Can a Professional Actor Avoid Making a Terrible Oscar Speech? Rehearse it First

Over the years the Academy Awards have brought us many entertaining moments, at the same time there have been speeches that should be forgotten. Most are documented with a "never do this" warning for others. It is unlikely the winners realize what they utter is going on their permanent record, with that many viewers they may regret their rant later.

The acceptance speech should be simple, with a short list of people to thank, they know who they are. What they should focus on is the acting that got them to this event. Tell a quick story of something funny that happened on the set, or share a poignant moment about someone who did something incredible for you. Actors should not use this forum to rant about some personal agenda and should never ever be used for sharing their political ideals. We watch movies to be entertained, not to learn how the actors feel our world should be run. If they want to show that they know all about politics then go ahead and run for office and we will see how that goes.

One of the most impressive examples of how not to act when accepting an Oscar would be the cringe-worthy speech coming from Angelina Jolie in 1999 when she accepted the award for a supporting role in "Girl Interrupted." Everyone remembers the awkward moment while her words began to sink in; it was probably the creepiest thing I have ever witnessed on television. One of the hottest women on the planet can say or do anything she wants, but this shows that even the beautiful elite have a line that should not be crossed. Don't get me wrong, loving family is great, but to say you are "in love" with your brother is odd. Don't to feel overly enthusiastic calm down and give a respectful acceptance speech, that is what we want.

Another odd acceptance speech came from Shirley MacLaine in 1983 for leading role in the film "Terms of Endearment." In her speech she suggested that some of her worldly successes could be due to things from another life, then babbled about success and films being like clay and how she deserved this award. Her speech was none of the things that viewers want to see.

To me the worst Oscar speech ever had to be Michael Moore in 2002 winning for Best Documentary with "Bowling for Columbine." He acknowledged the Academy, then went on a tirade toward President George W. Bush. Moore's speech was inappropriate for this venue. His prowess as a documentary filmmaker does not allow him to abuse the privilege. Sadly some do not respect the audience enough to stay with the theme of this classy event. Making your political feelings known can be done in so many other places and ways.

It is all about entertainment so they need to focus on entertaining, not sharing some bizarre agenda. Keep the speeches short, be gracious like actors in the early days of film. Look at the greatest actors at these events, think back how those actors like Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall handled themselves, it would be nice if actors carried that professional attitude.

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