If you’ve been watching the 88th annual Academy Awards, you know that there have been some fantastic moments thus far in the broadcast. Hell, Chris Rock’s opening monologue was sharp and pointed and one for the ages. Not all of the jokes have landed (that Stacey Dash bit, yeesh, that was one of the biggest misses in recent memory). Still, there have been some wonderful bits, like the bear from the Best Picture nominated survival drama The Revenant showing up in the middle of the crowd. And having a hell time at the ceremony.
We talk so much about actors and actresses, about writers and directors and producers, but it’s nice that when they invite a giant, wild, rampaging beast like a bear to the Academy Awards. Too often they get overlooked and left out, but they like to get dressed up and rub elbows with the celebrities just like everyone else. Sure, they’re way more likely to go on a kill-crazy rampage than most of the other attendees, but this particular bear seems to be pretty well behaved and having a grand old time.
To be honest, I didn’t catch his reaction during the live broadcast, but this is the face that I imagine Leonardo DiCaprio was making when they cut away and the bear showed up.
You just know that he was having flashbacks to getting roughed up and dragged around the set of The Revenant by wires and cables, pretending to get mauled in freezing cold temperatures.
I don’t know that the bear was the best bit at this year’s Oscars. It was pretty damn funny, but that bit where Chris Rock was introducing the real-life people some of the nominees were based on and they cut away to Suge Knight from Straight Outta Compton. I almost spit a mouthful of water all over my computer.
Now if they could have found a way to stage it so that fake Suge Knight and the fake bear from The Revenant threw down, now that would have been something spectacular. Not to mention it would be a fight for the ages; bears are, of course, terrifying and huge, but so is Suge Knight.
What’s your favorite moment of the Academy Awards ceremony so far? Sound off in the comments below.
