Oscars Dress: A Cry For Fashion

I'm headed to the Oscars!  In exactly 19 days from now, I will be on the red carpet interviewing all of the nominees on Hollywood's biggest night.  There's only one problem...I still need a dress.  So, I am putting a call out to you...on the internet, on social media, and wherever else this little post might get passed around.  So, if you are a designer, established or up-and-coming, or if you know someone, pass them my information.  I can always be contacted here.

Me and my dress at the 84th Annual Academy Awards in the Toledo Free Press

In exchange for letting me borrow the gown, the designer will be promoted with a video, photos, across all social media outlets, and of course, it will be plugged on any media appearances I make before and after the show.  As we all know, the biggest question on Oscar night is, "Who are you wearing?"

If you want to see what I've worn in the past, take a look at Oscars 2011 and Oscars 2012.  I also found a beautiful vintage dress in the window at Decades.  That might be my dream dress.

While I am LA-based, I am hitting the road on Friday to cover Oscars trip across the country. I will be in Chicago through February 13th, so if there are any Chicago designers out there....hit me up!

The Stylist Edition 2012

Last year, I wrote about The Hollywood Reporter's top 25 stylist list (THR) and I added a bit of commentary about what I saw on the red carpet during the 2011 awards show season.  That post became one of my most popular of all time.  In fact, you will see that the post is still listed in my Top 5 posts of the last month.  So, I am happy to deliver THR's 2012 list and let's see if we agree on the choices.  Here we go.......

Michelle Williams with Nate Berkus in the background.

1.  Kate Young:  Last year, Kate was number two on the list behind Rachel Zoe.  THR bumped Rachel Zoe into her own stratosphere as "too big to rank", so Kate is the number one stylist this year.  She dresses Michelle Williams, Natalie Portman, and Rachel Weiz.  The photo above is one of my personal photos of Michelle from the Oscars in her tangerine Louis Vuitton gown. I know not everyone loved this look, but it was divine in person.  Rank Last Year:  2

2.  Leslie Fremar:  She dresses Charlize Theron, Julianne Moore, Reese Witherspoon, and Scarlett Johansson.  It looks like Scarlett hopped on over from Nicole Chavez to Leslie after last year's disastrous Oscars look.  She also dressed a pregnant Reese Witherspoon for the Golden Globes and we certainly had no idea she was with child.  Huge star client list, but I wasn't wowed by what I saw this season.  Rank Last Year:  9

3.  Petra Flannery:  I think Petra is doing stellar work with her big It girl client, Emma Stone, but I couldn't figure out why she dressed Emma in a knock-off gown of the dress Nicole Kidman wore just 5 years before.  The Balenciaga dress was iconic, so I am surprised they went that route.  Flannery also dresses Claire Danes, Zoe Saldana, Mila Kunis, Megan Fox, and Faith Hill.  Rank Last Year:  3

4.  Elizabeth Stewart:  Elizabeth had a big year dressing two nominees from The Help, Jessica Chastain and Viola Davis.  Both looked stunning at the 84th Annual Academy Awards, so I would say her top 5 inclusion was warranted.  She also dresses Julia Roberts, Jennifer Lawrence, Freida Pinto, Cate Blanchett, and Amanda Seyfried.  Rank Last Year:  8

I love this gold Marchesa dress on Stacy Keibler.

5.  Kemal Harris and Karla Welch:  Okay, this duo dressed the best accessory on the Oscars red carpet this year, Stacy Keibler AKA George Clooney's date.  Stunning.  They also dress Olivia Wilde, Hailee Steinfeld, Zooey Deschanel, and Paula Patton.  Rank Last Year:  N/A

6.  Jen Rade:  The leg heard around the world.  Yep, this is the gal who put Angelina Jolie in that Atelier Versace dress with the slit up to there.  I kept hearing rumors that Angelina was paid to wear the shoes and this was a great way to show them off.  I couldn't find any confirmation of this, but it's a fun, fashion rumor.  Rade also dresses Pink and Katherine McPhee.  Rank Last Year:  4

7.  Ryan Hastings:  He helps create Rooney Mara's cool chic look and I thought she looked unbelievable at the Oscar Nominees Luncheon.  He also dresses Robert Pattinson and Mia Wasikowska.  Rank Last Year: N/A

