Besides that this new play is really good, (and you have only one weekend left to see it,) I had the best overall time at the Electric Lodge Theater in Venice this past Sunday. So did the many audience members whom my New Best Friends and I kept running into after the show as we partied on famous Abbot Kinney Boulevard, just one block away.

Jessie Warner and Heidi Sulzman. Photo by Gus Frank, as is the one above.

More on all that fun later on, but first I must laud this entertaining short play, (it’s only seventy-six minutes, including an intermission!,) which is inspired by an interesting true tale; I suggest you research it after you see the show because it’s fascinating! (In a macabre way.)

All you really need to know about the premise of The Best Boarding House in Delaware is that it takes place in a boarding house in Delaware. (Duh—to both.) The year is 1983, and it begins with a visit from a resident’s niece who plans to move her aunt out of there. Knowing more than that might ruin it for you. I wish I had gone in with no knowledge of the plot because I feel that shows are always more interesting if you discover the journey for yourself.

And there are a few well-done surprises along the way. Even though I knew they might be possibilities, they still got me. My seat-mate said that my reactions to them were the best thing he’s ever seen in a theatre, so you know they really worked!

I don’t know how to classify the story. The Best Boarding House in Delaware is mainly a drama, but with a lot of humor, (which makes it basically a dramedy,) and it could alternatively be called a thriller or psychological drama or dark comedy. You’re just going to have to decide for yourselves.

Heidi Sulzman and Leigh Taylor-Young. Photo by Gus Frank.

Truth be told, I had opted to see the play only because Emmy-winning veteran actress Leigh Taylor-Young is in the four-female cast. I had never seen her work before, but, as she’s been uber-famous for just about my whole life, and I had actually met her a bunch of times a few decades ago, I really wanted to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to finally see her act. I believe she had just about retired some years ago, so this show was very lucky to have convinced her to return to the stage.

And let me tell you—that woman is still gorgeous! It’s unbelievable. I spoke with her after the show, (I’ll tell you about that in a few minutes, as well,) so I saw her up-close, and I promise you—Leigh looks at least twenty years younger than she is. Maybe even thirty years younger! And I’d kill to have her body. Which made me actually consider giving her a bad review, out of jealousy!

But I can’t even joke about that because Leigh is absolutely perfect in the role of the kindest, sweetest, most supportive woman one could ever imagine. Leigh’s character, Fiona, is the one resident in the titular senior boarding house. Every note in her performance rings true.

As for the rest of the cast, Heidi Sulzman, who does the heavy lifting as DeeDee, (or is it “Didi?”—there are no programs,) the old woman who owns and runs the boarding house, really sells her character, with no melodrama involved. That makes the action so real, (which as I said before, is!)

Michelle Gardner. Photo by Gus Frank.

Also real is Michelle Gardner as Shannon, the niece of the resident she’s come to take to her own home. She makes the most of her comedic lines.

The final cast member is Jessie Warner, who plays the judge in a “Best Small Business” contest that DeeDee enters. Not only is she excellent in her role, but I love her hair. Trust me, I’m going to try to copy it because when I let my hair be wavy, it doesn’t look anything like the gorgeousness of hers!

Michael Fitzgerald’s cluttered-by-design set is spot-on; I’m sure it took a lot of work. (Or maybe he just studied my living room. Can I sue?)

The set. Photo by Karen Salkin.

Writer/director Marja-Lewis Ryan did a great job with the entire production. And on a side note, her darling boyfriend, Joseph, really helped me with a crazy phone problem that night, and literally saved the day for me! Actually, everyone who works there was very pleasant.

Perhaps that pleasantness is why the venue was packed…on Easter! And I wore no make-up because I thought I’d be the only one in the audience on such a big holiday. That audience fullness is a testament to how good the play is; it must be creating quite the buzz. I hope I’m adding to it with this review because I’m highly recommending The Best Boarding House in Delaware.

But, a warning, though—it gets freezing in that theatre, so I advise you to bring layers. If I had had a blanket I would’ve been happy. The guy next to me told me at intermission that when I put my sweatshirt on, he knew I was cold. (As was he! Along with at least half the assemblage.) Then when I put the hoodie up, he knew I was even colder. But when I put a mask on my face with no one coughing around us, he knew that I was freezing! I’m glad that someone knew I was using a face mask solely for warmth.  And just to let you know for future reference, it works.

Now here’s my Leigh Taylor-Young story: A few decades ago, Leigh was roommates with my friend, Paul Ryan, in a big beautiful house in BelAir. I met Paul when I was doing my TV show, and he asked me to join his improv group. From there, a few of us became the Laugh Factory Players. So I was over at that house quite a bit. I actually think I was there more than Leigh! But anyhow, because she was so good in this play, I decided to stay to see her afterwards, and she was as gracious as she is beautiful. So I’m glad we reconnected for a moment.

And as to my opening declaration of fun, this is what happened: The entire assemblage loved the show so much that everyone stuck around the lobby and entrance for a long while afterwards. We discussed what we had seen, took photos for each other, and greeted the amiable cast. A couple of guys even offered to help me find my car, which was possibly lost in the unfamiliar-to-me Venice neighborhood! When I finally left and walked to the corner, a lovely duo approached me to inquire about the notes I was taking during the show. We had such a good convo, (they had come to see Leigh, as well,) that we walked right over to Abbot Kinney and…they took me to dinner!!! We had the best time. (At least I did—they may be blocking me forever!) It hit me that in these days of life being more and more like Dateline, I’m amazed that we all trusted a stranger, especially after seeing the chilling The Best Boarding House in Delaware! But that’s what the show brought out in us all—a fun time! (And whether they want to be or not, Gigi and Sumit are now My New Best Friends. And they’re the first brother and sister pair upon whom I’ve ever bestowed that title, so I hope they cherish it for the brief time they’ll hold it; many others are vying for it at all times, so I have to switch it up when someone new deserves it. But someone will have to go far to beat-out these two.)

Now go see the play this last weekend! You’ll be glad you did.

The Best Boarding House in Delaware running through April 11, 2025
The Electric Lodge Theater
1416 Electric Ave., Venice
thebestboardinghouseindelaware.eventbrite.com

Once again, Easter comes right in the middle of Passover. How many fun foods can one girl eat in a week???

Which do I love more?

But I’m celebrating one extra “holiday” this week, as well. The first night of Passover, which was Wednesday, fell on the same day as my favorite day of the year. So do you know what that special day was? I can tell you the answer now without joking—it was April Fool’s Day! It’s the only day of the year that Mr. X tells me he loves me, (so he can get the words out of his system, but then take them right back, to keep me on my toes.) And that’s no joke. But I love it! (And a big thank you to all the gullible pals who I “got” once again this year!)

