Final Oscar Ballots Mailed to Voting Members

Wednesday, February 8, 2006

Final ballots for the 78th Annual Academy Awards will be mailed today to the 5,798 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Completed ballots must be in the hands of Pricewaterhouse-Coopers by 5:00 p.m. PT, Tuesday, February 28. Any ballot received after the deadline will not be counted.

Listed on the ballots are nominees in 19 Oscar® categories. Separate ballots for 5 award categories (foreign language film, short and feature-length documentaries and animated and live-action short films) will be distributed after verification of mandatory member attendance at screenings.

Once the auditing firm has tabulated the votes, the winners’ names are placed in sealed envelopes to be opened on Oscar Night®. Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements for 2005 will be presented on March 5, 2006, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network beginning at 5:00 p.m. PST. A one-hour red carpet arrivals show will precede the telecast at 4:00 p.m. PST.

Trivia question: final ballots for the 77th Academy Awards were mailed last year to 5,808 voting members. Why the decrease in voting members?

London Critics Circle Film Awards

Wednesday, February 8, 2006

The 26th Annual LONDON CRITICS' CIRCLE AWARDS will be presented at the Dorchester Hotel in London. The event will be hosted by broadcaster Mariella Frostrup and Critics' Circle Film Section chairman John Marriott. The London Critics Circle Film Awards recognize the best in British and International film talent. They are also the only UK film awards which raise money for charity, contributing to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Nominations were announced December 14, 2005, with Pride & Prejudice garnering the most nods, followed closely by The Constant Gardener. Johnny Depp is nominated in the Actor of the Year category for his portrayal of Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He is competing against Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain), Bruno Ganz (Downfall), Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda) and Viggo Mortensen (A History of Violence). Juliette Binoche (Hidden), Naomi Watts (King Kong), Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of Grace), Laura Linney (Kinsey) and Maria Bello (A History of Violence) were recognized in the Actress of the Year category. The org also bestows awards to the British Actor and Actress of the Year, which includes nominees Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz for The Constant Gardener. That movie is competing against Crash, A History of Violence, Brokeback Mountain and King Kong for the Film of the Year award. Nominations for Director of the Year went to Fernando Meirelles (The Constant Gardener), Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain), Paul Haggis (Crash), Peter Jackson (King Kong) and David Cronenberg (A History of Violence).

Daytime Stars Announce Daytime Emmy Noms

Wednesday, February 8, 2006

Nominations Announcement for 33rd Annual DAYTIME EMMY AWARDS®

DAVID CANARY, MICHAEL EASTON, KIMBERLY McCULLOUGH AND SCOTT CLIFTON ARE AMONG THE SCHEDULED PRESENTERS FOR THE 33rd ANNUAL DAYTIME EMMY® AWARD NOMINATIONS, LIVE, FEB. 8, ON ABC DAYTIME'S THE VIEW

Plus a Surprise Appearance by One of Daytime Television's Biggest and Brightest Stars

One of Daytime television’s biggest and brightest stars joins five-time Emmy® Award winner David Canary (Stuart/Adam Chandler), along with fellow All My Children co-stars Alexa Havins (Babe Chandler) and Emmy Award winner Jacob Young (JR Chandler); Emmy Award winner Robin Strasser (Dorian Lord), Michael Easton (John McBain) and Renée Goldsberry (Evangeline Williamson) of One Life to Live; Scott Clifton (Dillon Quartermaine) and Emmy Award winner Kimberly McCullough (Robin Scorpio) of General Hospital; Austin Peck (Austin Reed) of Days of our Lives; Heidi Meuller (Kay Bennett) of Passions; Bradley Cole (Jeffrey O’Neill) of Guiding Light and Terri Colombino (Katie Peretti) of As the World Turns, as ABC Daytime’s popular talk show, The View, hosts the live nomination ceremony for The 33rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, Wednesday, February 8 on the ABC Television Network (check local listings for times).

The View co-hosts Barbara Walters, Meredith Vieira, Star Jones Reynolds, Joy Behar and Elisabeth Hasselbeck will also partake in the announcement of nominees in all the major categories.

The 33rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards will air live on the ABC Television Network from Hollywood’s Kodak Theater, home of the Academy Awards®, on Friday, April 28, 2006. This will mark the first time the Daytime Emmys will be broadcast from Hollywood in the 33-year history of the Awards ceremonies.

GRAMMY Parties, Performers & Presenters

Wednesday, February 8, 2006

The 48th Annual GRAMMY AWARDS will be presented at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Award nominations were announced December 8, 2005. The 2006 Grammy Awards will be broadcast on CBS at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT. Grammy official website / 48th Annual Awards.

