SpeakEasy

The day after each major awards ceremony – Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, Golden Globes, VMAs (okay, maybe not, but I’m also not a 13 year old girl AS FAR AS YOU KNOW) – much of the talk afterwards, and certainly the video highlights, are all about the acceptance speeches.  The Oscar moments that appear on a DVD on late night TV (not that I would know cough cough).  The rich and famous, so accustomed to being in the public eye, fumble over their words caught up in emotion, forget to thank their wives, cry, stammer, stutter, laugh, etc. etc.  It seems like a pretty tough thing to do.  I find myself cheering for the winners to not say something ridiculously stupid or crazy up there.  So it’s always a relief and nice surprise when someone calmly, from the heart, says something funny and poignant and perfect for the moment.  Maybe you can’t train for it, but it sure helps MY image of a performer immeasurably when the do it right.  So on that note, I give you Ken Howard’s lovely, humble little acceptance speech.  In 90 seconds he pokes fun at Kanye West, Joe Wilson, thanks his kidney donor for keeping him alive (!), and makes a very loving, awww shucks, yet classy and elegant gesture to his wife.   Perfect.  Well done, Ken Howard, character actor.