5 historical Oscar controversies you probably didn't know about

5 historical Oscar controversies you probably didn't know about - The annual gala has been a showcase for Communist propaganda and mysterious no-shows

Documentary filmmaker and Oscar winner Bert Schneider upset some American viewers with his politicized acceptance speech in 1975.AP Photo

n the days leading up to Sunday's 85th annual Academy Awards, we're sure to be treated to the highlights — and lowlights — of the previous 84 ceremonies. There was the streaker, Sacheen Littlefeather rejecting an award on Marlon Brando's behalf, Michael Moore's political diatribe, Jack Palance's pushups — really, the list goes on and on. But there are still some outrageous stories and uncomfortable situations that have slipped under the cultural radar. From mega-spoilers to George Bernard Shaw's tantrum, here's a rundown of five Oscar controversies you probably didn't know about:

1. The Brooklyn cabbie who presented an award to Bob Hope

Just recently, a fan made his way onto the stage at the Grammy Awards, setting off a furor over security. Well, the same thing happened in 1962 at the Academy Awards, only worse. While Shelley Winters and Vince Edwards presented the award for Best Cinematography, a Brooklyn cab driver named Stan Berman leapt to the stage and handed Winters a homemade Oscar statue. He then grabbed the microphone and announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm the world's greatest gatecrasher, and I just came here to present Bob Hope with his 1938 trophy." That was a reference to Hope's film The Big Broadcast of 1938, for which he didn't receive an honor.

2. The director who spouted "Communist propaganda"

During the 1975 ceremonies, when debate over the Vietnam War was still raging, documentary filmmaker Bert Schneider used his acceptance speech to read a telegram from a Viet Cong diplomat offering "greetings of friendship" to the American people. Angry responses from viewers began to pour in objecting to the "Communist propaganda," and producers had to think fast. They sent host Frank Sinatra out with a statement saying that the Academy was not responsible for any political statements made during the show. Fellow host Shirley MacLaine was not pleased with the statement, which was reportedly the brainchild of Bob Hope, yet another host for the evening. MacLaine believed that the disclaimer made it seem as if the Academy had taken a right-wing position on the Vietnam issue.

3. The worst spoiler ever

Few people know who will win Best Picture on Sunday, but that wasn't always the case. From the start of the Awards in 1928, winners were actually announced to the press ahead of time. That changed in 1940 when attendees arriving at the gala were upset to discover that people were already talking about how Gone With The Wind had won eight awards. The Academy didn't issue these spoilers to ruin the fun: They did it to help the press cover the event and meet their deadlines. Actors and others were supposed to be kept in the dark, but one reporter was so excited about the Gone With The Wind results that he reportedly cracked and disclosed the Academy's biggest secret of the night. Word spread quickly from there.

4. The curious case of the non-existent screenwriter

When Robert Rich won for Best Original Story for The Brave One in 1957, nobody came up to accept the award. That's because Rich was really Dalton Trumbo, who had been blacklisted by the Academy for his alleged Communist connections. The Academy eventually eased up on Trumbo, paving the way for him to use his real name again in Hollywood. But Trumbo didn't come forward as the man behind "Robert Rich" until 1976, when he finally retrieved his award. In 1993, he was posthumously awarded the Academy Award for writing 1953's Roman Holiday; that one went to Ian McLellan Hunter, a real screenwriter who acted as a front for Trumbo in this case.

5. George Bernard Shaw's fit of pique

Talk about being ungrateful. In 1939, legendary playwright George Bernard Shaw was awarded for his screenplay for the movie version of Pygmalion. But Shaw didn't take it well — in fact, he wasn't on hand to receive it. From England, he reportedly said, "It's perfect nonsense! To offer me an award of this sort is an insult, as if they had never heard of me before — and it's very likely they never had." The Oscar eventually found its way to Shaw's residence overseas, but when Shaw died in 1950, his statuette was found to be in such bad shape that the curator tasked with turning his home into a museum used Oscar as a doorstop. Eventually, the statuette was repaired and is now displayed prominently at the museum. ( the week )

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Should Brad Pitt Let Jennifer Aniston Get Married First?

Should Brad Pitt Let Jennifer Aniston Get Married First? - By all indications, Jennifer Aniston's upcoming wedding to actor Justin Theroux is happening soon – but let us not forget that her equally famous ex-husband, Brad Pitt, is also betrothed. (Perhaps you've heard of Pitt's fiancee, Angelina Jolie)

While media speculation says the two couples may be racing to the altar, we decided to ask the authority on American weddings what the correct protocol is, on the issue of "who goes first" and other aspects of a remarriage.

