February is award show month, and no show is as eagerly anticipated as the Oscars, set for 26 February. Yet, to be honest, most of us are not as interested in the winners and losers as we are in the jokes, the dresses and other disasters (sort of like watching Superbowl for the ads).
Of course, any witty remarks you make do fall flat if you lack an appreciative audience, so hosting an Oscar party might be just the thing to show that they should have chosen you to replace Eddie Murphy when he bowed out as host.
Indeed, the host of the Oscars can really make or break the show, and the role of host of an Oscar party is of no lesser importance, although you do not have to be quite as witty (or even as snappily dressed). Then again, the ability to pull off a big song and dance number a la Hugh Jackman a couple of years will definitely not go amiss.
Audience involvement
The Oscar ceremony can drag on somewhat, so it is important to keep your guests involved throughout the evening. Printing out Oscar ballots for your guests can add a bit of emotional investment in the results.
However, don’t just list the main awards, but add a couple of the more obscure ones just to serve as tiebreakers in case you have a highly informed audience perfectly in tune with the members of the Academy. A movie related prize will make certain that guests do their best to get the answers right, as bragging rights just doesn’t have the same value it used to.
The awards show is also an excellent opportunity for an Oscar-themed version of bingo (or an Oscar themed drinking game if you are so inclined) with common Oscar events such as someone forgetting to thank their spouse, or going over time on their speech, or crying, or being pregnant, or even dedicating their award to a lost cause in some forgotten country listed on the bingo card. Just remember to vary the events on the cards slightly so everyone doesn’t shout ‘Bingo’ at the same moment.
Snark
Of course, there is no better evening for making snarky remarks about the fashion sense, or lack thereof, displayed on the red carpet. And then there are the acceptance speeches – it is quite often impossible to believe that the same folks who can win an award for acting cannot come up with a unique and interesting acceptance speech...
Snacks
Since this is all about Hollywood glamour (and will be quite a long evening as well), snack platters throughout the evening may be a much better idea than serving up a meal. Adding a little bit of glamour to some classic snacks can make all the difference, while traditional movie snacks with a gourmet twist are certain to be a winner. Think caviar, truffle oil, and similar additions to your favourites.
Of course, if you want to make selecting dishes a little bit more challenging, find dishes that through a bit of clever wordplay or a rather tenuous link can be associated with some of the nominees.
There’s an app for that
Smartphones and tablets have added a whole new dimension to awards shows. Apart from using an app to access IMDB to brush up on your movie knowledge there are apps that will offer second screen experiences such as alternative camera angles not shown as part of the live telecast.
Not the only game in town
When it comes to music, nothing is bigger than the Grammy awards, set to take place on 12 February. Although it doesn’t have the same rabid following as the Oscars, the award night is one of the biggest out there with live performances and a good dose of controversy, so it is well worth watching.
Thanks to the talents of local producer Jason Gilbert, Cayman was also well represented at the Grammy awards in 2011 when he won a Grammy for best rap album for the work he did on the song WTP (White Trash Party) on Eminem’s album Recovery.