17 September 2009

The Golden Raspberry

It seems as though there is no true "awards season" in Hollywood, as there are award shows scattered throughout the year, which include the Academy Awards, the Emmy's, MTV Video Music/Movie Awards, CMA Awards, and the list goes on and on and on and on...

I used to watch these shows when I was growing up, mainly because it was the thing to watch on TV. I gave up watching these award shows because the people I want to win NEVER win! It's not like American Idol where you can text in your vote, unless you're voting for People's Choice, or Teen Choice awards...but in order to get your vote in for the other awards, you have to be accredited somehow, or be famous, both of which I'm not. It just gets frustrating, year after year, knowing your favorite movies/actors/videos/albums/songs won't make the cut.

After giving up watching award's ceremonies years ago, I thought all hope was lost. I would never again find an award's show that left me satisfied, where the people I wanted to win actually took home an award. That is, until I discovered The Golden Raspberry.

Thanks to John Wilson back in 1980, he created The Golden Raspberry Awards, often called The Razzies, which he intended to counterpoint the Academy Awards by dishonoring, well, honoring, the worst of the worst, whether it be the Worst Picture, Worst Actress, or even Worst Acting.

John Wilson is a genius for creating such a dazzling awards show. Nominations for these awards are usually announced around the same time the Oscar nominations are announced. Awards are voted upon by the GRAF, known as the Golden Raspberry Award Foundation, which...wait for it...are you ready? IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC for a yearly membership fee of $25-$250. I can FINALLY have a say in who I think deserves awards!!!

These awards are often hilarious, clever, and almost always well deserved. It seems as though many celebrities have a hard time accepting such amazing awards, some even breaking their awards, which is just disrespectful. These celebrities just don't understand what an honor it is to be nominated for awards anymore. So, the Razzies aren't the Oscar's, but at least someone out there watched your crappy movie and cared enough to nominate you.

Why wouldn't Lindsay Lohan be proud that her movie I Know Who Killed Me has won the most awards, winning 8 out of 9 nominations in 2007? That and it is the only movie to have won the worst actress award twice, where both of Lohan's characters, Aubrey Fleming/Dakota Moss, tied for the award.

Why would Ben Affleck, star of Gigli, not only NOT accept his award at the ceremony, but when it was given to him on Larry King Live? If I were Ben, I'd be proud that my movie was the only movie to win awards in the top five categories (Worst Picture, Actor, Actress, Director, and Screenplay)? That and he was also nominated in 2003 for his movies Daredevil and Paycheck, which my friends, is nothing to turn up your nose at.

What could be better than actors winning these awards? Non-actors winning awards for their performances as well, especially George Bush, Donald Rumsfeld, and Condoleezza Rice who won awards for their brilliant performances in Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 in 2004.

Hollywood is unpredictable; Ben Stiller, who is an amazing comedian is somehow nominated for Worst Actor 2005 in a record breaking five films, but is still a superstar. Or Eddie Murphy, another great comedian, shocked us by winning three Razzies, one for Worst Couple, which is related to him playing multiple characters and one for Worst Screenplay. Murphy is the first person to win a Razzie for BOTH male and female performances in a single film.

The best part about these awards, however, are their connections to other awards, such as the Oscars and the Golden Globes. Many actors and actresses who are nominated for and/or win Razzie awards are also nominated for and win Oscar awards...go figure. Congrats Tom Cruise for winning the Worst Picture Razzie and winning the Best Picture Oscar in 1988.

Here's a shout out to Jack Nicholson for being nominated for a Razzie for Worst Actor for your roles in both Hoffa and Man Trouble, and then being nominated for an Oscar as Best Supporting Actor in A Few Good Men in 1992...why didn't you win?

Because you couldn't handle the truth, that's why.

Most importantly, here's a shout out to John Wilson, the creative mastermind behind the Razzies. Thanks for offering the general public a forum, an award's ceremony, where we can speak our minds and vote for the worst of the worst, which is still an honor.

Although I'm not a member of the GRAF (yet), I still wanted to create a Razzie Buzz for the movies of 2009. Listed below are my top 5 predictions for the 3 major categories (I could go on all day, but to summarize):

Worst Picture/Actor/Actress
1. Steve Martin--The Pink Panther 2
2. Megan Fox--Jennifer's Body & Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
3. Brendan Fraser--Inkheart
4. Will Ferrell--Land of the Lost
5. Jack Black and Michael Cera--Year One

Maybe I will look into a GRAF membership and let my voice be heard, once and for all!!!
www.razzies.com

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