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Carole Mallory

Carole Mallory

Posted: February 27, 2011 02:31 PM

I miss Bob Hope. Oscar meets ageism. Why doesn't Hwood do a film about ageism?
It's been done, has it? Well, do a sequel. It's a new story this Oscar race.

Melissa Leo felt she had to pay for stunning photos of herself at fifty to be used as press shots because the glossy magazines would not give her beauty recognition because they felt she was too old. She had to look old for the part she played. Then Hwood insiders criticized Leo for trying to show us how lovely she can look at the ripe young age of 50 and for not looking like that old frau she played in The Fighter. Go for it, Melissa. You'll win anyway. Looks are just that. Spirit is what this should be about.

And God Bless HLN for giving Joy Behar a talk show and new life at 68. Meanwhile she has a cameo in a new film Hall Pass. Joy is a pisser, a fighter -- someone to be admired for being quick witted, nimble at 68 and not complaining about it.

NO! Why didn't the Oscars haul out Jack Nicholson and Warren Beatty who have some history AKA memories to share with us, the viewer? Does anyone care about the viewer or just teeny boppers' "potential" ratings? Why NOT parade two witty, aging, bad boys with spirit and style who represent Hwood instead of two young newbies who have just learned to say 'hello'? Oh, mind you, these nubile presenters will be adequate, but some great oldies will be getting more grey this year while these kids strut their placentas on stage. Please. Stop wasting aging star powers power.

And will somebody please put Liz Taylor's blue sun glasses on her straight. Better yet take them off of her and leave her be. While she was wheeled out of the hospital someone foolishly put blue glasses on her. Why? To hide her wrinkles. To make her look cool? Let the woman alone and be ill in peace and with wrinkles. She's earned them.

Back to Oscar night, as presenters why not have Jane Fonda, Barbra Streisand, Cher, Goldie Hawn or Julianna Moore, Annette Bening, Catherine Zeta Jones. What slick agent hoodwinked Hwood powerbrokers into allowing Oscar to be presented wearing diapers instead of grandeur? Boohoo to you, too.

This whole presenter thing has me so pissed off that I don't want to watch, yet I know I will just to see if these kids can prove their Oscar worthiness, that is worthiness to present the little golden oldie. Yep, Oscar is old, but who complains about him. He doesn't change his dress or jokes just his handlers.

I guess it all comes down to respect. I don't feel the organizers of the Oscar Ceremony have respect for Hwood's Old Guard. Oh, I know some of these stars have misbehaved. I may know more of their misdeeds than most people do, but next year please turn the other cheek on the age issue -- before your viewers turn the channel.

 
 
 
I miss Bob Hope. Oscar meets ageism. Why doesn't Hwood do a film about ageism? It's been done, has it? Well, do a sequel. It's a new story this Oscar race. Melissa Leo felt she had t...
I miss Bob Hope. Oscar meets ageism. Why doesn't Hwood do a film about ageism? It's been done, has it? Well, do a sequel. It's a new story this Oscar race. Melissa Leo felt she had t...
 
 
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Manx
06:37 PM on 02/28/2011
So the Oscars has become a show preoccupied with TV ratings. Sounds like the awards have become only secondary. The show has become as produced and contrived as American Idol but there are so many viewers out there who are not discriminating enough to demand better.
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Carole Mallory
journalist, actress, professor, movie critic
10:55 PM on 02/28/2011
always was ratings driven, I think this is more a reflection of the power of the internet and facebook bringing in younger viewers.
02:18 PM on 02/28/2011
I agree with Carole Mallory on this subject..They had two young movie stars
and Anne Hathaway was good, but the other was horrible. No sense of humor.
For the hosts next year they should have someone from Saturday Night Live,
and a beautiful film star...Or another comic because they are the best.
Billy Crystal was fantastic but I guess they think he is too old now.

Myrna Post
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Carole Mallory
journalist, actress, professor, movie critic
10:59 PM on 02/28/2011
I thought Ann Hathaway was horrible and liked James but not as a presenter,
02:18 PM on 02/28/2011
I have to say for once I disagree with you. I thought the Academy Awards/Oscar ® presentation was very entertaining this year.

You, by saying, we should trot out a bunch of doddering celebs instead of these new younger celebs are in a way also falling prey to "age-ism" in the industry.

What difference does it make how young or how old a person is? If they can fill the bill they should get the job.

Warren Beatty, by the way, looked as if he hadn't a clue as to where he was! Or that he would rather have been anywhere but there on the red carpet being upstaged by his wife!

The presenters, generally are the people who won or were nominated for the award in the previous year. Since Goldie and Jane and Barbra and Lauren seem to have retired from the silver screen due to the fact that writers are not writing plump roles for mature women actors anymore you won't see them presenting in the future either.

