Russell Crowe objects to Joan Collins (1 Viewer)

[Chuck Mayer]

I wonder why he apologized? 'Cause he's a great guy, or because his agent just explained to him on the phone in one-syllable words why he'd be keeping his seat on March 24th? I'll never know the answer, and as much as I'd like it to be the former, it may very well be the latter. But it's his life, and I admit, it must be tough living in the spotlight.

Take care,

Chuck

 

[Edwin Pereyra]

I wonder why he apologized? 'Cause he's a great guy, or because his agent just explained to him on the phone in one-syllable words why he'd be keeping his seat on March 24th?

How about pressure from DreamWorks? He has said earlier that he was right and had nothing to apologize for.

~Edwin

 

[Peter Kim]

If my memory serves correct...Frank Sinatra was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Grammy. He was very gracious but deliberate (slow) in his acceptance speech. Ultimately, the producers decided enough was enough and instructed the orchestra to play.

I saw a Behind the scenes on the Grammy Awards (MTV or VH1) and learned that this turned out to be one of the most unpopular decisions on the part of the producers. They mentioned that they were afraid of how Sinatra might react.

However, Sinatra was very humble and thwarted any controversy.

LONDON, England (Reuters) -- Actor Russell Crowe has apologized for the tongue-lashing he gave a British television producer who cut a chunk of his 'Best Actor' acceptance speech from a delayed British awards show broadcast.

The New Zealand-born star, who shoved and cursed Malcolm Gerrie at a party after the British Academy Film Awards in London last Sunday, apologized to the producer and his family in a weekend telephone call, a spokesman for Gerrie's production company told Reuters on Monday.

Interpolate these respective reactions on the part of Sinatra and Crowe however you want. But in my mind, it does speak volumes on their characters.

Crow resounds his cowardice by having his henchmen/entourage harass and assult the producer. Sinatra, despite the public outcry of his industry friends, quietly diffuses the entire mess. Tell me who's the more 'macho' man.

 

[Chuck Mayer]

Well said, Peter.
If I recall, Billy Joel tore into them in his own unique way during his performance right after the Sinatra cut-off. He basically stopped during his song and said "valuable advertising dollars" over and over...and would continue. A little hypocritical...but only a little. Nice touch.
You don't have to have class in Hollywood...you just have to fill seats. They both did that, but who would you rather see applauded
Take care,
Chuck

 

[Peter Kim]

I remember Billy Joel's response too. That response probably embarrassed Sinatra more than the cutoff.

Keep in mind, Sinatra was getting a lifetime award. Crowe got a best actor award. Additionally, Sinatra was cut off, in front of the live and tv audience. Crowe's speech was abridged afterwards for television broadcast.

 

[Ryan Peter]

Nicely said, Peter.

 

[Jon_Are]

Ultimately, the producers decided enough was enough and instructed the orchestra to play...They mentioned that they were afraid of how Sinatra might react.

Man, those dudes have some cojones , cutting Frank off. What'd they do for an encore, badmouth John Gotti's mama?
Jon

 

[John Spencer]

Man, those dudes have some cojones , cutting Frank off. What'd they do for an encore, badmouth John Gotti's mama?

Worse! They let Julia Roberts keep talking!

 

[Ryan Peter]

For the most part, this post reminds me why I wish there weren't acceptance speeches. Usually it's someone rambling a bunch of names off in a boring manner, in this case it was a boring poem. Zzzzzzz........ZZzzzzz......Zzzzz.. Wake me when it's done.

 

[Terrell]

Actually, they cut off his thank yous to the Nash family for living an amazing life, and thank yous to other people he should of thanked, as well as his poem. Again, if they can't allow for a winner to have 2 minutes to speak, that's pathetic.
As for not having acceptance speaches, it wouldn't bother me. But it won't happen, because it just won't.

 

[Ryan Peter]

If they gave him 2 minutes, wouldn't they have to give everyone 2 minutes?

 

[Terrell]

Are you telling me 2 minutes is too much? They should give everyone at least two minutes. If they can't allow a measly 2 minutes, then don't have an awards show if you can't find that bit of time in your program for the winners. Hell, the AA give about 8 minutes per speech. 2 minutes is nothing. That doesn't excuse his behavior, but that's weak on BAFTA's part.

 

[Ryan Peter]

They gave him all the time he needed for his speech, they just trimmed it up a bit for tv content. I like that more than having the band start playing and getting the hook out to pull people off of stage.

 

[Terrell]

They still basically altered his speech and cut part of it live. Is this show tape delayed?

 

[Sean Oneil]

It's a done deal. Crowe loses the Oscar. You heard it here first!

The Academy Has Spoken
Seriously, I hope that the academy voters are willing to reward a great performance in spite of how they may regard someone personally. Denzel has said some pretty grating stuff over the course of his career too, ya know... Who hasn't? We all do and say stupid things, or things that we regret from time to time. But if Crowe's performance was the best of the year, then I should hope that he would win.
I think Crowe will still take it, although no one can say for sure because no one can speak for all of the Academy voters at this point. No one knows what they are thinking.

 

[PhilipG]

Do please appreciate that the Beeb's screening was a 2-hr edited highlights show. I believe the unabridged version was shown live on Sky, and was repeated everywhere else in the world in its entirety. I watched the BBC screening, and it did not drag at all. Best BAFTAs in memory. The fault was not that Crowe's poem was cut - I agree with the editing, considering what was left in - the fault was the BBC's original decision to edit at only 2hrs.
Crowe's poem has actually had a lot more attention than it otherwise would have had the incident not occurred.

 

[teapot2001]

If I recall, Billy Joel tore into them in his own unique way during his performance right after the Sinatra cut-off. He basically stopped during his song and said "valuable advertising dollars" over and over...and would continue. A little hypocritical...but only a little. Nice touch.

The song already had a bit of a pause in one part, he just extended it and said "valuable advertising dollars" only once.

~T

 

[Seth Paxton]

This is hilarious to me. After all this, he invites a bunch of friends over to watch the Australian repeat of the BAFTAs...and the poem is STILL CUT!!!
IMDb has the report which indicates that he went from shock to being pissed again. I half sympathise with him, half think he needs to let it go. But for some reason that scene at his house after ALL THAT TROUBLE just kills me.
It's like a freakin comedy.

 

[Sean Oneil]

They hacked him in his home country? He must have been one bloomin' pissed off auzzie.. I'm sure his homeland fans were not too thrilled either

 

[Seth Paxton]

It's not clear where it got hacked. It might have been that the copy sent to Australia was still already edited in that segment.