As for Easter, I totally hadn’t realized the date of that holiday this year, (it’s this coming Sunday, in case you all were out of the loop, too,) and had made plans to review a play that day! Wanting to always be reliable, I’m forging ahead with those plans, and hope that at least the audience members will be a tad festive for the holiday. I know that I will! (But will I choose to rock my “chick in a colorful basket” earrings or my yellow Easter e-word ones? How’s a girl to choose?)

A passover set-up at a seder I once went to. Photo by Karen Salkin.

The main reason that I care about Passover is to pay tribute to my heritage. And, okay, because I have affection for the special foods, too. (I first made my nutty—in both senses of the word—Tower of Matzahs recipe during the Pandemic Passover, and let me tell you—that odd dessert is delicious! It was even during the crazy time when I didn’t have the proper ingredients during that lockdown! If you want to give it a whirl yourself, here’s the recipe for you: itsnotaboutme.tv/news/recipe-tower-of-matzahs-recipe.)

Pretty Easter.

And the colors and camaraderie of Easter are what draw me to that special day. I’ve loved it ever since I starred in my third grade Spring play; at the end, I donned a flowered chapeau while the rest of the cast, (my classmates, of course,) serenaded me with a rousing rendition of In Your Easter Bonnet.

No matter what you do this week-end, if you’re a celebrant of either holiday, or both, I wish you the happiest Passover and the hoppiest Easter! (Goony of me, I know.)

Yes, I am ashamed to admit that I have been watching The Bachelorette since the pandemic lockdown. There wasn’t much else to do at the time, so please don’t judge me too harshly, (as I do myself!)  And then I started watching The Bachelor the next season. (But I held off on Bachelor in Paradise until 2023, when a very intelligent and successful show biz executive heavily suggested it to me, and Mr. X and I didn’t want to disappoint him.)

Taylor Paul, looking the best she possibly can, in an image from the show that we’re not going to get to see.

So I feel qualified to weigh-in on the inane situation that ABC finds itself in now with the newest creepy Bachelorette, whose fully-shot season they just had to cancel!

Taylor Paul was a stupid choice anyway. First of all, she wasn’t even a part of the franchise to begin with, as all other Bachelorettes have been. On top of that, she’s not even remotely attractive. At all. She looks like a washed-up old drugged-out harlot. As soon as we saw the (very many) promos for the upcoming rendition, Mr. X and I had already decided to not waste any time watching this season of the show.

If you don’t know this latest show biz gossip, here’s the tea: For some unknown reason, instead of booking one of the popular rejects from the former season of The Bachelor to be the new Bachelorette this season, the show hired this skank from Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives. I had never even heard of that show until this last season of Dancing With the Stars, when ABC took two of those “wives” to compete on the dance floor. So it must be popular among the idiots who watch reality TV. And that may be why The Bachelorette went against their own unwritten rules, and chose a divorced mother-of-three, (with two different men,) to vie for love with strange men. Who could have seen a debacle coming???

The answer is everyone, of course. But not like this. The situation is worse than any of us could have imagined.

Taylor Paul’s ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen.

So, after this entire season was already filmed, and about to start airing on March 22th, (with at least a month of seemingly non-stop promos!,) a popular website published a tape of Taylor attacking her serious ex-boyfriend, (and baby daddy,) Dakota Mortensen in 2023. She even threw heavy metal chairs at him! Even worse, her five-year-old daughter was in the room! And the kid got hit in the head by one of those objects!!! What is wrong with that woman???

She got arrested for alleged domestic violence back then, and was charged with misdemeanor assault, criminal mischief, and commission of domestic violence in the presence of a child. OMG, am I right? (In August 2023, she pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree aggravated assault, and was placed on probation for the next three years. The other charges were dismissed. But my research shows that the authorities are considering even more charges against Taylor Paul, stemming from second and third incidents!)

After that three-year-old video of the attack came to life on this March 19th, her upcoming season of The Bachelorette was cancelled, just three days before its premiere!!! A Disney Entertainment Television issued a statement announcing the cancellation, explaining, “In light of the newly released video just surfaced today, we have made the decision to not move forward with the new season of The Bachelorette at this time, and our focus is on supporting the family.” What family???

Taylor Paul, looking as confused as the rest of us are as to why she was ever chosen to be this season’s The Bachelorette!

So now the big question is: Why didn’t the show vet this stranger??? I always thought that everyone who applies to be on the show is investigated, so how did the ABC powers-that-be miss this major situation??? TMZ seems to have had no trouble uncovering the info and video, so why did ABC’s high-powered detectives not get the memo??? Or actually, why didn’t whatever channel Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives is on catch it, especially because that series didn’t begin airing until late 2024? And she and Mortensen weren’t married, so she wasn’t even a “wife!”

No matter who is to blame for that oversight, let’s all thank them for the reprieve we’re all getting from these low-life shows. Maybe the cancellation will be just what we The Bachelor franchise possibly-addicts need to break free! And let’s just hope that Taylor does not show up on the next Dancing With the Stars!

First things first—this play is absolutely hilarious!!! Go see it! Dot, dash, end of story.

Well, not really the end of the story because you might like to know a bit more about Kim’s Convenience, the comedy that just opened at the Ahmanson Theatre in downtown LA earlier this week.

(L–R) Brandon McKnight, Ins Choi, and Kelly Seo. Photo by Dahlia Katz, as is the one above.

On top of the humor, Kim’s Convenience is a very worthwhile and high-quality production. It began as a play in Canada in 2011, and then became the basis for an eponymous five-season sitcom in that country. That CBC TV series later went on to Netflix, (which means that we can see it in the States.) But…I had never even heard of it before I learned about this new production at the Ahmanson! That may be because, although Mr. X and I have two television systems, (featuring about a thousand channels, including all of the streaming ones,) I’m strictly a network girl.

So, in case you join me in my nescience, let me tell you the premise of the play. A Korean immigrant couple, the Kims, own a convenience store in Toronto. And they have two grown children—a son and daughter. And we’re seeing one significant day in their basic lives. In that brief time, they take us on quite the journey. Not only is it a laugh riot, but it gets pretty emotional in a few spots. And all of that in only seventy-five minutes!!! (The program says it’s ninety minutes, but I clocked it at seventy-five.)

The five-person cast—Kelly Seo, Brandon McKnight, Esther Chung, and Ryan Jinn, led by the playwright, Ins Choi, as Mr. Kim—is excellent. My favorite was actually Brandon, who plays a trio of characters, and makes them so distinct that I wasn’t sure if they were all the same actor! Or maybe triplets.

Kelly Seo and Brandon McKnight. Photo by Dahlia Katz.

There’s a section in the middle of the play where the father explains to the daughter how to tell who will steal from a store. I thought I was going to need oxygen from laughing so much.

