Want to go to the Oscars?

[Enigma]

From the BBC:


A total of 300 movie fans can win seats to watch the arrivals at next year's Oscars ceremony in Hollywood.


For the fourth year running, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences is holding a random online draw for red carpet "bleacher seats".

Winners will have a close-up view of the stars at the 78th Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre on 6 March.

Fans can apply from noon local time (1900 BST) at www.oscars.org/bleachers and the offer is open for seven days. Last year, more than 21,000 fans applied for the limited seats available.

[Joe Calabrese]

Those seats suck.

Your better off buying a stack of movie tickets (sequential times so you can stay the whole day and night) at El Capitan across the street and hanging out in the lobby looking out.

[Enigma]

Those seats suck.

Your better off buying a stack of movie tickets (sequential times so you can stay the whole day and night) at El Capitan across the street and hanging out in the lobby looking out.

I can (and do) see going inside to see this or that artist perform but for the life of me I've never been able to understand the mind-set of people who stand outside, often for hours in the heat or rain, and even fight like cats and dogs for the "right spot," just to gawk at a celeb like they were some kind of god. It's kind of sad, even demeaning.

Actors, John Wayne and Tom Cruise as examples, are often referred to as "heros." Uh? Gimme a break! Wayne never saw combat and Cruise never won the Daytona 500. I like (some of) the work they've done but if it weren't for writers, they'd all be mutes.

But, I'd like to see the Oscar show sometime (from the inside). I understand it's one heck of a carefully staged production.

[Joe Calabrese]

Long story, but I went (inside, balcony) in 1997 and to tell you the truth, it was boring and hard to hear and see-- like being subjected a really slow movie for three hours with no way out.

You can see more and enjoy it better on TV.

That is of course, unless you are getting up on stage to accept one of those buggers.

[Enigma]

That is of course, unless you are getting up on stage to accept one of those buggers.

You can say that - AGAIN!

It must be like car races or football games or golf...; much better on TV or in the press room (where they keep all the free food and drinks). There, if you're really interested, meaning you have to be there, you can glance up at the closed circuit TV monitors from time to time and see what's going on.

So, Joe, based on your experience (at least you've been there, done that), it'll have to be by special invitation and fifth row center, or this little white boy from Georgia ain't goin'.