I'll be curious to see if this awards show is up for an Emmy this season. I for one think it is deserving no matter what age the players!

Good write-up we just differ in opinions.
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HUFFPOST BLOGGER
Carole Mallory
journalist, actress, professor, movie critic
11:03 PM on 02/28/2011
thanks for your well thought out response, Warren did look a litte peaked in the daylight. Still I could not stand Ann Betty Boop Hathaway and her over the top wide eyed bushy tailed energy
01:49 PM on 02/28/2011
Carole, YOUR ARE RIGHT ON! In fact, people at the office today were saying the very same thing as you ... They were not satisfied the the awards or the presenters. But, do you think anyone will listen? Good job, Carole.
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Carole Mallory
journalist, actress, professor, movie critic
11:08 PM on 02/28/2011
I certainly hope so.
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Siren Song
I used to be Snow White but I drifted - Mae West
02:57 AM on 02/28/2011
Yes! I was longing to see Lauren Bacall, Michael Caine, Julie Christie, Sean Connery--ANY older movie star. There was Kirk Douglas, bless his heart. But I long for the Academy to sprinkle in more older Hollywood stars as presenters.
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Carole Mallory
journalist, actress, professor, movie critic
11:09 PM on 02/28/2011
you mention great names. where are they now?
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Siren Song
I used to be Snow White but I drifted - Mae West
02:35 AM on 03/01/2011
Waiting for film scripts and their invitations to the Oscars?!

I'd like to see them in current films, not just on TCM. The whole dreadful ceremony would have been (partially) erased from my mind if Julie Christie and Michael Caine had presented an award together. Or Rhonda Fleming and George Hamilton. Jane Russell. Celeste Holm. Malcolm McDowell. Joanne Woodward. Robert Wagner and Jill St. John. Mia Farrow and Robert Redford. Karen Black. Valerie Perrine. Tuesday Weld. Jeanne Moreau. Brigitte Bardot. Raquel Welch. Peter O'Toole. Paula Prentiss and Dick Benjamin. Sidney Poitier. Mamie Van Doren and Tab Hunter. And so many more.

Academy and filmmakers, please take these stars off the shelf; many of us would be thrilled to see them.
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NotMcCain
www.welcomeesl.com
01:57 AM on 02/28/2011
Yes, where were the legends? I can count about ...3...big stars, maybe not even that many.
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Carole Mallory
journalist, actress, professor, movie critic
11:09 PM on 02/28/2011
They weren't there
01:39 AM on 02/28/2011
Seems the show is after the demographic of the active movie goer. It would make sense to mix the two together. Producers may be surprised at the electricity....
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Carole Mallory
journalist, actress, professor, movie critic
11:06 PM on 02/28/2011
Think the show missed the ratings so the demographic ploy backfired.
12:23 AM on 02/28/2011
Oh how I wish Bob Hope really was there tonight hosting .... or Johnny. I was thinking the same thing ... where are all the true stars. How can anyone dislike Anne Hathaway - she seems genuine and sweet ..... but how about some old time talent!
05:23 PM on 02/27/2011
Agreed on Melissa Leo. Why everyone freaked out about that is beyond me? So when photo shoots are arranged by publicists and industry insiders, they're credible? Is that why we see the same people over and over on magazine covers? This is a case of ageism of the worst kind.
05:02 PM on 02/27/2011
Absolutely agree with your comment on bringing some of the older, established stars into the Oscar program. Personally, I don't recognize more than a few of those who will be presenting!!!!!
04:16 PM on 02/27/2011
Good points all....interesting article in yesterday's NYT about older filmgoers giving "adult" films (like Black Swan, The Fighter or True Grit, not in the sense of dirty movies) box office legs, and allowing them to make decent profits over the course of months rather than over that sacrosanct opening weekend.
04:09 PM on 02/27/2011
There was a reason Greta Garbo went into hiding. People don't like to see their stars grow old like the rest of us do. They picked Franco and Hathaway to bring in the youths. I personally know one who is watching because she has a crush on Franco, and wouldn't be watching otherwise. That having been said, fewer and fewer actresses in Hollywood have any real faces anymore. Brava to Melissa Leo and all the actresses in all the foreign films, starting with "Another Year." for still looking real. Soon Hollywood writers will have to erase emotions from their scripts because the actors faces are too tight to register emotion.
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03:47 PM on 02/27/2011
Unfortunately, bringing on the legends can be just a depressing reminder of how much better movies (and the actors themselves) used to be. If you bring out a Robert DeNiro, you can remember Godfather II - or you can remember Little Fockers VI . . . Most 'legends' end up sullying their careers in one way or another.
03:26 PM on 02/27/2011
Carole- good writing, I must say. My sentiments sxactly, I suppose time marches on. I do miss some of the ole gang. What fun it was.
xoxo
RM