How to accept an Oscar
Created | Updated Jan 30, 2017
Accepting an Oscar is one of the proudest things a movie maker can do. For many people in the film business, is is what their careers are leading up to.
But, accepting an Oscar can be a very cunning, if sometimes pointless, public relations exercise. You can do this in a great many ways, but you have to raise eyebrows if you're going to get the global media's attention. Here is a guide on how to get the most attention while collecting an Oscar.
1. Have a near emotional breakdown on stage
This method has been a popular one of late. Basically the idea is to seem in total awe that you have won an award, so much in joy that you just want to cry. Try holding it together while you are thanking the film studio, and when you get to your own family, become very close to bursting into tears, a notable example is Halle Berry when she accepted hers- of course she started spouting incoherent rubbish as well, which made it more effective. But then again, she decided to do the same thing when she won the Golden Rasbperry award for Catwoman, and that film itself was widely regarded by critics as a piece of incoherent rubbish. This sort of near breakdown always gets the press going, and they'll be fighting over themseves for a five minute interview when you leave. But not so much as to ruin your make up, as you've still got the after show party to do.
2. Go all patriotic for your home country
This method is especially good if you come from a country that Americans do not generally hear much about, eg Wales(Catherine Zeta Jones), and you have a national chant that they have not heard much of, eg Oggy Oggy Oggy Oik Oik Oik(Catherine Zeta Jones). The American media goes for obscure stuff from other countries, especially if it is entertaining.
3. Get political
This always, always gets the press going- especially if there's some big event in Politics like the election or a war going on or about to go on. Tell them who or what's happening that you really hate them or something. Shout it- it makes it even more noticable and outrageous, and you'll get the bonus of the political sections of right wing press saying that you're using your position for your own political purpose, which makes a lot more scandal and gets them to talk about you for weeks! That's loads of column inches worth of publicity!
4. Thank an insane number of people
Try thanking really stupid things like your dog or other pet. It sounds cute and funny. Also, take a long time thanking lots of people. Not only it takes up airtime while it's going live, if you've won a big prize they'll have to show at least half of your speech, and some papers will list all the people you've thanked if you've thanked enough. However, be aware- more recently the awards show producers have started cracking down on this because it makes it overrun by hours- so you might want to not thank your mother's friend's cat, just to be on the safe side.
5. Say how completely obvious it is that you were going to win the award
This will make you sound really big headed. As they say, all publicity is good publicity- Michael Jackson had really bad press, and, rather ironically, his album Bad went up loads in sales. Also, if you slag off the other nominees while you're up there there's potential for a celebrity fight, which means even more press as the tabloids love a good celebrity fight!
6. Trip up as you're going to accept it
A classic bit of comedy. You will definetely get some attention if you do this- front pages with some of the tabloids. People love someone who's accident prone- and this will mean you will be immortalised in the next edition of It'll Be Alright On The Night(ITV), and forever featured in repeats of it thereafter.
