Cracking cheese, Gromit!

I was tickled to see Nick Park pull off an Oscar for "Wallace and Gromit: the Curse of the Were-Rabbit" last night. I've always enjoyed Wallace and Gromit. It's sweet, creative and a touch subversive. Some of the best children's entertainment out there.

Having not had the time to see any of the movies nominated for Best Picture I was excited about the show just the same. My main interest lie with watching Jon Stewart host. I'm a big "Daily Show" fan and wanted to see what Stewart could do on such a huge stage. He didn't disappoint although I have to say the live audience, with the exception of Jamie Foxx, seemed like a bunch of wet noodles. I'd always thought performers would be the last people that would have trouble with a put-down. Watching Joaquin Phoenix's sour expression when Stewart referred to "Walk the Line" as "Ray with white people" pretty much summed up Stewart's reception.

I am getting a kick out of all the Righties that were apocalyptic at the thought of Stewart hosting the awards finding him tolerable, even funny. Stewart's always seemed to me to be more of a Will Rogers ("I'm not a member of any organized political party -- I'm a Democrat") than a Michael Moore progressive. Stewart sees himself as someone who mocks the powerful. He rarely makes fun of the Democrats because they simply don't have any power. Indeed; he told Larry King in an interview last week that Democrats "... have 49% of the vote and 3% of the power. At a certain point you say guys, pick up your game." I don't doubt for a second that a President Kerry would be skewered nightly on the "Daily Show." I have a feeling even the seemingly humourless Kerry wouldn't have problem with that.

That is unless he'd just starred in movie as the irreplaceable Johnny Cash.