Trivia: Even though the 2005 Grammy broadcast boasted 24 live performances - and only 11 actual awards were presented during the telecast - it drew only 18.8 million viewers, a 28% decrease from the 2004 Grammys, and the lowest ratings since 1995, according to Nielsen Media Research. Of course, they were on the Sunday night line up against Desperate Housewives.

GRAMMY PRESENTERS:

Scheduled GRAMMY presenters include Fiona Apple, Lance Armstrong, Big & Rich, Chris Brown, Michael Buble, Dave Chappelle, Common, Sheryl Crow, Ellen DeGeneres, Destiny's Child, Matt Dillon, Jenna Elfman, Teri Hatcher, Tom Hanks, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Terrence Howard, Alicia Keys, Ludacris, Queen Latifah, Bonnie Raitt, Anoushka Shankar, Sting and James Taylor. Celebrity cyclist Lance Armstrong cancelled his appearance after news of his break up with Sheryl Crow was announced over the weekend - ironically Sheryl Crow herself just signed on as a presenter.

GRAMMY PERFORMERS:

The Grammy Awards opening performance will feature Madonna and the Gorillaz with additional performances by Mariah Carey with Hezekiah Walker & Love Fellowship Choir, Kelly Clarkson, Coldplay, Herbie Hancock & Christina Aguilera, Faith Hill & Keith Urban, Jay-Z & Linkin Park, Paul McCartney, SugarLand, U2 & Mary J. Blige, Kanye West & Jamie Foxx. Aerosmith's Steven Tyler & Joe Perry, Black Eyed Peas' Will.I.Am, Ciara, John Legend, Devin Lima, Maroon 5, Robert Randolph, Joss Stone and Sly Stone will perform during a Tribute to Sly and the Family Stone. Participants in GRAMMY's Tribute to New Orleans include Elvis Costello, Dr. John, Sam Moore, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen, Irma Thomas, Allen Toussaint, and U2's The Edge.

GRAMMY PARTIES:

Grammy parties kicked off Monday night, when Kanye West performed at the Rolling Stone / Verizon Wireless party, honoring the this year's nominees, at the Avalon Hollywood. The action continues tonight with Clive Davis' traditional pre-Grammy celebration, which moved this year to the larger ballroom at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The guest list includes Ellen DeGeneres, Jessica and Ashlee Simpson, the Dixie Chicks, Usher, Green Day and Willie Nelson. The long list of performers is rumored to include Kelly Clarkson, Jamie Foxx, Rod Stewart, Fantasia Barino, Mary J. Blige, Carlos Santana, Rob Thomas, Chris Brown, Heather Headley and Barry Manilow. Real Networks will be streaming the party live through their online music service, at rhapsody.com/grammys. The party will also be broadcast live on XM Satellite Radio's Grammy Radio station (XM200).

GRAMMY after parties will be happening throughout Hollywood, though most are non-publicized private parties. However, LG Mobile Phones is proud to announce the Mariah Carey and Jermaine Dupri Post Grammy Celebration. According to LG's press release, all of Hollywood's finest including, Jessica Simpson, Alicia Keys, Kelly Clarkson, Ashton Kutcher, Hugh Hefner, Usher, Snoop Dogg, Queen Latifah, Pharell and many more will be on hand for a night of celebration and glamour with a star-studded guest list at a luxurious and exclusive location in Beverly Hills. "I'm very excited to be able to celebrate the things I hold dear - life, art, music - on the most important night in music," said Jermaine Dupri, "I'd like to thank LG Mobile Phones for the opportunity to show all my friends what's sure to be a great time!"

Mariah Carey and Jermaine Dupri plan to share with their guests a celebration of life with an old-Hollywood setting reminiscent of the days of the Rat Pack. The fun begins with the totally unique invitation: a video message from the two hosts, displayed on the ultra-cool, incredibly functional 'V' by LG. This exclusive event will have the myriad of luxuries that have come to be associated will LG Mobile Phones events, everything from an incredibly unique setting to ultra swanky celebrity goodie bags. This chic gift bag will include a personal massage chair, stylish co-branded Red Engine Jeans and a scratch-to-win gift card with high end prizes not limited to 60" plasma screen televisions and portable DVD players!

As for other parties, you might get some clues by reviewing where they were held last year. EMI threw it's post-Grammy shindig at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Usher held a private party at the Geisha House in L.A., Kanye West held a super secret party somewhere in Hollywood, and even Prince hosted a private party at his Hollywood Hills home. Guitarist D'Wayne Wiggins hosted a party for multiple winner Alicia Keys at the Day After Club, which filled up so fast that hundreds were left standing outside most of the night. Warner Brothers held court at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood where invitees included Green Day, Linkin Park, Kid Rock, Amy Lee, Twista, Rob Zombie, Rob Thomas, Jimmy Page, and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. There was also a musical jam at the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip.