Oscarmania and Hollywood Buzz

Yeah, it's the final countdown to the 82nd Annual Academy Awards and Hollywood is already buzzing, and I can feel it due to the road closures which had motorists look for other options in their shortcuts. I for one have changed my schedules save for a few parties I will be attending tonight in Hollywood and thinking about other options on how to get there even though it's about a couple of miles away from me. It's all good and the party begins.

I have no particular pick in any category for the Oscar night moments but methink some of the picks might be coming through. We'll see when Alec Baldwin and cohost Steve Martin mounts the stage to announce the presenters of the award in each category. In Best Picture category, "Avatar" seems to be the favorite but do not understimate the other nominees - "The Blind Side," "District 9," "Up," "An Education," "The Hurt Locker," "Inglorious Bastards," "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Saphire," "A Serious Man," and "Up in the Air" - they are all good, and it's anybody's game. I like Lee Daniels directed "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Saphire. We'll see, though.

On the actor in a leading role, there's Jeff Bridges in "Crazy Heart," George Clooney in "Up in the Air," Colin Firth in "A Single Man," Morgan Freeman in "Invictus," and Jeremy Renner in "The Hurt Locker," and the Oscar should be going to Morgan Freeman in "Invictus." Now, I am not a soothsayer but we'll see; just hang on, it's a blast and Hollywood is buzzing, people.

On the actress in a leading role, there's Sandra Bullock in "The Blind Side," Helen Mirren in "The Last Station," Crey Mulligan in "An Education," Gabourey Sidibe in "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Saphire," and Meryl Streep in "Julia and Julia," and the Oscar should be going to Gabourey "Gabby" Sidibe in "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Saphire. Now is there a question about that for this amazing Brookly-born wiz of a Senegalese father? Not at all but we'll see as Hollywood keeps buzzing with pre-Oscar parties all around town.

And the list goes on and on from director, original screenplay, supporting actor, supporting actress and so on and so forth - and I would like to see which documentary feature wins among the list of nominees in "Burma VJ," "The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers," "The Cove," "Food Inc," and "Which Way Home." Watch out for "The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers."

But anyways, methink the idea of "30 Rock" cast Baldwin and Martin hosting the Oscars this year is a little bit wacky - complicated charcters - and Baldwin tells us how he ended up as an Oscar co-host when he spoke to The Envelope:

"I had hosted the Women in Hollywood dinner, and Carol Burnett jokingly said when she got up to present an award to Julie Andrews, "don't you think Alec should host the Oscars?" And Adam Shankman, one of the producers of the Oscars, was in the audience to hear that - and a couple of weeks later they called."

You see how the connection works? That's Hollywood folks, and for sure, I will be having a blast.