The SAG Awards- The Sad Awards?

Naturally Sean Penn was the only actor hinting at the political tiff in our actor's union two nights ago, during his "Milk" acceptance speech. But it was ONLY a hint (very rare for Mr Hot-Headed Penn) and even angry Allen Rosenberg, Presidente General, steered clear of the elephant in the room, throughout the star-studded night.

Yes, Hollywood showed it's true colors at the SAG Awards...THE SHOW MUST GO ON!! (albeit with some serious boiling bubbles underneath the surface).

The actors at the SAG awards for most part are working all the time, in different states and countries, they hardly have time for union politics. And to be honest i don't really blame them, when the opportunity is there, ride that wave, but what exactly does it mean to be an actor right now in Los Angeles, with a union so unstable and with the times a changin'? How about I leave that for a more serious (and depressing) blog post and just give my analysis of the glamorous night.

BEST SPEECH: Meryl Streep. Ms. Drama herself was also ridiculously funny in accepting her award for "Doubt." These are the times when improvised words are far more fun and genuine than those planned speeches (notes...grrr..I do not like notes.) Okay, granted Meryl is a good enough actress to also have PRETENDED that it was improvised but, as she pointed out, the lady was not even wearing a dress and looked like she was rather humorously having menopausal hot flushes while delivering her "women are great" manifesto. Gold star for her.

WEIRDEST SPEECH: Jane Krakowski when "30 Rock" won Best Cast. To be honest, not all of it was strange but the end...hmmm: "Of all the casts I've worked with (and I was on Ally McBeal) this one is the HEAVIEST." Heaviest? As in weight? If so, that's kind of an insult if not...well, that's just not that funny. Good thing she has WRITERS on the show to make her funnier!? (Oooh, I can be bitchy can't I?)

PEOPLE THAT MADE ME PROUD: Naturally it was the COMEDIANS: Will Arnett and Steve Carrell got the ball rolling with their stand out performances of "I am an actor" mock-AA spoofs. Later, Arnett's wife and baby's mama, Amy Poehler, had a great presenter moment with John Krasinski, engaging in a typical (or rather atypical) melodramatic acting scene. Funny chicks make me happy.

Was it the best awards show I ever? No. But it beat the over-hyped and oh-so-long Academy Award shows I'd grown tired of over the years. Plus, has anyone noticed that when Hollywood's royalty sit at tables for these shows (like the Golden Globes) they seem a hell of a lot happier than when they're squished butt cheek to butt cheek in the Kodak Theater's chairs?

Awards shows be aware that the mood of the nominees infinitely affects the mood of the show...and the audience. At least, this girl's.

Till the Oscar.

Day 2- Sundance Strikes Back

Probably more than a few people can say they've passed out at a Ben Silverman party. I joined that prestigious club last night.

For those who don't know (or don't care) Ben Silverman is the NBC executive behind gems like "The Office," "Ugly Betty" and "The Tudors." Yes, he's doing well and far from this being a story about me doing "Annie Hall"-style coke mounds or overdosing on exotic pills or even consuming crazy amounts of alcohol, it's a lot more boring. Yes, ladies and gentleman, I have Altitude Sickness.

I DO.

I started feeling faint during that hot, sweaty, early evening Sundance party for "The Cove" and next thing I know I'm seeing white dots and feeling my legs give way as I head closer to the floor. Good thing Boyfriend was there to hold me up and carry me to the cool lobby outside. Otherwise full embarrassment in front of Hollywood's lovies would have ensued. Thanks to Boyfriend's physical support I managed to escape with only a few awkward looks from the guests and an interruption of a conversation with a William Morris agent (who probably thought I was some drug addict drama queen).

I quickly recovered and treated my reviving body to a delicious Mexican dinner which, you know what, was kinda delicious. Who would of thought that Park City, Utah would be up there with the famous home-made Burritos of California. Needless to say, the dizziness went away.

Stubborn as a mule, I continued my night: We crashed "The Canada Party," saw The Captain from "Battlestar Galatica" with a thick beard, then advanced up Main Street to "The Downstairs Bar," where Melissa from Smashing Pumpkins let us in. Adding to the bizarre nature of that dark and trendy place was the fact that it was hosting 2 parties- Elite Models and the "White Lightnin'" after-party. Talk about a clash of cultures. The clips I saw of "White Lightnin'" were...well...about sex. Sex indie style. Black and white film sex. Sex without models. I'm glad Sundance programming has not denied their residual, teenage hormones.

You'd think after fainting I would stick to water. Nope. 3 glasses of white wine later, I felt like I'd digested 9. But plenty of schmoozing had been accomplished and I knew Monday night would be planned "mellow night." A nice dinner, a little reading and back to the pilot script....I fall asleep guilt-free of last night's hedonistic sindancing.

Sundance Swing

Amazing what a wuss you become to cold weather after living in California for a few years. But thanks to a Forever 21 gift card and a great sale, I managed to rack up some warm clothing for what is considered the "biggest deal" film festival in the world.

First impression: OVERWHELM. However, I am told that this is nothing to last year's crowd so I'm half-happy I've come for the "modest year."

Last night's "The Vicious Kind" premiere party had to be the highlight of my trip so far, even though it's clear things are just getting started. The DJ was good, the bar was open and like many a festival rat, I was at the party for a movie I had actually not seen. But in good moral, I am booked for Tuesday's screening. Clips from the indie were broadcast over TV screens around the party and all that I could comprehend was that there was a young man (Adam Scott) and he was NOT happy and kept on squeezing the cheeks of a forlorn Brittany Snow ("American Dreams" girl goes "edgy.") This should make some good entertainment in a couple of days.

A film I am determined to see, despite sold out seats and challenging wait lists, is "Brief Interviews with Hideous Men." It's John Krasinski's film and rather than having a teenage crush on Jim from "The Office," I'm really intrigued by the theme of this movie and curious what happens when a successful TV actor debuts as director. Plus, who could miss a film with the incredible Dominic Cooper? (Now him I do have a crush on.)

People, there will be plenty more gossip to impart to you in the next few days. And I choose to immerse myself like a pig in s&%t. Here's to Robert Redford- my mother loves you.

Jack the Lad

I think I know why Madonna and Guy Ritchie broke up. He was too much of a lad.

"The Lad" is strange British specimen. He's one of those anomalies you either love or hate or, in my case, admire from a distance.

I decided to look up definitions for this rather classic, British labeling. Here's what I found in Longman's: "A young man who enjoys drinking alcohol and going out with his male friends, and who thinks he is sexually attractive." Conclusion: three things define the LAD (presumably the secret 4th is that he's from the U.K., cause I've not heard the reference anywhere else other than when people mock the country of Her Majesty.)

Here's my scientific breakdown of the 3:

1) Enjoys Drinking Alcohol. No kidding. I think a recent survey has British men drinking twice as much as British women and that's saying something because I've hung out with a lot of lasses and they drink a lot. As teenagers and at university, according to some recent surveys, they even overtake men in drinking units. Now if lads are Brits who "enjoy drinking" and the English are already statistically known to drink a fair bit, that means the average lad has at least a few pints a night. He may be handsome, but he'll also have a beer belly. Latest news: "Stress driving one in three British men to drink." Uh, yeah, any excuse for a Guinness.

2) Enjoys Going Out With His Male Friends: To the detriment of the female population, actually. Pre-Chris Martin, Gwyenth Paltrow commented on the lame state of "dating" in London: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1404456/British-men-appear-scared-to-ask-me-out-says-Paltrow.html
Much of what this article targets is the culture of males hanging out with only males. It's very uncommon for a man to step out of his group and ask a female out. So basically....yah, the lad does enjoy going out with his male friends...to the detriment of his non-existing female ones AND his dating life.

3) Thinks He Is Sexually Attractive: Sorry lads but is this highlighting your insecurity. Ladies we all know the loud mouth dude rattling on to guy friends about "getting it" is usually a big fat liar. His conversation (and the fantasy behind it) makes up for the lack of "it" in the physical world (!?) Okay, that's a psychobabbled way to put it but what's the old saying take the number of sexual conquests a man says he's had, divide by 2 and subtract 3. Awww, but before I detract my "lovely lads" reading this blog let me say that women are just as bad if not worse. Only (cough, cough) well they're lying the other way around: http://forums.vault9.net/lofiversion/index.php/t5452.html

I do think there's a bullet point missing in the definition of the lad. 99% like football. 99% really, really LOVE football (the British version, that is.) I don't think these 3 traits could be embodied in a British male and...he doesn't like football. Impossible. Impossible i say! But then let's see if you can prove me wrong.

I promise next time I'll give the women some poking.

Happy New Year, lads!!