To get serious for a moment, I know that there are many societal aspects to this play, but I don’t feel qualified to discuss them. All I know about Korea these days is their superior skincare! However, in theatre in general, I feel that there’s a dearth of stories about Asian immigrants, especially funny ones. And, not to get political here, but with all the evil being perpetrated by ICE, I’m extra-happy to see an all-minority-characters show. I really didn’t even think about any of that while I was chuckling, (and crying,) my butt off, so I’m suggesting that you, too, just enjoy the performance, and leave the analysis until later.

There’s actually so much interesting history to Kim’s Convenience, both the inspiration behind it and the several productions themselves. But since my thoughts here are a review of the current production, and not a term paper, I heavily suggest you research it all for yourselves if you’re curious.

However, I do have to add one tiny memory of my own that this show happily brought to the surface. (Of course I do! Have you met me?) It’s that my great-uncle Aaron owned the General Store in Penn’s Neck, New Jersey, when I was a kid. My family and I visited only once a year, but it made such a major impression on me. (Obvi!) I still know where so many items were stocked, especially the chocolate milk. He always told us to take anything we wanted!!! He made us the most delicious fresh sandwiches for lunch, and we just snacked away all day. I cannot even convey how magical it was.

Most of the set of Kim’s Convenience. Photo by Karen Salkin.

So when I saw the set for Kim’s Convenience, I wanted to jump right up on the stage and help myself again! I can confirm from that long-ago experience, (and from my current little neighborhood market that we all get a kick out of,) that this is a very authentic, perfect set. (I’m still wondering if the boxes and bags are filled, or if the set designer, Joanna You, was able to get all those food companies to send them empty boxes.) I also admired the clever way a church was indicated for one scene, (aided by Nicole Eun-Ju Bell’s colorful projections and Wen-Ling Liao’s lighting design,) without having to move anything around.

Esther Chung and Ryan Jinn in the scene at a church. Photo by Dahlia Katz.

On another little personal note, I enjoyed hearing mention of different streets and areas in Toronto because Mr. X and I have spent a lot of time in that city over the years. Whenever he’s starred in plays or musicals there, I’ve used most of my free time to shop all over town, so trust me when I tell you I know that city. And love it!

One last thought on the Opening Night of Kim’s Convenience at the Ahmanson, of something I really appreciated. There was more upbeat pre-show buzz there than ever! The place was absolutely humming with happiness! I bumped into people I had never seen at a theatre before, too. It was all really wonderful.

The entire evening reminded me of a valuable lesson Mr. X taught me years ago. We used to be regulars at very private weekly industry screenings, always of a famous current film. As most “important” movies are, the ones we saw there were somewhat heavy. Then after Toy Story 2, he pointed-out to me that, unlike the usual quick exits everyone made, the entire assemblage was hanging around, conversing very exuberantly with each other. I had not been a part of anything like that since then, until Kim’s Convenience opening night. Audience members were still in both lobbies for at least another half hour, chatting and smiling away!!! In all my years of attending the shows there, I have rarely seen that phenomenon. That’s what a wonderful play will do for you.

So it looks like now I’ll have to watch Netflix. Or better yet, just pay another visit to the Ahmanson in the next month. I hope to see you all there!

Kim’s Convenience running through April 19, 2026
Ahmanson Theatre  135 N. Grand Avenue
213-972-4400  www.centertheatregroup.org

As a former ballet dancer, (not professionally, of course, but my whole life, and even as a Dance Major at UCLA until I ruined my knee,) you would think that I would be among the gazillions who have piled on Timothee Chalamet. But I’m far from that—I’m actually against all these holier-than-thou people who have been dreadful to, and about, the guy. The inane pre-Oscars “Stop Timmy” movement was just insane. Grown-ups in show business basically made him their “cootie,” which I’ll explain in a minute. (And by the way, I’m not a Timothee Chalamet fan—I’m simply a fan of fairness and humanity.)

Matthew McConaughey and Timothee Chalamet doing the “town hall” where the controversy began.

So I’m here to break it all down for you. At the end of February, Timothee was doing a “town hall” discussion with Matthew McConaughey at the University of Texas at Austin. I don’t quite know the purpose of it, but I’m assuming it was just one piece of the publicity puzzle for his Oscar run at Best Actor for his nominated starring role in Marty Supreme.

The two guys were talking about that they hoped that people would still choose to see films in actual theaters, as opposed to on TV, computers, or phones. Timothee said, “I admire people, and I’ve done it myself, who go on a talk show and say, ‘Hey, we’ve got to keep movie theaters alive, we’ve gotta keep this genre alive.’ I don’t want to be working in ballet or opera, or you know, things where it’s like, ‘Hey, keep this thing alive,’ even though it’s like, no one cares about this anymore.” He said that last part lightheartedly. Then he quickly added, “All respect to the ballet and opera people out there. I just lost fourteen cents in viewership. I’m taking shots for no reason.”

Timothee Chalamet in Marty Supreme.

It definitely was not smart to say that. It was one stupid statement, but it was said with no malice. He’s thirty-years-old, and that’s his opinion of arts that he and most likely his pals, (who include the very uncultured Kardashian-Jenners,) don’t care about, so he erroneously think they’re dying. And remember—he was talking to college kids that day!

Chalamet’s mother and sister had both attended the School of American Ballet, and his grandma was actually a dancer with the New York City Ballet. So I doubt he hates the art. As he stated, he just thinks that no one cares about it anymore.

As a matter of fact, in my own life, growing up, (including up through my twenties!,) I honestly never knew anyone else who loved ballet!!! Never. Girls I danced with loved dancing themselves, but outside of my mother, there was not one person I ever met back then who cared even one whit about the art. And even now, out of my plethora of pals, I have only a couple who want to see it. As a matter of fact, even as a dance major at prestigious UCLA, out of a class of two hundred incoming dancers, only two of us were ballerinas—everyone else was a contemporary, (or modern,) dancer! Even my fellow dancers made fun of ballet! Crazy.

And to this day, I don’t get opera, except for maybe one-off songs that are sort-of in the genre, such as Time To Say Goodbye by Andrea Bocelli. Actually, I’ve always loved a lot of the music from famous operas, and even some of the full songs. But I could not sit through a full opera, especially because they’re all so depressing. (Operettas are the happy ones, where nobody dies at the end.) And even though I fully appreciate the mad talent that all opera singers possess, I really do understand why a young-ish guy would consider it to be dying art.

Timothee Chalamet in Marty Supreme, for which he did most of his own amazing ping-pong playing!

So I’m not against Timothee—I’m totally against all those people who have been ragging on him for voicing his opinion, as erroneous as it might be. So none of them have ever had an unpopular stance, even privately?

