Best Surprise of the Oscars 2018

I let my 14 year-old stay up past her bedtime to watch some of the Academy Awards show.  It was a wonderful bonding experience for us.  While winning an Oscar is a near impossible dream, it’s a cakewalk compared to having a meaningful conversation with a teenager.

I was blessed with a funny and profound conversation with my daughter.  Questions at the dinner table are invariably met with a monosyllabic response, usually “good” or “fine.”   But somehow the backdrop of gratitude for getting to break the bedtime rule, a couch setting that supports a lack of eye contact, and a TV show providing a ready escape if the conversation gets uncomfortable, we had one of our most meaningful conversations ever.  An unexpected gift.

It was the perfect opportunity to discuss careers in the movie biz, how comedy works, sexual harassment, different lifestyles, and most importantly, inclusion and acceptance.  I have discovered the secret of good parenting — watch more TV.

I’m a big Jimmy Kimmel fan, and he’s one of the best at surprises.  Remember his “Worst Twerk Fail EVER – Girl Catches Fire” Prank, with 23 million views on YouTube?   Last night’s surprise topped it.

Driving the brilliant bit was genuine gratitude.  It filled both theaters with joy, and I was rolling on the floor laughing, because by this point, I had reverted to being an annoying dad and my daughter had kicked me off the sofa.

I loved seeing Jordan Peele win best original screenplay.  I’m not a fan of thrillers and probably won’t go see “Get Out,” but I respect him so much for his creative genius.

If you haven’t seen Sam in “The Way, Way Back” with Toni Collette, Steve Carell, Maya Rudolph and Oscar winner Allison Janney, do yourself a favor and watch it this weekend.  On the couch with your teenager.

Jimmy Kimmel FTW! Best Viral Video of 2013

I’m aware that it’s only September, but I’m going to go ahead and call it. Best social media video of the year goes to Jimmy Kimmel.   His prank video Worst Twerk Fail EVER – Girl Catches Fire! scored over 12 million views in less than a fortnight.  And what’s better, his reveal video has nearly 15 million views on YouTube in less than one week.

Kimmel told The New York Times that he and his team came up with idea and shot it several months ago, well before Miley Cyrus’s infamous twerking performance at  the MTV Video Music Awards.   Kimmel said he divided his writers into three teams and asked them to “come up with a video idea that would make national news without using the muscle of the show, our Facebook page, Twitter or YouTube channel.”