Oscar Suffers From Reverse Old-Guy-In-The-Club Syndrome

By Scott Smith in Arts & Entertainment on Feb 15, 2005 2:56PM

When Chicagoist was growing up, we begged our parents to buy us a pair of parachute pants because we thought they were so cool. Nevermind that they looked ridiculous on us and didn’t fit quite right; we proudly wore them to school and were mocked openly by our classmates. We were reminded of that traumatic childhood moment this week when Oscar producer Gil Cates was forced to respond to comments Chris Rock made in Entertainment Weekly about the Oscars being “idiotic” and “a fashion show.” Cates assured the masses that Rock’s comments were just “humorous digs.” You know, the Academy got uptight when Letterman did that whole Uma/Oprah thing a few years back. So we’re wondering what the reaction will be if Rock calls Jack Nicholson “Ol’ Dirty Cracker.” But hey it’s all part of keeping it “hip-hop loose.” Yeah, that always works real well.

Meanwhile, if your script about the bank robbers who deconstruct the Socialist themes in the Smurfs is gathering dust in the back of your closet, now’s the chance to pull it out. Together with Chicago Scriptworks, IFP Chicago is sponsoring a feature-length screenplay competition. The deadline for submissions is April 1st and the winning script will be given a staged reading in August. For more information, visit the IFP website or call 312-235-0161.

Also, holding this year’s IFP Chicago viewing party for the Independent Spirit Awards at Delilah’s seems like a good way to emphasize the “Spirit” part of an awards show that has always seemed like a more artistically dignified—but drunker—version of the Oscars anyway. Admission to the February 26th event is free for members and $10 for the general public.

Speaking of drunken Oscars, don't forget we'll be live blogging on the night of February 27th at 7 PM. And just like the Oscars, we'll be working with a seven-second delay.