To me, all those peeps are just like the mean kids at school. I assume that in every elementary school classroom, (and, very sadly, also many high school ones,) there are rotten people like that, and it’s disgusting. In my sixth grade class, someone decided that we should all call E.S. the “cootie.” It was horrible. And heartbreaking. Of course I would not do that, and one day, when the bow on the back of her dress got undone, I re-tied it for her. She started crying, and to this day, I still hear her saying, “I can’t believe you’re not scared to touch me,” and it breaks my heart. When I think of that, I always hope that E.S. has the happiest life. (And strangely, the idiot who began the “cootie” pointing was actually a very creepy nerd!)

Getting back to these current idiots who decided they’d try to ruin Timothee Chalamet’s life and career because he thinks that nobody cares about ballet and opera—what is wrong with them??? His dislike of anything should not have ruled him out of winning a deserved Academy Award. As I tweeted right before the show, “Regardless of who I think deserves to win the Oscar for Best Actor, all winners should be voted on for the merit of their work, not if they said something stupid leading up to the vote. I would not want to win by default. The world is crazy now. Ballet has always been my favorite art form, but I can’t get angry at a young ’un for thinking it’s a dying art.”

As to the people who gleefully celebrated that he lost what was supposed to be his Oscar to the absolutely undeserving Michael B. Jordan, (who played twins in Sinners, but there was absolutely no distinction between the two,) you should be proud of yourselves. And how does that make your life better???

Timothee Chalamet sitting in the front row at the Oscars, enjoying jokes made at his own expense, accompanied by his girlfriend, Kylie Jenner.

I really hope that, with a bit of hindsight, some of those creeps see the error of their ways, and would not have been so mean to begin with, except that they were emboldened by the pack mentality.

Timothee was a great sport to sit there in the first row of the audience, and laugh at jokes about his faux pas, and act happy for Michael; he was basically resigned to the outcome. I never cared about the kid before, but now I have respect for him.

And to remind everyone of what happened with the Oscars last year. Transgender actress Karla Sofía Gascón, who starred in and as Emilia Pérez, became reviled for old very disturbing discriminatory tweets after she had already been nominated for many acting awards, including the Oscar. So she didn’t even show up to the ceremony. What she had said was a zillion times worse than anything Timothee said.

I do feel awful for Timothee, but it is a lesson to everyone in show biz. And that is that there’s a fine line between doing the necessary publicity and keeping your true thoughts to yourself. Just keep everything light, laud every single person and activity that you can, and then politely shut it down.

This how the new Dune movie is being promoted. Will they change it now because of all the high-and-mighty idiots?

So the many questions now are: Is Warner Bros. going to cancel their big film Dune: Part Three because of the Chalamet backlash??? Or are they going to be normal and let the controversy die down? And perhaps not send Timothee out to do publicity for the movie?

And to those of you who were soooo offended by someone thinking that no one cares about ballet and opera, when was the last time you went to performances of those arts? And did you spend your own hard-earned money on the always-expensive tickets?

And most importantly, is your life better now that Timothee Chalamet didn’t win the Oscar, that wasn’t even guaranteed to him, anyway? I have a serious feeling that it is not.

This was a lovely event on the hot March day before the 2026 Oscars. The Travel Lounge was held on the rooftop of L’Hermitage Hotel in Beverly Hills, right across from the pool area, but in a world of its own.

Johnny Ray Gill on the right, with a friend. Photo by Karen Salkin, as is the one above.

The entire event was tented, and the weather underneath it was as beautiful as the atmosphere of the Lounge. It was so peaceful and hip.

I was too busy conversing with host Peta Phipps and the sponsors to notice most of the other guests, but when I was doing an art activity, (which I’ll tell you about in a minute,) at the same time as a couple of cute guys, I learned that one of them was Johnny Ray Gill, an actor on a TV show named Cross.

So let’s get to the highlights of the gifts he and the other VIP guests received. They are:

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Casa de Campo Resort—With so many of us really needing some relaxation these days, taking a trip is a much-desired activity. (That’s why we’re all happy to visit the Travel Lounge, of course!) So, in that spirit, this Dominican Republic resort was gifting certificates for complimentary three-night stays with them. The images I saw of the place looked mouthwatering. I wanted to crawl into the backdrop on the roof right then and there! On top of that, each guest left with a bottle of premium Dominican rum, Brugal Anejo, to enjoy while they’re making their reservations to Casa De Campo! www.casadecampo.com.do

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Ekouaer—This hip loungewear company was gifting each guest a bag with two fabulous and adorable items, which made my pajama-loving-self’s mouth water. One is a set of very fashionable light blue satin PJs, featuring shorts and a short-sleeved top, making the females in attendance look forward to summer this year. And the other is my fave—classic and cozy navy blue cotton long PJs.  www.ekouaer.com

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Coofandy—This men’s clothing company with an interesting moniker was very generous in gifting a couple of handsome items. One was a textured knit top in the universal color of beige. And the one that I would rock for myself, (because wearing your boyfriend’s clothing is always cool,) is a lightweight chocolate brown blazer, which is perfect for this new Spring season! wwwcoofandy.com

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Spooge Sunscreen—I had the best time speaking with uber-knowledgeable dermatologist Dr. Whitney Hovenic, who is the founder of this new-ish sunscreen company.  She took one look at a scar I have on my face, and was kind enough to spend a good chunk of time explaining my options to tweak it a bit. So, I just may be bidding all my LA homies adieu for a little while while I move to Reno so my new bestie can fix my face!!! To help everyone at the Lounge avoid scars like mine, Whitney’s company was gifting a couple of interesting sunscreens, which come in five different formulas, including one for butts! (I assume those are for the girls who wear thong bikinis; I’m letting you all figure-out for yourselves if I am one of them!)  www.spooge.co

Karen Salkin (showing her easel) and artist Lilly O’Brien, both enjoying The Travel Lounge.

Lo Art—Artist Lilly O’Brien and I were happy to see each other again, having met at the previous Travel Lounge.  Once again, the guests were invited to paint a picture on a mini canvas that she provided for us, along with brushes and paints, of course. And I loved doing so, as I did last time. With my crazy, busy schedule that day, I couldn’t spend as much time as I would have liked on my creation, so I just started with a bit of blue paint and saw where it went.  And no surprise, I came up with one of my signature tiny houses. It wasn’t as good as the one I did last time, but Mr. X still loved it, so I’m good. And each guest left with their own personal mini-easel and canvas, so they can continue the creativity at home.  www.loartla.com

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Jayne’s Luxury Rentals—Since I’ve spent several chunks of time in Canada with Mr. X whenever he starred in shows up there, I was most interested to learn about this area of Ontario, Muskoka, which was new to me. The company was offering gift certificates for two-night stays at a lakeside property, which sounds like heaven to this city girl! I just may have to talk Mr. X into doing another play or musical in Toronto so I can accompany him, and chill in a cottage on the nearby lake! www.jaynesluxuryrentals.com

The Harris twins recently put on yet another happening event at the Universal Hilton. There was a fun mix of celebs, music, gifts, physical experiences, snacks, media peeps, and a few Oscar nominees thrown in, including the make-up team from Frankenstein, who won the award two days later!

