finance a successful
mentoring programme for Los Angeles foster children, was the
real winnernot
only generating monies through gala ticket sales, silent and live
auctions and a poker tournamentbut having their mission echoed
in the movies Precious and The Blind Side.
All the trappings of a legit Oscar party were
there, from top-drawer post-show entertainment (Elliott Yamin, MC
Lyte, Matt Morris) to a sensational Tuscan feast from Miami-based
celebrity chef Stefano Tedeschi to a clever on-site candy
land-themed VIP suite with goodies
edible and otherwise (created by highly creative bi-coastal event
planner Carrie Zack), to a smooth press line (courtesy of the impressively
organized Amy Balsam) to the high-roller poker game (de rigueur
at many Hollywood party these days) to the impressive list of talent
(Quinton Aaron, who played Michael Oher in The Blind Side,
American Idol finalist andrecording artist Kimberly Caldwell,
Debbie Gibson, Chaka Khan, Freda Payne, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Daphne
Zuniga, James Pickens, Jr, Gloria Garayua, Samm Levine, Rosanna
Arquette, Brandon Molales, Noah Cyrus, Emily Grace Reaves and Boo
Boo Stewart) and a host who kept everybody entertained and focused
on the reason why people generously donated to participate in the
festivities.
While Rebbie and Randy Jackson accepted the Angel
Award on behalf of Michael Jackson for his efforts on behalf of
disadvantaged children and teens, and CUN
founder Daphna Ziman expounded on the charitys recent achievements,
what gave the event a real authenticity was that the Hollywood
gala attitude was refreshingly absent, and people really seemed
to know why they were there at the Beverly Hilton.
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