 

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie ( Steve Branitz/WireImage)

 

Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux (Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Anna Post, great-great-granddaughter of etiquette queen Emily Post, was happy to help omg! figure out the rules. For starters, she's OK with Jolie walking down the aisle first.

"If someone is together longer, I'd say it might be acceptable to go first," Post says. Pitt and Jolie famously got together on the heels of his 2005 divorce from Aniston, so they'd qualify as first-up couple.

"In some cases … if the man is being a gentleman, he might touch base with his former wife and offer to let her go first."

We doubt Brad and Jen keep in close contact, but that phone call is fun to imagine. No matter when they say "I do," Post has some sage advice.

"What you really want to avoid is getting remarried too close to each other. Then you're competing for the guest list," she explains. "You need enough space between dates to accommodate travel, especially. Otherwise you may force people to choose," she said.

"Also, having comfortable spaces in between would say both their lives are moving in separate directions in a positive way."

As for gifts, Post insists that anyone in attendance at either wedding, who was present at their first, can come empty-handed.

"Guests who attended a previous wedding do not have to provide a gift. A 'new to you' person, like Justin Theroux's guests, especially if it's his first wedding, should," she says. Take note Ben Stiller, Justin's rumored best man.

For Aniston's dress, she needn't worry about avoiding white. It's open season.

"First-time brides don't have to wear white!" Post shares, pointing to the bridal color trend stars like Jessica Biel and Amber Tamblyn have jumped on. "And as for staying away from it for your second wedding, the world has moved past that."

As for that time-honored cliche that a second wedding ceremony should be half as long as the first, while the party should be twice as long. That's not entirely true.

"Certainly a full religious ceremony should be enjoyed if the couple prefers, and I'm perfectly fine with that party length."

And as for the guest list, neither star couple should feel the need to keep it small just because their first marriage didn't work.

"It's a reason to celebrate when people commit to something so challenging and rewarding," Post says. "There's no room for any stigma at such a happy occasion." ( omg! )

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The Kids Bullying His Daughter

The Kids Bullying His Daughter - Charlie Sheen is known for his unfiltered rants, but at least in the past his targets have been adults.

On Wednesday, the "Anger Management" star lashed out at some underage enemies when he posted a lengthy Twitter message asking his 9.1 million followers to perpetrate some nasty pranks on the children who bullied his 9-year-old daughter, Sam. Sheen explained that his little girl, who's the elder of his two daughters with ex Denise Richards, was forced to leave private Viewpoint School in Calabssas, California, because she was so tormented by her fellow students.

"CADRE! This is a legitimate call to arms," Sheen tweeted. "my daughter Sam was bullied out of Viewpoint school and then called a liar. it's on! if you have a rotted egg a roll of toilet paper or some dog sh**; I urge u to deliver it with "extreme prejudice" to their KamPuss run by trolls and charlatans. make me proud."

That's right — the guy who once memorably took on Chuck Lorre, the creator of his former show "Two and a Half Men," is now out for the younger set. He even appeared to single out a specific schoolgirl in his angry, garbled message.

"we will not tolerate this level of abhorrent disrespect towards the child of your favorite Warlock," he continued. "And if your feeling the "show and tell" of it all, smear the sh** to spell one name on the front door; VICTORIA. eat that loser. c hashtag HYLMN?"

In the twitterverse, #HYLMN stands for the antagonizing phrase "How you like me now?"

Kids on playgrounds everywhere must be terrified.

The school responded on Thursday with an even longer statement.

"Viewpoint School's highest priority is the safety, security and education of our students. Like all responsible schools across our nation, we are concerned when any individual uses a social media forum to encourage actions that may risk the safety and security of any school. The parent of a former Viewpoint School student who has not attended Viewpoint School since March, 2012 has made certain accusations in the media. Viewpoint School first became aware of these accusations last year. Our administrators addressed the issue appropriately at that time. Our School takes accusations of bullying very seriously. For over 50 years, Viewpoint School has provided a safe and nurturing environment for our students to thrive, and we will continue to do so." ( omg!)

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Beyoncé, Kelly Clarkson and James Taylor Tone Down Pop Personas For President Obama’s Inauguration

Beyoncé, Kelly Clarkson and James Taylor Tone Down Pop Personas For President Obama’s Inauguration - President Barack Obama was treated to a triumphant assortment of musical entertainment from Beyoncé, Kelly Clarkson, James Taylor, the Marine Band and the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir during his Inauguration ceremony on Monday.

Beyoncé, Kelly Clarkson and James Taylor Tone Down Pop Personas For President Obama’s Inauguration

Singer James Taylor performs at the ceremonial swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol during the 57th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Grammy winner Beyoncé, who sang “The Star-Spangled Banner,” offered the most theatrical performance. The “Single Ladies” singer dressed in a sheer black gown appeared more serious than normal as she approached the podium.

Like a scene from movie Evita, the singer who performed Etta James' "At Last" at Obama's first Inauguration in 2009 took a moment to pan the crowd with an emotionless expression before belting the song’s opening lyric, “Oh, say can you see...”

Accompanied by the Marine Band, Beyoncé opted to stick with a more traditional arrangement of the National Anthem. She kept her vocal runs to a minimum, resisting the over-singing her fans are accustomed to hearing on her radio hits.

As the song progressed, Beyoncé relaxed and smiled, possibly relieved that the performance was going so well. By song’s end, she nodded her head as if to note victory before turning to greet the President.

Kelly Clarkson, who also sang with the Marine Band and is nominated for four Grammys this year, took a few more liberties with her rendition of “America (My Country ‘Tis Of Thee).” Clarkson’s version was driven by the Marine Band’s dominating wind instruments and her efforts to find an arrangement that settled between classical and popular music.

Like Beyoncé, however, Clarkson elected not to muddle the song with unnecessary ad-libs.

James Taylor’s acoustic version of “America The Beautiful” was brief but endearing.

Taylor played guitar as he sang the patriotic song that evoked an approving grin from the President. After his performance, Taylor greeted the Commander In Chief with a hug.

The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir provided the opening musical number for the event, singing, “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” As the choir began its classical rendition, President Obama smiled as if he had a special connection to the hymn. ( yahoo.com )

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Prince Harry returns from Afghanistan

Prince Harry returns from Afghanistan — Capt. Wales is coming home to be Prince Harry once again.

The Ministry of Defense revealed Monday that the 28-year-old prince is returning from a five-month deployment in Afghanistan, where he served as an Apache helicopter pilot with the Army Air Corps. It did not immediately divulge his exact whereabouts.

In interviews conducted in Afghanistan, the third in line to the British throne described feeling boredom, frustration and satisfaction during a tour that saw him fire at Taliban fighters on missions in support of ground troops.

When asked whether he had killed from the cockpit, he said: "Yea, so lots of people have."

He also spoke of his struggle to balance his job as an army officer with his royal role — and his relief at the chance to be "one of the guys."

"My father's always trying to remind me about who I am and stuff like that," said Harry, the younger son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana. "But it's very easy to forget about who I am when I am in the army. Everyone's wearing the same uniform and doing the same kind of thing."

Stationed at Camp Bastion, a sprawling British base in the southern Afghan desert, the prince — known as Capt. Wales in the military — flew scores of missions as a co-pilot gunner, sometimes firing rockets and missiles at Taliban fighters.

"Take a life to save a life. That's what we revolve around, I suppose," he said. "If there's people trying to do bad stuff to our guys, then we'll take them out of the game."

Harry's second tour in Afghanistan went more smoothly than the first, in 2007-2008, which was cut short after 10 weeks when a magazine and websites disclosed details of his whereabouts. British media had agreed to a news blackout on security grounds.

This time, the media were allowed limited access to the prince in return for not reporting operational details.

A member of the air corps' 662 Squadron, the prince was part of a two-man crew whose duties ranged from supporting ground troops in firefights with the Taliban to accompanying British Chinook and U.S. Black Hawk helicopters as they evacuated wounded soldiers.

He said that while sometimes it was necessary to fire on insurgents, the formidable helicopter — equipped with wing-mounted rockets, Hellfire laser-guided missiles and a 30mm machine gun — was usually an effective deterrent.

Harry shared a room with another pilot in a basic accommodation block made from shipping containers, and passed the time between callouts playing video games and watching movies with his fellow officers. His security detail accompanied him on base, but not when flying.

"It's as normal as it's going to get," Harry said of the arrangement. "I'm one of the guys. I don't get treated any differently."

But he said he still received unwanted attention at Camp Bastion, which is home to thousands of troops.

"For me it's not that normal because I go into the cookhouse and everyone has a good old gawp, and that's one thing that I dislike about being here," he said. "Because there's plenty of guys in there that have never met me, therefore look at me as Prince Harry and not as Capt. Wales, which is frustrating."

Ever since Harry graduated from the Sandhurst military academy in 2006, his desire for a military career has collided with his royal role. After his curtailed first Afghan deployment, he retrained as a helicopter pilot in order to have the chance of being sent back.

The speed and height at which Apaches fly make them hard for insurgents to shoot down, but Harry's squadron commander, Maj. Ali Mack, said the prince had still faced real danger.

"There is nothing routine about deploying to an operational theater — where there is absolutely an insurgency — and flying an attack helicopter in support of both ISAF and Afghan security forces," Mack said.

The danger was underscored soon after Harry arrived at Camp Bastion in September, when insurgents attacked the adjacent U.S. base, Camp Leatherneck, killing two U.S. marines and wounding several other troops.

Harry said he would have preferred to have been deployed on the ground with his old regiment, the Household Cavalry, rather than spending his tour of duty at Camp Bastion, a fortified mini-city replete with shops, gyms and a Pizza Hut restaurant.

Harry said it was "a pain in the arse, being stuck in Bastion."

"I'd much rather be out with the lads in a PB (patrol base)," he said.

Despite the frustrations of base life, Harry said he relished the flying: "As soon as we're outside the fence, we're in the thick of it."

"Yes, OK, we're supposedly safe, but anything can go wrong with this thing, but at the end of the day we're out there to provide cover and protection for the guys on the ground," he said.

Many of Harry's family have also seen combat — most recently his uncle, Prince Andrew, who flew Royal Navy helicopters during the 1982 Falklands War. His grandfather, Prince Philip, served on Royal Navy battleships during World War II.

Older brother William, who is second in line to the throne, is a Royal Air Force search-and-rescue pilot. He, too, has expressed a desire to serve on the front line, but officials consider it too dangerous.

Harry said he thought William should be allowed to serve in combat.

"Yes, you get shot at. But if the guys who are doing the same job as us are being shot at on the ground, I don't think there's anything wrong with us being shot at as well.

"People back home will have issues with that, but we're not special. The guys out there are. Simple as that."

He said that while William was envious of his Afghan experience, his elder brother's job had its advantages.

"He gets to go home to his wife and his dog, whereas out here we don't," Harry said. "We're stuck playing PlayStation in a tent full of men."

After the respite from scrutiny, the prince is returning to a Harry-hungry media eager for images of the eligible bachelor, and stories of his off-duty escapades.

Just before he went to Afghanistan, Harry hit the headlines during a game of strip billiards at a Las Vegas hotel.

He apologized for the incident. "It was probably a classic example of me probably being too much army, and not enough prince," he said.

But the prince was frank about his frustration with the intense coverage he faces. He said his deep distrust of the press began when he was little, but he still reads what's written about him despite others' advice that he shouldn't, "because it's always rubbish."

"I probably let myself down, I let my family down, I let other people down," Harry said. "But at the end of the day I was in a private area and there should be a certain amount of privacy that one should expect."

Later in the year he hopes to join a group of injured servicemen on a charity race to the South Pole, and in July he is due to become an uncle when William's wife Catherine gives birth to her first child.

Harry said that he "can't wait" to be an uncle, but hoped that Kate would be given privacy during her pregnancy.

And he conceded that he felt more comfortable as Capt. Wales than as Prince Harry.

He said he tried to balance three facets of his life — "one in the army, one socially in my own private time, and then one with the family and stuff like that."

"So there is a switch and I flick it when necessary," he said.

"Army comes first. It's my work at the end of the day."

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World's best big wave surfers compete at Mavericks

World's best big wave surfers compete at Mavericks - — Mother Nature saved the best for last, with some of the largest swells of the day arriving during the final heat of Sunday's Mavericks Invitational big wave surfing contest as thousands of spectators invaded a quaint coastal town known more for its annual pumpkin festival than for surf.

The waves weren't the largest ever seen at the famed Northern California Mavericks surf break a half-mile offshore of Half Moon Bay — the biggest faces reached 25 to 30 feet — but surfing fans still got their fill of steep drops, wipeouts and powerful, booming surf.

In the end, Peter Mel, of Santa Cruz, took home the crown. He decided to split the $50,000 pot with his six competitors, a symbol of good faith that has become a Mavericks Invitational tradition.

 

Associated Press/Marcio Jose Sanchez - Ryan Augenstein competes during the third heat of the Mavericks Surf Competition in Half Moon Bay, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

"We as a brotherhood decided to split the money," Mel said, saying the group agreed to the split upon paddling out for the last heat.

"When you start a final like that, it takes the pressure off ... and that's when the waves started to come too," he said.

Surfers are judged on a number of factors, but those who make the largest drop down the steepest wave usually end up on the winner's podium.

Mel, 42, had a number of hair-raising drops and long rides. But it was a spectacular wipeout that was most memorable. On one giant wave, he stood up as the crest pitched over him, completely engulfing him in the "tube." He never made it out, getting slammed by a two- to three-story wall of whitewater.

Sunday's contest was the first since 2010 at the bone-crushing break that has claimed the lives of two expert big wave surfers.

Wave forecasters this week saw an excellent mixture of swell, wind, tide and sunny skies, though the waves Sunday morning were not quite as big as expected.

Because there were long intervals between the swells, there were a lot of 20- to 30-minute lulls between waves.

"But when the waves came they were pretty exciting," said Jeff Clark, who is credited with being the first to surf Mavericks and is a key part of the event's organization.

Surfing the wave at Mavericks is a feat that takes athletic skill, experience and nerve.

The swells travel through deep water for five days before hitting a small, finger-like section of shallow reef that juts out into the sea.

When the swell meets the reef, the wave jumps upward and crashes back down with a fury, eventually washing through a section of craggy rocks.

The takeoff is often so steep that the surfers' big-wave "gun" surfboards leave the wave face, forcing the surfers to land near the bottom and make a quick turn before being pummeled by the wave's lip.

The spot — named after Clark's dog — has earned a nasty reputation. Mark Foo, a legendary big-wave surfer from Hawaii, died while surfing Mavericks in 1994. In 2011, another seasoned waterman, Sion Milosky, died there just weeks after another surfer nearly drowned.

Eleven-time world champion surfer Kelly Slater was scheduled to surf Sunday but pulled out at the last minute after a reported conflict with another pro tour association. Shane Dorian, who is considered the world's best big wave surfer, pulled out at the last minute due to a shoulder injury.

This year's contest was different than previous years: Spectators are forbidden access to the beach or bluffs. After a large set of waves crashed into the crowd in 2010, injuring dozens, local officials barred crowds from congregating there.

Also, people congregating on the bluffs and along tide pools during previous contests caused environmental damage.

A festival was set up in the parking lot of a hotel near the beach, where spectators could watch a live broadcast. If there was disappointment, there was no evidence of it in the large crowd that gathered to watch, oohing with each great ride. ( Associated Press )

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Is homework a giant waste of time?

Is homework a giant waste of time? -  Parents and teachers: Do not let your kids see this article - No benefit in loading-up middle schoolers with after-school work, research finds - Is scaling back anti-intellectual? Or would it help prevent burnout?

Well this isn't going to make it any easier for parents already tired of having to nag their children to do their homework.

In fact, mom and dad, you might want to go out of your way to make sure the kids never see this new study, which indicates an excess of homework isn't doing younger students any good. And even for older students, all those evening hours spent sprawled out in front of textbooks have only modest benefits, the study finds.

That's the conclusion of some new Australian research which was surprisingly not conducted by a room full of 12-year-olds.

"The amount of homework is a really critical issue for kids," Sydney University associate professor Dr. Richard Walker told The Daily Telegraph. "If they are overloaded, they are not going to be happy and not going to enjoy it. There are other things kids want to do that are very valuable things for them to be doing."

As a side note here, we're not sure the intent of homework was ever for students "to enjoy it." But we get the basic suggestion: Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.

"I don't think anyone except senior high school students should be doing a couple of hours of homework," Walker adds.

The study of 10,000 Australian school kids found that 27% of 10 and 11-year-olds do at least three or four hours of homework per week.

And as any parent who's ever put in a late night re-familiarizing himself with eighth-grade algebra or assembling a blue ribbon-worthy science fair project knows, it's not just the kids who are impacted by homework. A full 41% of parents spend at least three nights a week helping out the kids, according to the Australian Institute of Family Studies.

While the results are unique to Australia, they certainly paint a picture pretty familiar to parents in the U.S. and other nations. But is less learning really a good thing?

"A little bit of homework is probably OK at all ages, if part of the reason is to help kids become self-directed learners," Walker told the Telegraph. However, "If we (ask) if homework benefits outcomes, then it is pretty clear it does not at primary school and has pretty limited benefits in junior high school and some benefits in high school from Years 11-12."

What do you make of this study? Do you think schools should scale back on homework to elementary and middle school students? Or do you feel these findings merely contribute to a sense of anti-intellectualism and that less-challenging workloads will have negative consequences? ( hlntv.com )

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