8.  Samantha McMillen:  She dresses Carey Mulligan, Evan Rachel Wood, Dakota and Elle Fanning, Diane Lane, Colin Firth, Johnny Depp, Josh Brolin, and Ryan Reynolds.  Rank Last Year:  24

9.  Deb Waknin:  Yes!  This woman worked miracles on Sofia Vergara all awards show season. Vergara looked beautiful and sophisticated with her hour glass figure.  She had a bit of a miss with an ill-fitting dress on Sandra Bullock at the Oscars, but Waknin's clients usually look flawless.  She also dresses Halle Berry and Diane Keaton.  Rank Last Year:  7

10.  Cristina Ehrlich:  Hmmm, I've been very critical in the past about Ehrlich's work with actress Amy Adams, but this year they got it right at the Vanity Fair party.  So, I won't pass judgment this year.  She also dresses Penelope Cruz, Amber Heard, Tina Fey, and Julianna Margulies.  Rank Last Year:  6

11.  Jeanne Yang:  Oh, you know, she dresses minor stars like Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. Yes, they have the Holmes & Yang line together, but Yang also styles Andrew Garfield, Christian Bale, Mark Wahlberg, and Dustin Hoffman.  That's quite a list!  Rank Last Year:  10

12.  L'Wren Scott:  Not a busy year for her clients Nicole Kidman and Sarah Jessica Parker, but she's still strong enough to rank twelfth this year.  Rank Last Year:  13

She's beautiful, but this look has been done before.

13.  Rob Zangardi and Mariel Haenn:  I did not love Jennifer Lopez's Oscar look this year because she's worn it before.  I found it rather snoozy.  However, JLo looks the best she ever has and her stylists keep showing off those awesome curves.  They also dress Rihanna, Rachel McAdams, and Lily Collins.  Rank Last Year:  15

My personal photo of Gwyneth from the 84th Annual Academy Awards.

14.  Elizabeth Saltzman:  Her client is Gwyneth Paltrow and that Tom Ford gown with the cape was spectacular.  Gwyneth's body looked flawless.  Bravo!  Rank Last Year:  N/A

15.  Cher Coulter:  She is the IT stylist for the IT girls of Hollywood.  Think Kate Bosworth, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Elizabeth Olsen, and Sienna Miller for fashion styling.  She also partners with Bosworth for JewelMint.  Rank Last Year:  N/A

16.  Leith Clark:  Clark styles Kirsten Dunst and Kiera Knightley.  Rank Last Year:  11

17.  Jessica Paster:  She styled Bridesmaids star, Ellie Kemper, for the Oscars.  I thought she looked pretty, but it wasn't a "Wow".  I expect more for the Oscars.  Paster hasn't had that A-List clientele in a few years, but she's still powerful enough to rank on this list.  Other clients include:  Emily Blunt, Felicity Jones, and Andrea Riseborough.  Rank Last Year:  14

18.  Penny Lovell:  Lovell deserves to be on this list after that divine Elie Saab Couture pantsuit that she dress Bridesmaids star, Rose Byrne in at the SAG Awards and then capped off the awards season with a Vivienne Westwood gown at the Oscars.  Two wins for Byrne and Lovell.  She also dresses Ginnifer Goodwin.   Rank Last Year:  N/A

19.  Wendi and Nicole Ferreira:  These sisters did a wonderful thing for the woman who won every award along the way, Octavia Spencer.  They made a curvy girl look her best at every award show she attended this season.  I wish Melissa McCarthy had taken a play from the Ferreira/Spencer playbook.  They also dress Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Banks, and Channing Tatum.  Rank Last Year:  N/A

Another personal photo from my spot on the red carpet.

20.  Brad Goreski:  We've all watched this season's It's a Brad, Brad World on Bravo and we know his relationship with Rachel Zoe is irreparable.  I have a feeling that the fact that Demi Moore and Jessica Alba jumped ship to Goreski's services might have something to do with it.  He also styles Rashida Jones, Noomi Papace, and Maya Rudolph. I did not think Rudolph's Johanna Johnson Oscar dress was a huge success, but I look forward to more from Goreski.  Rank Last Year:  22

21.  Nicole Chavez:  She styles Rachel Bilson, Kristen Bell, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Katherine Heigel.  I love the work she does with Bilson.  Enough said....and yes, I forgive you for Scarlett's Oscar dress last year.  Rank Last Year:  20

22.  Johnny Wujek:  Okay, I get it, you are a rock star and need to go all out.  So, he styles Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, and Kate Mara.  I'm not a fan, but I don't dress like Katy Perry.  Rank Last Year:  N/A

23.  George Kotsiopoulos:  He's still styling stars like Janet McTeer and Alice Eve even though he helms E!'s Fashion Police alongside Joan Rivers, Kelly Osborne, and Giuliana Rancic.  I loved what he did with Janet McTeer this year, she looked elegant and sophisticated at every event.  Rank Last Year:  19

24.  Arianne Phillips:  She was an Oscar nominee for Costume Design on W.E. this year and she solely focuses on her client, Madonna.  Eh, I respect the Oscar nomination the most.  Rank Last Year:  N/A

Love that navy blue tuxedo on Bradley Cooper. Photo courtesy of Just Jared.

25.  Ilaria Urbanati:  She's new to the list, but Urbanati has a strong list of clients:  Bradley Cooper, Armie Hammer, Nina Dobrev, Krysten Ritter, Chris Evans, and Joel Edgerton.  Rank Last Year:  N/A

There's the list for 2012 with all of my personal comments.  Do you agree or disagree with the list or my thoughts on fashion?  I would love to hear from you. Comment in the section below or join me on Twitter or Facebook.

To read The Hollywood Reporter article, click here.
To read my 2011 Top 25 Stylist post, click here.

Should Celebrities Give Great Customer Service?

On my flight to Chicago yesterday, I picked up a People magazine to bide my time on the three and a half hour trip.  I am actually one of those crazy people who reads a magazine cover to cover including the MailBag section.  A letter to the editor caught my eye, so here is the letter in full:

"Thank you for your usual fine coverage of the Oscar celebrations.  This year I had the good fortune 
to be in the red carpet bleachers, and I must report that absolutely the most generous and kind celebrity in terms of fan interactions was George Clooney.  He was clearly having a great time and was the only star I saw who came over to the velvet ropes to sign autographs and allow fans to take photos.  As an expert in customer service, I applaud George Clooney for great service to his customer at the 84th Annual Academy Awards." 

Donna Cutting Asheville, N.C.

Most people might read a letter like that and pass it off as a fan letter to George Clooney, but what struck me was her comment about customer service to his fans.  After going through two Oscar cycles and interviewing more celebrities as a result, it is important for actors to understand that giving great customer service is a part of their job.  Now, I'm not talking about jumping up to greet fans at every meal or while on vacation, but making an effort to walk over to fans at premieres, red carpets, and public press events goes a long way with the people who are essentially paying the stars' salary with each film that is released.  George is a master at this, but the man who wrote the book on fan customer service is Tom Cruise.  Whether you like him or not, he is one of the kindest celebrities who always says "yes" to his fans.  Why?  He "gets" it.  He knows that these are the people that created his career, that bought tickets to Top Gun and stayed with him through his latest Mission Impossible film, and he knows that one small interaction with him will make a great impression.....and keep that fan buying tickets to his movies.  

When I do radio appearance like here or here, I often get asked who my favorite celebrities are to interview.  My favorites celebrities are usually the ones you don't expect because often times the bigger names have a tendency to disappoint me in interviews.  They hate to do press, they don't want to be in the room, and they don't try to hide it.  I totally understand that the questions can be inane and repetitive, but sitting through eight hours of a press junket at a five star hotel is way better than being a coal miner, right?  I have repeated it over and over, but it's a part of their job.  It may not be their favorite part of the job, but it comes with the territory of fame, money, and celebrity.  So, I would love to see some stars embrace this part of their job and enjoy the process because it is the press and the fans who make sure your next ten million dollar paycheck clears.  Sadly, the George Clooneys and Tom Cruises in the industry are pretty rare, but that quality is also what makes them huge A-List stars.  They just "get" it.  

If you want to read more on press and the entertainment industry, see my other articles here and here.  

To continue the conversation, join me on Facebook, Twitter, or Google Plus.

Who Knew Sherri Shepherd Was Going To Be On DWTS?

Dancing With The Stars premieres tonight and I just want to remind Sherri Shepherd (The View) what she told me on the red carpet at the Oscars just two days before the cast for this season was announced live on Good Morning, America.  Let's review the tape:

Okay, I just wanted to prove my source was correct on that scoop.  Enjoy your season, Sherri, and good luck!

Also joining the cast this season is Jaleel White.  For those of you who haven't checked in on Jaleel since his Urkel days on Family Matters, see what his has been up to from my interview with him on The Web Files in 2010:


Will you be watching this season of DWTS or has this show jumped the shark?

A Better Life

I've been away for a week or so to recharge after a busy awards show season and to take some time for myself.  I'm officially back though and ready to bring you all the latest in entertainment news.  It's been a while since I posted a film recommendation, but my last one wound up with four Oscar nominations. The film I'm recommending this time around has already scored its Oscar nomination for Best Actor for Demian Bechir.  I interviewed him twice during Oscars week here and here, so I was already a fan.  He's charming, sweet, and incredibly nice to the press, but his performance in A Better Life is heartbreaking.  I think this film was overlooked during all of the awards hoopla by bigger movies like The Artist and Hugo.  This flick is one to add to your summer Netflix list.  It quietly unfolds with subtle performances that surround a pretty controversial topic here in the United States, illegal immigration.

Now, no matter how you feel about illegal immigration, it will be hard not to be moved by the human side to this story.  I know it certainly opened my eyes to the struggle of being in a country illegally whether it is right or not.  In Southern California, the immigrant population certainly makes up a huge part of our daily live with gardeners, housekeepers, restaurant help, and construction workers, so it can be hard to formulate a blanket statement on the issue and that is the exact question A Better Life raises....especially when the undocumented workers have children who are legal U.S. citizens.  Demian was quite vocal about his stance on the issue throughout the season because he knows firsthand about what it is like to live U.S. illegally.  He came to the States to pursue his acting dreams and he lived his life as an illegal immigrant in New York City.  A 1986 amnesty program gave him his green card which eventually put him on the road to an Academy Award nomination.  So, no matter where you stand on the issue, watch the film and let me know what you think in the comments below.  Have you seen A Better Life yet?

36th Annual Razzie Award Nominations AKA The Worst In Film For 2011

We were so busy covering the best in film a few weeks ago, that I almost forgot to bring you the worst in film for 2011.  It's the Golden Raspberry Awards also known as the "Razzies".  Now, they normally hand out the awards the night before the Oscars, but this year, the nominations happened on Oscars Eve and the official award date is April 1st.  Yep, April Fool's Day. With a plethora of bad films to choose from, who had the most nominations?  Oh, if you've been listening to me on Driving with Gass, then you know who I picked on in this piece.  Check out the nominations and my interview with founder, John J. B. Wilson:

What Does the Oscars Red Carpet Really Look Like?

The express lane in the center of the red carpet.

This might be one of my favorite videos this year because we decided to give you a full walk through the red carpet.  Did you ever wonder how long that red carpet was?  Well, it's 500 feet filled with media, cameras, and reporters all waiting to interview the celebrities. Did you know there was an express lane on the red carpet due to the crowds and traffic jams?  That express lane leads right to Tim Gunn's spot for the ABC show. So, come join me on the walk from arrivals tent to the grand staircase up to the theatre.  It's a long way in five inch heels. (And I was wearing my super tall Jessica Simpson shoes that day.)  Take a look and let me know what surprised you the most on that red carpet walk:

Who Are You Wearing: Oscars 2012

I have always said "it takes a village" to put me together for big awards shows and the 84th Annual Academy Awards were no exception. My team did an incredible job pulling together clothing, jewelry, and the right lip color for last Sunday.  Without them, I would have been on that red carpet in my yoga pants and Ugg Boots.  So, thank you to Team KB for making me look WAY better than I do in real life. Your early morning efforts were beyond appreciated.

Let's give kudos to them:

Stylist : Roni B 

- (http://www.RoniB.com)

Hair : Lisa Cavalone

- (http://www.Lukaro.com)

Make-Up : Carolina Groppa 

- (http://www.CarolinaGroppa.com)

Dress : Chagoury Couture (And an article about who they dressed this year!)

- (http://www.ChagouryCouture.com)

Jewelry : Charles Winston (Rings, Bracelets)

- (http://www.CharlesWinston.com)

Earrings: Swarovski Crystal

Shoes:  Guess (I've worn these a million times.)

Yes, my toes were blue to match my dress. 

On The Red Carpet at the 84th Annual Academy Awards: The Interviews

Can you tell I am excited to be there?

I was covering Hollywood's biggest night for Starpulse this year and you can read the article here. I am very excited by the interviews we were able to secure this year thanks to the new online media section on the red carpet.  It was the perfect place for us to be and you will see with our interviews with Tony Bennett, Demian Bechir, Meryl Streep, Berenice Bejo, and more that this red carpet was a hot one.  So, watch our interviews and let me know what you think.  Who was your favorite at the Oscars this year?

Oscars Week: Day 5

I'm not sure how I got behind, but I did.  Here's what happened on Day 5 this week with our Foreign Film nominees.  Now, we all know that Iran's A Separation won, but we had a chance to speak with Belgium, Poland, Canada, and Israel about their nominations.  If you think film is just a Hollywood thing, think again.  There are some incredible films coming from all parts of the globe.  Check out our short video with these filmmakers:

 Me and Jordan Carson goofing off at the Foreign Film photo op.  

I offer full array of Oscars Week services including set moving.

Impressions of the 84th Annual Academy Awards

Like the Oscar Nominees Luncheon, I decided to give you my stream of consciousness notes.  My videos from the red carpet should be up in the morning. Make sure to check back for all of my big interviews....and trust me, they were big. 

Tony Bennett called me sweetheart on the red carpet. Swoon. 

Meryl Streep answered my question about the fabric of her sustainable green dress by Lanvin.

Michael Moore directly snubbed me.  Only one to do so.  

Snarkiest answer.  Melissa Leo. It was a little rude. 

Funniest encounter.....Edie McClurg.  She did a Joan and Melissa Rivers red carpet stunt with me.  I think we have a show idea here.

The Dictator was the biggest red carpet moment of the night.  Bigger than George.  Bigger than Brad.  I kid you not.

Tom Sherak, President of AMPAS, promised a show running at 3 hours.  Did he deliver? (Yes, he did!)

Sandra Bullock continues to be one of my top girl crushes.  She’s genuine, sweet, and just a gal you want to have a cocktail with.

Hardest thing on the red carpet was staying warm.  The sun went down and so did the temperature.  All of the ladies were shivering in their gowns.  Goosebumps were the hottest accessory on the red carpet outside of Stacy Kiebler.

Hugo is dominating way more than anyone thought.....at least in the press room. 

As much as I love Cirque du Soleil, their performances are best enjoyed in the theatre.  A Muppets performance is enjoyable by all.  Yes, I am bitter.......I want The Muppets to sing.

I snuck over to the photo room and watched Octavia pose with her Oscars.  Holy flashbulbs.  No wonder we are still waiting for her here in the press room....she lost her sight.

First F-Bomb of the night by the Documentary guys.  Guess Melissa Leo feels better.  

My first snack of the night.....2 mac and cheese bites, 1 Tuscan chicken tender, 3 shrimp.  The cocktail sauce scares me a bit in my loaned Chagoury Couture dress.  Success!

George Clooney is a star. I don’t know what else to tell you, but this awards season has made me into a super fan.  

Did you know when winners come into the press room to be interviewed, reporters have a choice to ask questions or put on headsets and listen to the show?  It can often be a Sophie’s Choice moment.

Emma Stone is funny.  She’s charming.  She also needed to wear a bra with that dress.  

Everyone loved Chris Rock presenting and you want him to host.  Did you forget he was widely criticized for hosting in 2005?

The Academy provides librarians with Oscar history for reference materials.  I felt like an uber-Oscar geek when I asked a question.  

First question for the Doc Winners:  What about the F-bomb? They said the F-bomb came from the heart even though he apologized to the press for it. Second question:  Wondering if they were trying to top Melissa Leo’s F-Bomb.  They are going to be remembered for the F-bomb.  Classy, guys, classy.  

Thanks for passing out snacks to the Oscars audience. I’m hungry.....heading to the press room snack buffet.  

Second round of food:  2 pretzel bites with beer cheese, 4 cheese tortellinis, and one egg roll that I didn’t get to eat since I dropped it in the tortellini tray.  Shhh.....don’t tell anyone it was me.  

It’s quite an honor to have Christopher Plummer in the room.  Captain von Trapp forever!

It’s an hour later and we are still waiting on Octavia Spencer in the press room.  Just so you know, this is not her decision. It means she was held by production to return to her seat.  She might be needed in the audience if The Help is up for other awards that are coming up.  They do this for every nominee so there are five possibilities for each nominee should they win.

Christopher Plummer is still holding court and entertaining the press.  Big applause when he leaves.

Brett McKenzie is really cute.  So glad that he won after I made him sing on the red carpet.  “Man.....or Muppet!!”

How is it possible that “Rainbow Connection” never won an Oscar?  Blasphemy!

Michel Hazanavicius and Berenice Bejo were adorable on the red carpet.  Favorite new couple. And he thanked Uggie the dog....best thank you of the night. Uggie rules.  

The back of Berenice Bejo's gorgeous gown.

I know you all love Oprah, but I love Dick Smith. Don’t know who he is?  Here you go. 

8PM.....no Octavia Spencer.

Resting my eyes for a 30-second Oscar nap.  Okay, nap over.  Back to work.

Announcement comes over theatre loudspeaker.  They ask audience to NOT applaud during In Memoriam segment.  They don’t want anyone to be the most popular while dead.  

Normally you have to die by January 30th to be included in the In Memoriam segment. I imagine they included Whitney Houston to avoid any post-Oscars backlash.  

Hair call for me was at 6:30AM.  I am starting to feel the effects now despite two Cokes.  

Oooo, just realized that the snarky reporter who sat across from me last year is three seats away from me.  I’ve missed her snark.  She loathed Natalie Portman last year.  She rolls her eyes at the screen as Natalie walks out.  By the way, Natalie's fiancé, Benjamin Millepied, was wearing a wedding band.  Did those two get married on the sly?  Discuss.

Interesting reaction to the Jean DuJardin’s win in the press room.  A mix of groans and shock.  I’m not sure I am shocked since even I predicted his win......I think we were all looking for The Academy to shake things up a bit.  Guess not.

If y’all haven’t seen Albert Nobbs.  Add it to your queue.  Touching performances and a wonderfully thoughtful film about relationships and love.  Very topical in today’s political climate.  

Press room bursts into thunderous applause.  Meryl Streep wins.  I mentioned it on my Behind the Red Carpet segments a few weeks ago:  Academy voters are male, white, and over 60.....I said they would swing the vote....and they did.  

I’d like to thank the Academy for the suprise.  We needed one tonight.  Go, Meryl, go.  Grab that golden knight and put it on your shelf.  

The Artist wins......on stage and on the red carpet.  Their PR was in full force and very organized.  Thanks for making my job easy, Weinstein publicity.  It really is appreciated.  

I missed the dessert table.  Good thing my Girl Scout cookies and Devil Dogs shipment from the East Coast arrives tomorrow.  Yes, this was done on purpose.  There is no fat in Oscars.  

Guess who got sunburned at the Oscars?  Oh me.  Red carpet hazards.  

The shouting begins in the room next door.  Guess Meryl, Jean, Octavia, and Christopher have arrived.  Still waiting for Octavia to arrive.......

Guess what, Octavia is here!  She’s asked that The Academy keeps the Q&A short.  Um......it’s part of your job and you just won. I’m not sure how I feel about that request.  

She’s pleasant and she’s here a long time.  Guess it was her publicist's request.  Make sure to have a nice publicist.  It reflects upon your reputation with the press. 

A reporter asks her about the physical makeup of the voting members of The Academy which is primarily white, male, over 62.  She cuts off the question and says, “I don’t want to get on that bus”. Laughter abounds in the pressroom. 

Another reporter asks Meryl if she is gunning for Katherine Hepburn’s record. “Oh, she has more?”  “Four” says the reporter.  ‘Oh”, says Meryl.  Hilarious.

She’s very moved that her makeup artist, J. Roy Helland, won on the same night she did.  

“Never give up” is her advice to women.  I like it.  Simple, but true.  Meryl's words of wisdom. 

“But I’m so thirsty”. She says this before her final question.  Haha.....she wants alcohol.  My kind of gal!  

What did you see when you first saw the margaret Thatcher makeup?  “I first saw my dad.  Maybe my dad looks like Margaret Thatcher”.

Jolie-ing the leg is a new verb.  Adapted Screenplay winner, Jim Rash:  “We have exactly the same legs and I wanted to show everyone.  It was a loving tribute”.  I'm not sure Angie saw it that way, but use it in a sentence at work tomorrow.  

Alexander Payne is talking about his next film.  I really enjoy his films, so I hope I don’t have to wait five more years for another Payne film.


I had 64 bobby pins in my hair tonight.  

Oscars 2012: Animated Feature Symposium

Waiting my turn to speak with Javier Mariscal who nominated for Chico and Rita.

I know my posts are all out of order now, but I can't keep anything straight and my producer/editor, JD, is working his fingers off to edit all of the pieces as fast and furious as humanly possible.  We were able to attend the Animated Feature Symposium which honored the work of the five nominees in this category.  Not all of the nominees were in attendance, but we were able to speak with the nominees from Kung Fu Panda 2, Chico and Rita, and A Cat in Paris.  The diversity of the nominees speaks volumes about the sophistication of animation in this decade and we certainly do not see a Pixar nominee in the bunch this year.  They normally dominate this category, but Cars 2 did not make the final list.  Check out our two minute highlight video of the evening:

Making good use of the interior mirrored doors at The Academy.

Getting Red Carpet Ready

I don't know how it is possible, but it is the night before the Oscars.  This week has flown by and I am sitting quietly on my couch trying to calm my nerves.  My team has assembled my wardrobe, makeup, jewelry, and hair look over the last several weeks.  I am so excited to see it all pulled together tomorrow morning as I sit back and start getting ready at 6:30 AM.  Yep, that's my call time.  It takes hours to get glamorous.  I've always said, it takes a village.......

Team KB hard at work.....Roni B and Charles Winston consulting over a few jewels.

This year we were fortunate to have my Oscars jeweler, Charles Winston,  in town to talk about red carpet looks and what we might see come Sunday.  Also, the infamous Roni B. talks about this year's Oscar look and how we pulled it all together. I'm glad we were able to do a fashion segment this year, so let's take a look at what it is all about........fashion and a few hints about what I am wearing.

Which ring did I choose?  Find out in the video above. 

Awesome shot of Roni's store!

Oscars Week: Day 4

This is one of my favorite events of the week:  the Governor's Ball Food and Beverage Preview with Wolfgang Puck.  I always come hungry and ready to taste Wolfgang Puck's delicious food that he plans to serve to all of the nominees and winners after the big show on Sunday night.  This year was rather interesting since the tent where the event was happening was hot and the reporters were rather cranky.  Watch the video to get the inside scoop on what happened, it's pretty hilarious.



Also, it is great to be in such great company with all of my entertainment reporters.  I have met so many incredible friends from this experience over the last two years.  It is even sweeter when friends from other parts of the country get to enjoy this unbelievable journey with me.  So, any moment spent with James Molnar of The Gold Knight Blog and Jordan Carson of WOTV in Grand Rapids is such a thrill for me to share fun memories on the red carpet with them.

James interviewing me about Sunday's show.

Hanging with my pal, Jordan, on before the Food and Beverage Preview.

The Wrap's Pre-Oscars Party

Dress by V.Mora. (Details to come next week!)

We hit a hot red carpet on Wednesday night thanks to TheWrap.com who hosted a fantastic Pre-Oscars party at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills.  If you have seen any of my recent press junkets, they also usually happen at the Four Seasons, so yeah, the doormen know me at that hotel.  I am officially a part of the regular press circuit now.  That's pretty cool.

But, back to that red carpet!  How does Oscar Nominee, Demian Bechir in a custom cut suit sound to you?  So hot and so nice.  I also had the opportunity to speak with Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close nominee, Max von Sydow, who is just such a lovely man.  While I was not a huge fan of the movie, I must say his nomination is well-deserved.  Other celebs included Missi Pyle from The Artist who bonded with me over our love for Chagoury Couture as well as Jane Seymour, and Dennis Haysbert.  

Check out our night of interviews and my custom dress from V. Mora Designs. I will talk more about the dress next week and give you the inside scoop on the charity we are donating it to.