Conversations / Live Q&A

Will be interesting to see whether or not it does. It's certainly getting a lot of attention, but that does not necessarily translate into book buyers.

I bet it will do well on Kindles and such.

You know, I meant to write a post on this yesterday and the day got away from me.

Several presenters have been announced so far, including Angelina Jolie, Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Halle Berry and Cameron Diaz. My sense -- from Billy Crystal as host to the whole "falling in love with the movies" theme -- is that the organizers are really trying to go back to tradition this year. So big movie stars, Billy Crystal singin' and dancin', etc.

I was not a regular viewer of "House," but from what I do know, you are not alone in that viewpoint.

And he has the best name of all time.

He really should be a character in a whimsical children's book series of some sort.

She seems very down-to-earth to me, certainly relative to other actors. She's always very shy and soft-spoken in interviews; she comes across as someone who is not in this for ego, as much as that's possible in Hollywood.

As for Spike Jonze, there were rumors last year that they were back together but I honestly don't know. She's been bringing Busy Phillips as her date to everything lately, it seems.

Sadly, this appears to be true. The Oscars decieded not to have either "Man or Muppet" or the song from "Rio" be performed during the telecast. Which just seems like a massive mistake.

There are only two songs for God's sake. And one of them involves a Muppet -- why would you opt not to do it this year?

Reportedly the decision is not final, so we'll see if the producers of the telecast change their mind.

Exactly.

(Just talking about the name, not the actual man. Just to be clear.)

Well, in theory, what the organizers are going for in the telecast doesn't have anything to do with who wins.

However, I had the same thought. Movies like "The Artist" and "Hugo" fit in perfectly with the idea of a renewed reverence for old Hollywood and film tradition.

I suspect this won't be the last time we hear this joke.

I am afraid I missed last night's episode, but will try to catch it OnDemand, if it's available.

I had some other matters to deal with. Plus I subjected myself to watching Duke win a basketball game on a buzzer beater.

I would like to see Hugh Laurie do other things, too.

Aside from movies or other TV series, I propose that Hugh Laurie should be named Pinch Acceptance Speech Giver. As in, whenever someone has to accept a trophy during an awards show, if he or she just can't get composed, Laurie would be called in as pinch speech giver.

I doubt that he wants to take on this particular job, but he'd be so good at it.

It is very refreshing to see her stand up for herself and basically say, I'm okay with myself so I don't care what you say about my appearance.

I suspect Lagerfeld didn't expect his words -- he called her "a little too fat" while also saying she is beautiful and has a divine voice -- to attract so much attention. Maybe he figured he was two out of three on compliments so no one would notice the use of the word fat?

Yes, it does sound like a traditional first name even though it isn't. It has that going for it.

I am not either. But clearly all their desperate attempt to be edgy haven't either.

I say the Oscars need to just be the Oscars without trying to completely reinvent themselves every year.

I also say the Oscars really needs a Muppet song in it.

I think you are right in general about the 50-year-old issue but Moore is certainly doing well enough career-wise. She was in "Margin Call" this year, and she has two more movies coming out soon. So it's not as though she is getting no work.

I imagine the rupture of her marriage may be contributing more to her problems. Which is understandable, as well as sad. Hopefully she'll be better soon.

Shoot, do the rules and regulations of the Peeps contest prevent me from weighing in?

Well, I'll toss out to the readers then and just keep my ideas regarding a Viola Davis tribute dubbed "The Peep" to myself.

Yes, Sarah Hughes also thought about the Pennsylvania connection immediately.

I don't think the Downeys have explained the name's inspiration yet. I assume they didn't name their son after a town in Pennsylvania, but who knows?

That's an awesome idea. I love it.

I had apparently wrongly assumed that Segel and Walter would perform, possibly with an assist from Brett McKenzie, who write it and is the actual nominee. It boggles my mind that they would not want to do this.

There was already some Twitter outrage expressed. I am guessing a Facebook campaign is already in motion, but I haven't checked. The Muppet Oscars people seem likely to want to rally around this.

Then again, maybe this is the Academy's clever way of fueling anger, interest and press coverage, so that when they eventually announce that the Muppets song will be performed, everyone will be interested and tune in.

I've met people who talk like this.

Well, that certainly doesn't speak well of the marketing behind "The Adventures of TinTin," does it?

I am hoping that this is generally true about women -- that we really get good once we hit 40 and beyond.

I do think that many women find a new level of confidence around that age, which is perhaps what you've noticed as well. In Hollywood, the culture create the potential for the opposite effect, because it's based largely on physical appearance.

Most regular women probably focus more on matter other than looks after a certain age, while an actress or model realizes she has to care about it even more or she's through. And even if she does care, it still may not help. That's tough.

That's true, and funny since we Americans are supposed to be the dimwits? What's up with that?

Are we saying least likely male romantic lead who actually plays a male romantic lead anyway? Rogen and Sandler both fit in that category, along with Kevin James.

Oh, next year I imagine entries like Peep-o Baggins in "The Peep-it," or "The Peep Knight Rises," or "The Great Peeps-by."

They are indeed. "A vessel for the dig" -- perfect way to put it.

True, she was his partner before he married Dana Reeve.

Exton was her last name, but I think it also became the middle name for both of the children they had together since Reeve and Exton were not married.

It could have been an inspiration for the Downeys, you never know.

My issue with the beginning of her performance was that she seemed like she was trying to convince us all how young and fit she still is.

And I don't need convincing of that, especially not in the form of handstands with am LMFAO assist. She doesn't need to prove to us that she's relevant and in good shape, that's a foregone conclusion.

To be fair, though, I think people tend to do the same thing for male rock stars. Rock stars in general get a lot of ribbing once they hit 50 and still attempt to have careers.

Sure. But Buscemi, while sometimes playing lead roles, is rarely the star of a rom-com. That's not what he does.

Easiest Peeps diorama ever, and one that plans into all the double-entendre potential of the word Peep. Well done!

Since clearly no idea today is going to trump this, maybe we should stop the chat here.

Thanks for all your questions and comments, as always. We'll talk again next Thursday, when the Oscars will be -- eeks, Peeps -- just a little more than week away.

Talk to you soon.