Revisiting The Most Colorful Part Of The Academy Awards – And The Razzies

By Arturo R. García

Sunday’s Academy Awards telecast didn’t do much to challenge Idris Elba’s recent assertion that the Oscars “aren’t designed for us.” But there were a couple of bright spots for PoCs during the show, and one in particular had a massive award haul – but probably not the kind he was looking for. Details, and some feel-good music, are under the cut.

Yes, it was indeed a big night for M. Night Shyamalan … at the Razzie Awards, that is. In a fitting climax to the Racebending saga of The Last Airbender, the film “earned” five Razzies, including Worst Director for Shyamalan; Worst Eye-Gouging Misuse of 3-D; Worst Supporting Actor for Jackson Rathbone; Worst Screenplay, and, of course, Worst Picture.

Another movie we touched on this past year, Sex And The City 2, won three Razzies, including Worst Actress and Worst Screen Ensemble for the film’s core quartet. And Jessica Alba’s work in Machete was cited in her winning Worst Supporting Actress.

Back at the Oscars … well, uh, Oprah showed up. And so did Morgan Freeman. And somehow Gwyneth Paltrow got to sing and Jennifer Hudson did not. And the lost 8 Mile prequel, The King’s Speech, won Best Picture. But, as Angry Asian Man pointed out, at least there was Shaun Tan, who won the award for Best Animated Short, for adapting his story The Lost Thing for the big screen.

But the show ended up getting a much-needed shot of diversity at the end, from an unlikely source: the PS 22 Chorus from Staten Island, NY, who closed out the night singing “Somewhere Over The Rainbow.” According to PopEater, the group’s director, Gregg Breinberg, said this year’s group was excited to make the trip to California for this performance, and not just because they’d get to visit Disneyland:

The first thing they wanted to know [about Hollywood] was, ‘Are there gonna be bathrooms there?’ Then they wanted to know, ‘Is Justin Bieber gonna be there?’ Honestly, I don’t know how they can wrap their heads around it. I’m 38 years old, and I can’t wrap my head around it.

Of course, some folks probably aren’t aware that these kids can a lot more than showtunes. Here they are doing Alphaville’s “Forever Young”: