Winning an Oscar Can Make Some Actors Say and Do Crazy Things

What can we expect from the winners this year? Typically it is an uneventful affair with a lot of thanks given. It can be painfully obvious that some winners are not comfortable having so much to say and so little time.

Public speaking is hard for almost everyone, most people avoid having to make a public presentation. We assume entertainers are happy to take center stage to express themselves. Truth is some actors are humble in real life, and others cannot improvise, and without a script plus direction they are lost.

Previous winners made a critical mistake when they did not have material prepared. They should hire a professional writer to create a decent speech. It would not seem presumptuous, in fact well prepared is what I would see. I imagine a short slide show highlighting their achievements. Add voice, animation, a clip from the film they are nominated for. This would make the show more entertaining for the viewers.

Their brief time at the podium should be spent doing what they do best. They have to be focused and not rambling, just get on with the thanks and be off the stage in a minute so we can enjoy the evening. Some of the best acceptance speeches ever given at the Academy Awards have been succinct. Great examples would be speeches from back when most movie stars had a sense of humility.

One of my favorite actors of all time, Robin Williams, gave what I think was one of the best ever Oscar acceptance speeches at the Academy Awards in 1997. The award was for supporting role in the film "Good Will Hunting." In his speech, he was thankful to fellow actors, cast, crew, his wife, then he told a quick anecdote where his father told him to have a backup career like welding. This is the best style acceptance speech, brief and on point.

Another of my favorite Oscar acceptance speeches came from Meryl Streep when she won for best actress in a supporting role in "Kramer vs. Kramer" at the 1979 Academy Awards. It was short and to the point, plus she used one of my all-time favorite expressions of surprise, Holy Mackerel! She thanked the important people and was off, this is one of the hallmarks of a true professional.

A fine example of a short and sweet acceptance speech came from George Burns in 1975 for the 48th Academy Awards who at the time had not made a movie in 37 years. He was accepting the award for a supporting role in "The Sunshine Boys." He called himself a newcomer and thanked other actors, director, producer and writers. At the end of his brief speech, he promised to make a new film every 37 years. He would have been due to make another movie next year. Interesting that his movie career was rejuvenated after this, and he went on to make eight more movies.

A lesson to be learned here could be that future Oscar winners should look back at what worked for others. Keep it short and sweet, no politics, thank only the most important people, not everyone you ever met.

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