Chris Noth. Photo by Karen Salkin.

I can’t state the ambiance of the suite better than my contributing writer Roz did, so here are her words about it: “The room was alive with the sound of harp music, played by Karina Ward. What a lovely way to embrace brands and attendees alike with lifting and floating sounds that only a harp can make. Interesting to note that outside temps in Los Angeles were running high, into the high 80s on a sunny winter day, but the inside where stars and products could mingle became something that was super cool, both figuratively and literally.”

Among the celebs we spied, (including E.T.’s Dee Wallace and Criminal Minds’ Joe Mantegna,) Roz was the most excited to see Sex and the City’s Chris Noth. I have seen him on only the recent TV show, The Equalizer, and I must say that he looks exactly the same in person. I helped him get a special palm reading right after we got ours, so I hope his was as fun as mine was.

So let’s begin the highlights of the gifts and services right there:

Karen Salkin’s palms being read. Photo by Roz Wolf, as is the photo at the top of this article, of Karen Salkin signing the celebrity poster.

Japanese Palm Reading by Maika Cenju—This was so fun! As soon as we entered the event, a friend who was on her way out ran over to me and told me I just had to do it! Maika Cenju, (who is also an author,) did the reading, but, since she doesn’t speak much English, she had an adorable girl interpreting for her. And they both gasped the second they looked at my palms. They declared, “There’s sooooo much going on in your head!” Duh. Have they met me?! They showed me the line that goes back to when I was little, and started laughing because they said my brain was the same way back then! So we know that they definitely can read palms correctly!!! Roz’s turn came next and she deemed the experience to be “really delightful,” and added, “Within five-minutes, my reading gave me a Star Trek-like experience because now I think I will live long and prosper.”

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Bluelene—I’ve used some of this company’s products before, but they were new to Roz. She looked over several of the items and declared it to be a “really cool skincare line.” She sampled their Eye Plus+ serum on the spot, and tells us that it’s “soft and subtle,” and “feels really good.” www.mbluelabs.com

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Beverly Hills Smile Care—This female dentist was on hand to answer any dental queries the guests might have. She was also gifting a package of an exam, consultation, and teeth whitening, which, trust me, Mr. X and I keep noticing that waaaay too many people, including actors, need these days! (But her rep, Erica, has the most beautiful skin, so maybe they should include dermatology into their practice since they already have the perfect face for it!) And their business cards have the best-feeling texture ever, so I would trust them with aesthetics! www.beverlyhillssmilecare.com

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Art Lewin Bespoke—I agree with Roz who says, “It’s always a pleasure to see Art Lewin!” At each event he does, this bespoke tailor has a different gift bag to surprise us with. Roz says that she “especially loved the silver-tone pocket square and bowtie” in the one we saw that day. She adds, “I’m sure they can elevate any attire.” On a side note, I spoke to my great friend, movie star Elliott Gould, the other day, and he mentioned that the best suit he ever got was one Art made for him! So now I’ll have to get one for Mr. X, as well! www.artlewinbespoke.com

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Bailin Botanicals—This skincare line was gifting a pretty bag of a duo of their products—Transformative Hydrating Wrinkle Reducing Face Cream and Illuminating Hydrating Face Oil. Roz sampled both, and tells us, “The products have a nice fresh smell, and both were easily absorbed into my skin. Very hydrating. And they have beautiful packaging, to boot.” www.bailinbotanicals.com

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Invanti Electric Bikes—This electric bike company could not give away bikes, of course, so they did the next best thing—they gifted air pumps instead. Clever. Roz checked one out, and admired that “it’s small enough to fit in a backpack or purse, and gives precise pressure so you can inflate a tire with confidence.” www.invanti.com

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Central Cali Caregivers—I’m always happy to see this wellness products company for two reasons. One is that the reps are always pleasant, including the newest member of the team—the owner’s adorbs eight-year-old son! Second is that my perennially-painful back lives for their famous Miracle Healing Rub! I highly recommend it to everyone, especially the Wow Creations guests who must have been exhausted from all their gift-gathering! www.centralcalicaregivers.net

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Dr. Monica’s Natural Beauty—This fragrance company was gifting a choice of their Moonlight Mahogany, (which Roz says “sounds so romantic,”) or Egyptian Goddess, (which she says, “also sounds good, and probably makes you feel really confident.”) She spent some time with Dr. Monica herself, and really liked her, telling me that she “has a positive energy and a passion for inspiring others,” and that it “was lovely meeting her.” www.drmonicasnaturalbeauty.com

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Scalp Sanctuary—This Pasadena hair salon was gifting a moisturizing shampoo and a hair masque, which should come in handy for those guests with dry hair. If I can find some time to get out that way one of these days, maybe I will review their services for you because, after all, no one has more hair than I do, so they’ll have a lot to work with! www.scalpsanctuary.com

Mela & Co.—This company took care of the guests’ hair and body in one fell swoop by gifting a little bottle of cleanser that covers both areas! Roz says it “also smells really nice and fresh, which is always a good thing.” www.melaco.com

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Ungun Institute—The organization specializes in ways to “disarm trauma.” They were at the suite mainly to impart information, but they were kind enough to serve adorable little bottles of homemade lemonade, created by none other than a twelve-year-old girl, who was on site to greet the new fans of her beverage. They also gave-out samples of Carmen’s Healing Butter, which Roz tried and said “has a delightful feel.” www.unguninstitute.com

Karen Salkin’s head sticking out of the perosnal sauna. And no–she did not cut her luxurious locks–she just put her hair behind her on top of the sauna! Photo by Chris D’Angelo.

Relax Saunas—Right before we left, we had the most interesting experience, which Roz described as “something new and novel”—sitting in portable saunas!!! It was a riot. And I’m sure it’s helpful to our health, as saunas are known to be. Only our heads stuck out, and, even with clothing and full jewelry on, we didn’t get sweaty or uncomfortable. All I needed after that was a bottle of water. And a pillow!!! www.relaxsaunas.com

Stanglwirt Resort—VIPs received a gift certificate for this luxury and wellness resort in…Austria! Not exactly a hop, skip, and jump, but that’s the point, right? Two of the friends I love most in the world live there, (in Austria, not at the resort, of course,) so I’d be thrilled to finally get to see them again! I got a gander at one of the certs, and I noticed that part of the gift is a complimentary massage for each guest! So I wonder if I travel alone, can I visit the spa twice? www.stanglwirt.com/en

We also noticed a variety of new books on offer, but were time-constrained, so we didn’t get to interact with the authors. But two of the titles are Unshakable and Life Storms. I hope the former is not true of the latter!

