The Show Must Go On

It seems difficult to imagine the possibility of a year without an Oscars ceremony. Yet that was nearly the case this year with the writer’s strike waging for months on end. For those of you that are out of the loop, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) has been locking horns with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), for roughly 14 weeks now over contract negotiations. At the heart of the matter, are issues with royalties on Internet downloads and DVD sales and union jurisdiction over animation and reality program writers. Yet as of last week, it seems a temporary truce has been reached between the writers and the studio execs and the 80th Annual Academy Awards show will thankfully take place on Sunday, February 24th.

We here at the library always welcome the Oscars with open arms and were happy to hear that the show will in fact go on. There is always much buzz and chatter around here as to who will win or at least who deserves to win. A few of my personal favourites that are nominated in different categories this year are No Country for Old Men, Once and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.

I must say that with the chilly sub-zero temperatures we’ve been experiencing lately, it’s quite nice to have something to look forward to at this month’s end. And the icing on the cake is that the always effervescent Jon Stewart, host of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, will be hosting once again. Stay tuned for more information on the Oscar contest, Oscar nominated DVDs and forthcoming displays our Audiovisual department has to offer you this Oscar season.