Some Oscar thoughts:

Thank god for TiVo, or more precisely my generic version of it. Fast forwarding the majority of the Oscars, even more self-aggrandizing than usual, made them at least relatively tolerable. I understand, sort of, the "we've screwed the pooch on this one too many times sympathy Oscar" for Scorsese, but the Departed for Best Picture? Come on... I thought Ellen was about as engaging as a Strom Thurmond filibuster, and the only briefly amusing moments came from the Jack Black/Will Ferrell duo and a quip or two. (Robert Downey Jr.'s comes to mind) The unintentional comedy award is a tie between Eddie Murphy and Peter O'Toole's inability to mask their disappointment. I think Murphy realizes this means he has to make Norbit 2, and O'Toole is old enough not to give a shit about false pretenses. All in all, a total dud, although I'm sure Melissa Etheridge thanking both Al Gore and her wife for her Best Song Oscar caused more than a few conservatives to, as Jon Stewart said, "vomit in their mouths" Discouraging movie fact of the day: More people have seen "Ghost Rider" thank "Babel" and "Letters from Iwo Jima" combined. (Full disclosure: I have yet to see any of the three)

I want to end on a positive entertainment related note: Tonight's episode of Heroes was hands down the most engaging forty minutes of television in a long time. Fast-paced, terrific writing, heart-breaking acting, and a legitimate "edge of your seat" tension. Good stuff.