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The first Oscars\u00a0ceremony\u00a0in 1929 was all of 15 minutes long. Last year, it was nearly 4 hours. Part of the reason for the length is the fact that nearly everyone honored with an award gets to make a speech, and in that speech they try to remember and thank the many “little people” who contributed to their success. It’s nice to be generous and to recognize the folks who helped you reach the top…but come on, some of these speeches go on far too long.<\/p>\n
Producers and directors try to keep the show moving by cueing the live orchestra to “play them off” the stage after 45 seconds passed, but some don’t take the hint. This year, things will be a bit different. Instead of giving verbal thanks, nominees have been asked to list the names of those they’d like to thank should they receive the opportunity. And then, when their time comes, the names will scroll across the bottom of the screen, ticker-tape fashion, while the awardee\u00a0focuses on delivering a short and pithy acceptance speech. It will be interesting to see if this works. By the way, can you guess which actor\/actress has been thanked\u00a0the most by his\/her peers? Check it out here<\/a>!<\/p>\n On a side note, the “swag bag” this year\u00a0will be worth upwards of $220,000. Among other things it will include a vaporizer, a breast lift, and a sex toy. GQ<\/a> categorizes\u00a0each item ranging from\u00a0basic\u00a0to “trashy” to respectable. According to an article in The Atlantic<\/a><\/em>, not everyone was happy with the assortment of gifts and the Academy has sued the marketing firm that put the package together. Sigh…it’s getting harder and harder for the 1% to enjoy their conspicuous consumption.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The first Oscars\u00a0ceremony\u00a0in 1929 was all of 15 minutes long. Last year, it was nearly 4 hours. Part of the reason for the length is the fact that nearly everyone honored with an award gets to make a speech, and in that speech they try to remember and thank the many “little people” who contributed … <\/p>\n