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Costume Designers Guild Awards: Hollywood Dresses Up to Honor Those Who Dress Up Hollywood

It’s the one night of the year when costume designers in film and television get more glory than the actors who wear their creations in an event that has a rep for being loose and rollicking, the Costume Designers Guild…

Feb 23, 2012

An Oscar Hopeful’s Very Special Mentor, and the Best Saturday Afternoon Ever

A writer writes. He was 12 years old — almost 13 — that blustery winter weekend. It really seemed like it got much colder in L.A. back then, especially with the pelting rain and belting wind that howled like animals…

Feb 22, 2012

Presentation of Writers Guild of America Awards Brings Up Touchy Race Issue

As usual during the Writers Guild of America kudofest, which was presented on Sunday night, Feb. 19, 2012, some of the best material came during the presentation and acceptance speeches of the honorary awards. “The Help” co-stars Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer,…

Feb 21, 2012

Would We Have Ever Accepted a World-Weary Whitney Houston Whose Voice No Longer Soared Like an Angel? Plus, Oprah’s Revealing Interview With Houston

Try this paragraph on for size: The only haze surrounding Whitney Houston now is cigarette smoke, but the singer retains an air of sublime mystery. The No. 1 wonder is how Houston, with a voice cracked and frayed from years…

Feb 16, 2012

‘Your Love Was Cheap’ — As Katy Perry Showed, Not Everything at the Grammys Was Lovey-Dovey

The performances, more than the trophies themselves, are what makes the Grammys such a compelling watch. This year seemed to have more showstoppers and conversation starters than any in recent memory, perhaps even going back to Eminem joining with Elton…

Feb 15, 2012

The Grammys Need To Recognize Four Great Artists as Lifetime Achievement Honorees

When I was growing up the Grammys meant less than zero to me and my friends. We paid them no attention whatsoever. Here’s an example of why. In 1965 some of the nominees for Best Folk Recording were Bob Dylan,…

Feb 10, 2012

Shazam! Super Bowl Broke Ground in Media Technology, but Halftime Show Was Deja Vu

Even as the New York Giants pulled off a thrilling come-from-behind, down-to-the-last-play win over the New England Patriots in Indianapolis, what Super Bowl XLVI may be remembered for nearly as much are its record ratings for the NBC broadcast, the…

Feb 8, 2012

Directors Guild Awards Bring Vindication for ‘Kennedys’ Miniseries

It would be an understatement to say that “The Kennedys” began as a very rough road for Jon Cassar and everyone else involved in the production of the miniseries about the presidency of JFK, starring Greg Kinnear as President Kennedy…

Feb 1, 2012