Having sustenance at these events is always appreciated, so everyone looked happy that feeding us along the way were Gino’s East pizzas and famous Randy’s Donuts.

I tweeted much more during the arrivals than during the show, when I wanted to pay attention to the proceedings. And the arrivals nonsense always has the most to snark about. You can still read the tweets @MajorCelebrity, and then, if you don’t already, please follow me while you’re there, so you catch all my bon mots next time.

And if you missed my review yesterday of the actual Oscars show, you can still read it right here: itsnotaboutme.tv/news/awards-show-oscars-2026.

In general, there were soooo many people on the red carpet whom I have never seen before in my life! The same for Mr. X—he constantly asked me, “Who???” And we had seen most of the movies in contention! So these other people are marginally in the biz, and just got dressed-up and had their publicists place them on the carpet.

I’m not saying these people aren’t important. It’s just the only pic I had taken of one we didn’t recognize. Photo by Karen Salkin, as is the one above of Miles Caton and his mom.

And all four shows I watched interviewed the same C-list peeps over and over. And for long times.

I have to clarify that they were all incredibly talented artists, but when before in history have any of these shows interviewed voice artists and animation and documentary filmmakers on a red carpet??? The answer is “never.”

And all the channels did that for the duration, not just using the early-arrivers. As I explained to Mr. X, people who would not have a chance in hell to get interviewed if they showed-up to the event later, as the stars do, arrive early to get on camera. For example, Yvette Nicole Brown, who did a voice in Zootopia 2, was all over the carpet at the beginning of the shows. And the hosts kept her talking as long as they could because…there was no one else there yet!!! I have never before seen so many voice actors be interviewed on red carpets, unless it was for their movies’ premieres.

So that brings us to my quick thoughts on all the arrivals shows:

LOCAL LOS ANGELES ABC ARRIVALS

But good for Yvette Nicole Brown to have lost weight. It looks to be about a hundred pounds. I’m not angry at people who are using the weight-loss drugs, as long as they don’t deny it. (Mr. X had no idea who she is, so I showed him her “before” pix. He still didn’t recognize her from TV, but was shocked by her new look, saying, “She looks like a completely different person!”)

Poor Joelle Garguilo’s unfortunate nose job. It looks sort-of like if Pinocchio had had one. Photo by Karen Salkin.

We never saw his female host, Joelle Garguilo, before, but she has the absolute worst nose job we’ve ever seen! And, as you might imagine, being a Jewish girl from Brooklyn, I have seen more than my share of rhinoplasty!!! I was looking down writing these notes when Mr. X exclaimed about it, and I thought, “How bad could it be?” So when I looked up, I was shocked! That woman must really regret it, no matter what she looked like before—it cannot be worse than this!!!

I guess Alicia Silverstone is clueless…about what she looks like!

I was surprised to see Shaboozey on the red carpet, since he’s a music biz guy, and has never been involved in movies. But I love that he looked so handsome!!! Whoo whoo.

Eighty-nine-and-a-half-year-old Buddy Guy spoke very thoughtfully. Nice to hear.

Rose Byrne. Photo by Karen Salkin.

Rose Byrne looked the most like what a movie star is supposed to look like! Mr. X couldn’t get over how “upscale” she looks! You go, girl!

Misty Copeland looked dreadful!!! What the heck was she wearing??? Mr. X sarcastically asked, “What do her boobs look like?,” because she was totally exposing them. That was so strange because I always think of ballet dancers as so classy.

I’ve never seen Renate Reinsve before, (because I haven’t had time to see her film, Sentimental Value yet,) but from this one interview, she just became my favorite current actress! (In case you’re wondering, Gene Tierney is my all-time fave, and Meryl Streep is my fave who works now, but hasn’t done a movie in a little bit, until her The Devil Wears Prada 2 comes out in two months, anyway.)

Musician Brittany Howard made me think that it was good to see one person not be on Ozempic! And she cracked me up when she responded to a stupid query about if she had learned special steps for the big number from Sinners that night, with, “I am self-choreographed today. I’m gonna do my thing how I do it.” I love that!

Cadaver-esque Demi Moore. Photo by Karen Salkin.

This channel did have one okay host, (out of about five or six,) Whit Johnson. He’s handsome, has a great voice, and was not trying too hard, as most of the others were across the board.

Costume designer Ruth E. Carter gave a really thoughtful answer, not making it about herself. Good for her! I did not expect that from a two-time Oscar winner!

While we’re on fashion, that is what Jessie Buckley wore to win an Oscar??? Ugh.

Miles Caton from Sinners and his uber-young-looking mom are adorbs! I love that he brought her as his date on his big night. What a happy experience for them to live and for us to witness. [That’s Miles and his mom at the top of this page. Photo by Karen Salkin.]

Good try, Demi Moore, for your attempt to hide your skeleton arms with that poof of feathers, but it didn’t work. You looked more like a cadaver than ever!

Elle Fanning. Photo by Karen Salkin.

Kieran Culkin looked like he hadn’t slept in two months, and spent all that time just eating bloating junk foods. What is up with that?! Did he forget that he was going back to the Oscars that night to present a big award?!

Elle Fanning actually had the best dress. It was very like the one that Jennifer Lawrence had worn when she won her Oscar.

LOCAL KTLA

Finally, a red carpet interviewer I actually liked! Melvin Robert was nice to everyone, and actually listened to what they were saying. And I never saw him interrupt anyone. On behalf of all awards show viewers, I thank him for that. (I didn’t realize he was the same dude that was featured on an invitation I had received just the day before! It’s to a performance by the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles, and he’s one of the two guest singers! I’d love to hear him, but, as Mr. X says I always am, I’m overbooked this weekend. But you can still see them at the Saban in Beverly Hills both nights.)

I loved that Melvin was so visibly touched to meet, and sing Ask of You with, Raphael Saadiq. That was a lovely moment.

Ken Jeong is magical. When he shows up, everyone just feels better. I know that I do. I believe that he’s really happy to speak with everyone at these baloney shows.

Josh Dallas, looking like a putz, and Ginnifer Goodwin. Photo by Karen Salkin.

How did Heidi Klum get such a fat face all of a sudden? She looked weird. And her body actually looked sort-of dumpy. She looked very matronly. I guess age gets to everybody, even former models. And what was she doing at the Oscars, anyway? She has absolutely nothing to do with the film business!

Wunmi Mosaku from Sinners always seems so nice. She’s a stranger I really like.

Does Ginnifer Goodwin think that hair looks good??? And with those gigantic ears, it’s even worse. And what the heck was her husband, TV’s Josh Dallas, wearing??? He looked like a major putz.

E CHANNEL

This was weird—this show had only one interviewer! All the others had multiple hosts; some even had a half dozen!

Alicia Silverstone. Photo by Karen Salkin.

So let me discuss her first. Zuri Hall was at least okay at her job, and is good-looking, but she was so rude from time to time—talking to people about how much money they make!!! I’ve never seen anything like that on a carpet. Ewww.

Has anyone seen Alicia Silverstone and Miss Piggy together? At least there’s one person in Hollywood who’s not on Ozempic. And, not to pile on, but who did her makeup? You could fly first class with all those bags under her eyes!!! (I honestly did not have a clue that she played Jesse Plemons’ mother in Bugonia! Neither Mr. X more I recognized her in that film at all!)

Wow, this is a surprise—Mike Fontaine, a white guy, did the hair and makeup for Sinners!!! Maybe that was to do the vampire faces because otherwise that’s seems a bit like a strange hire.

Now Zuri Hall told Chase Infiniti, the young girl in One Battle After Another, who was wearing a dress that was a lilac that was so faint it was almost white, “You’re bringing the color on the carpet!!!” What?! Does she not know pastel from real color???

Jacobi Jupe and his actor dad Chris. Photo by Karen Salkin.

While those people were discussing baloney, there was my favorite actor—adorable and darling twelve-year-old Jacobi Jupe, from Hamnet. He sweetly embraced his father instead of acting all obnoxious and independent to have his dad join him on the red carpet, as many other youngsters would have done nowadays.

Is there anyone sweeter in show business than Miles Caton, the young guy from Sinners? Even Mr. X paid attention to his interview here and said, “What a nice guy. And so appreciative.” What he said.

And his co-Sinners actress, Wunmi Mosaku, is the best! I know I already mentioned her from the previous interview, but she’s so nice, I had to mention her twice.

I was sort-of surprised all evening that the trio of Korean singers of Golden are actually all…American! The little one even sounds more like a valley girl than I do! They were so cute together. (On a side note, the tall one who wore big gold balls on her fingernails, definitely could not pick her nose that night! Just saying.)

ABC NATIONAL

Note to ABC: it’s not nice to shoot people’s butts walking up the steps!

The rear view of Yvette Nicole Brown. It was so rude of ABC to open the show with that image of her walking up the Dolby’s steps! Photo by Karen Salkin.

The best comment all night from a host was what Jesse Palmer said about F1’s Damson Idris, “We say in sports, ‘look good, feel good, play good.’ He’s doing all three, and he’s built for speed, as we all know.” I’m sure Damson appreciated those sentiments.

Acting nominee, (for The Secret Agent,) Wagner Moura seems so nice.

What the heck was eventual winner, Amy Madigan, wearing??? I know she’s not young, and is very wrinkled, but she could have done waaaay better! But she speaks sooo well and everything she says is so sincere. When wished “good luck” by the red carpet host Tamron Hall, she replied with a super sincere, “Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!”

I was very surprised that when the show was beginning in just fifteen minutes, no big stars had been interviewed yet!!! And this was the official Oscars arrivals show!!! (All the other pre-shows were in the same boat.)

Sigourney Weaver could have chosen a sooo much better outfit.

Kate Hudson looked great, especially her creamy skin and her arms.

Ethan Hawke gave the best interview! He imparted true interesting information.

And that is a wrap for the 2026 awards season! Well, after I tell you about a couple of Gifting Suites in the next few days, of course. And then it’s on to sports-watching for me.

Because there were sooo many arrivals shows this year, they’ll be getting their own column here tomorrow. so all I will say about them today is this:

Presentation of the final award of the night–Best Picture. Photo by Karen Salkin, as is the similar one above.

The surprising thing about the arrivals is that many of the heavy hitters, (Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothee Chalamet,) were not interviewed on any of those shows. I’m assuming that Leo just shunned them, and that Timmy’s “people” told him to steer clear so that he would not have to discuss his recent controversy. (I’ll be devoting an entire column to this sad topic next week, but if you’ve been living under a rock, this is the gist of it: In a recent interview, he sort-of maligned ballet and opera, which has made people with something to hold against him crazy.)

Mother Goldie Hawn, (who really needs to cover her age-spotted chest,) and daughter Kate Hudson.

I live-tweeted as much as I could, so if you missed any of my bon mots, you can still read them now @MajorCelebrity. (And please follow me while you’re there, so that you never miss any more of them.)

If you’re curious, here’s the most recent one: Am I the only one who thinks the Oscars producers really missed the mark by not having Kate Hudson and Goldie Hawn present an award together? They were both there, for goodness sake! People would have gone nuts over the mother-daughter duo! But what is up with Goldie’s more than sun-dappled chest? When it looks like that, see a dermatologist, have it lasered, or at least cover it up!!!

Here are the rest of my thoughts on the show, with a few general ones first:

What a waste of the announcing spot. Why would they hire someone working from, any remote location, least of all across the pond in London??? And the guy is supposed to be a comedian, but I didn’t even notice him. That part is actually a good thing—I hate it when I notice the announcers for other shows, such as the Grammys. But they could have hired someone in LA. Just saying.

Oscars host Conan O’Brien. Photo by Karen Salkin.

Having even that brief segment of that guy talking to host Conan O’Brien was one just one of the many wastes of time on the show. Even though I have nothing to do with music whatsoever, I’m offended that only two of the songs got played. But they made time for that announcer talk, did a stupid taped bit about editing movies to play on phones, and a Casablanca spoof. They really need a new producer next year, such as yours truly!!!

By the way, I am impressed with all these creatives, even when I’m putting them down for one reason or another.

Now let’s get to the telecast in the order that they happened:

Mr. X and I loved, loved, loved Conan’s monologue. I was especially happy with the comical and gentle way he got the Timothee Chalamet situation out of the way early.

Amy Madigan’s great speech made me cry. A lot. Mr. X deemed it “a popular win.”

I hate to say this, because I’m a fan of so many artists in it, (such as Shaboozey, Misty Copeland, and Miles Caton,) but the Sinners nominated song number was like a bad rehearsal, with everyone warming-up at once, before the director shows up! Everyone in it was extremely underused. With all the advance hype, I was expecting sooooo much more! It was really much ado about nothing. Mr. X said the number was “less than remarkable,” which is a generous understatement.

The so-nothing Sinners musical number. Photo by Karen Salkin.

On a side note, Misty Copeland needs to mix in a sandwich or two. She looked dreadful! Retirement is not agreeing with her. (But, to her major credit, she danced—en pointe!—so beautifully just three months after hip replacement!!! You go, girl.)

That was the best Anne Hathaway ever looked!!

Neither Mr. X nor I ever knew that Anna Wintour is British!!! How did that fact escape us?! (I guess we were always just too busy wondering why she chooses to always wear sunglasses and rock that helmet hairdo!)

New Oscar winner Cliona Furey. Has anyone ever seen her and Springsteen’s wife together? Photo by Karen Salkin.

The winner for Best Costume Design for Frankenstein, Kate Hawley, seemed so grateful and lovely. But shouldn’t she have designed a better outfit for herself that night?

Is Jacob Elordi’s date his mother? Or a cougar? Either way, I’m jealous.

Once again, I was just at an event with an Oscar winner! Cliona Furey, who won for makeup on Frankenstein, (and is a Patti Scialfa doppelgänger,) and I were both guests at the Wow Gifting Suite two days prior. (You’ll read all about it in a few days.) And I had met Ernestine Hipper, who won the Oscar for Best Set Design in 2023, for All Quiet on the Western Front, at a similar event back then. I predicted that one. I guess those meetings show that all technical nominees should try to meet me from here on out!

Barbra Streisand. I know she’s an octogenarian, but she sorely needed at least lipstick and either a good blow-dry or a wig! Photo by Karen Salkin.

Poor Babs. (Barbra Streisand.) That was so brave of her to grace us with a bit of The Way We Were in honor of her late co-star, Robert Redford, when she knows she can’t sing anymore. But she’s almost eighty-five, so let’s all give her a break, shall we? (And by the way—it wasn’t just Robert Redford who called her that nickname; my Brooklyn family always did!)

There were way too many recently deceased movie business people missing from the In Memoriam segment. For instance, movie stars James Van Der Beek, Robert Carradine, and Bud Cort from the classic film Harold and Maude, Brigette Bardot, Eric Dane, (who is more known for TV, but has several good film credits,) and Canadian film producer David Keighley, who was a key figure behind the introduction of IMAX cinemas. Those omissions are shameful of whoever made the decision on whom to include.

Sigourney Weaver and Pedro Pascal. Photo by Karen Salkin.

I’m so worried that Pedro Pascal may be sick, bite my tongue. He’s only fifty, but looks to be in his late sixties!!! I feel that they paired him with seventy-six-year-old Sigourney Weaver to mask how old and frail he looks. I’m praying that he just overdid the Ozempic. I’m not joking about any of this.

I’ve seen just about every film that has a nomination this year, and feel that Frankenstein deserved wins in just about every category. I’m glad they did win many.

The on-stage escorts were the best ever. They were attractive, unobtrusive, and classy. Good for them!

Note to all actresses, especially the other four who were in the old movie, Bridesmaids: Do not ever stand near Rose Byrne!!! You will only look even worse than you already do! Poor Melissa McCarthy lost all that weight, so she erroneously thinks she’s a stick now, and wearing that mostly-white gown just showed her weird body. And Kristen Wiig looked like she was wearing a bad short dress to start, and then her mother made her put the drapes on the bottom to cover it up!

(L-R) Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Ellie Kemper. Photo by Karen Salkin.

This was quite the surprise: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President, Lynette Howell Taylor, looked second best of the evening to Rose Byrne! I love a person with good posture!

Bill Pullman was the only one who made the big mistake of saying, “And the winner is…,” instead of the correct, “And the Oscar goes to…”

Andy Jurgensen, who won for Film Editing, for One Battle After Another, gave a nice heartfelt speech.

Demi Moore. (Yes–that is she!) Photo by Karen Salkin.

Poor Demi Moore. Believe me—I understand not wanting to get old-looking. But looking like a skeleton, due to Ozempic and cosmetic surgery, is not the answer. At the very least, she needs a better plastic surgeon!!!

How did Jessie Buckley not thank her co-stars in Hamnet, Paul Mescal and Jacobi Jupe??? That’s unforgivable. She knew she was going to win, so have a speech prepared, woman! (And I have not seen these awful omissions discussed anywhere else in the media! What is up with that???)

Someone has to say it, but Michael B. Jordan forgot to thank the main reasons he won: ballet and opera!!! (Because of what people think Timothee Chalamet said against them. As I said earlier, I’ll be devoting an entire column to this ridiculousness next week.)

And, by the way, Timmy was a great sport about Michael’s win. Good for him.

Teyana Taylor putting her director, Paul Thomas Anderson, in a chokehold when they won Best Picture. Photo by Karen Salkin.

Teyana Taylor is sooo creepy. Mr. X said she’s an “inappropriate a-hole.” When One Battle After Another won Best Picture, she was the first one to run up to the stage, ahead of the producers! And she grabbed the Oscar that was supposed to go to the female producer! That was sooooo rude of her! And she put the director in a chokehold on the way up the steps, to boot! Ugh.

As sour as that note is, I have one more, for the future. This was the last year the Oscars were telecast on network TV—next year it’s moving to a streaming channel. That is so crazy. It’s bad enough that normal-people viewers have to shell out so much money just to see the films, but now they have to pay to subscribe to a streaming channel to watch the Oscars!!! Life is not fair, and this will be just another little inconvenience for the masses. What a shame.

I’m always all in on St. Patrick’s Day. Mr. X recently asked me why that is, (after seeing me celebrate it for a gazillion years,) and I replied because it’s just such a fun, easy and colorful holiday.

What I wish us all today!

But I can’t do much for it today, for several reasons, chief among them being that it’s also the first day of…March Madness!!! For you nescients out there, that’s the college basketball championship tournament, which takes place over the next three weeks. I try my best to watch every second of the incredible action. (No worries—I’ll report on it all at the end.)

On top of that, today is two days after the Oscars, so I’m still working on my review of all that madness. (I hope to publish it tomorrow.) I’m also writing theatre reviews and articles about the various Oscars Gifting Suites. Let me tell you, March is a crazy month!

So, I’m making today’s celebration of St. Paddy’s Day short and sweet. The most important thing to remember about the occasion is that if you do not wear at least a wee bit of green, people who are doing the day right have carte blanche to pinch you!!! Mark my words. Even if you’re just sitting in the house with one other person! I’m always safe because I polish my nails in varying shades of emerald for the special day, even if it’s just Mr. X and me sitting in front of the TV.

And if you’re craving my usual March 17th articles, complete with sweet and interesting Irish blessings and pix of all my green manis though the years, just go to one of the two “Search” boxes on the right of the site, and enter the holiday’s various titles there. Or go to the “Date” archives, also on the right side, and look at every “March” throughout the years, and you’ll find them there.

Happy St. Paddy’s Day! Have a wee good one. And let your leprechaun flag fly!