"And the Oscar goes to . . . ."

A Queer friend of mine posted on his FaceBook page that he was getting ready for the Oscars tomorrow, adding that "it's our (LGBT community) version of the Super Bowl".

It gave me my first giggle of the morning. He's so right.

And, me without a feather boa or string of pearls! I packed like a monk for my sojourn in Cambridge, and left them at Llangollen. I may have to knock on someone's door and borrow some for tomorrow night.

In Rehoboth Beach, they have a Drag Volleyball Championship at "Poodle Beach" (aka "The Gay Beach") every year on Labor Day weekend. There's a theme to every event. Of course. Not only does the winning team get an award, but there are awards for "best costume". Of course.

I played the year the theme was "Country Western Stars". I went as Patsy Cline. Blue gingham print cowboygirl dress and cowboygirl boots. I had this FABULOUS wig. Brown. Bouffant style (out of date but still a favorite in certain circles). Perky bangs. And, on the right side of my head was glued a plane crash.

My team didn't win and neither did my costume but everyone said my hair should have at least gotten "Honorable Mention."

That was about 10 years ago. I'm still not over it.

This year, The Gay Guide to the Oscars is making some interesting predictions.

You can read the whole thing, following the link above, but here's what they're saying:

Movie: The Kids Are All Right (available on DVD)

Gay Interest: This is a movie about lesbian parents whose children have grown up and are curious about who their sperm-donor father is. The children contact the father and he begins to have a close relationship with the family.

Oscar Odds: The odds are in favor of Annette Bening (nominated 4 times) for Best Actress, but more likely as acknowledgement of the work that she has done in her entire career, most spectacularly in Being Julia.

Movie: Rabbit Hole (in theaters)

Gay Interest: Mitchell – best known for Helwig and the Angry Inch – is openly gay, but was unfortunately overlooked for Oscar consideration. Nicole Kidman, won an Oscar for playing bisexual Virginia Woolf in The Hours.

Oscar Odds: Kidman deserves to win as Best Actress. But, partly because of the lack of publicity for Rabbit Hole, it’s not likely to happen.

Movie: Black Swan (now playing in theaters)

          Gay Interest: Very passionate love scene between Portman and Mila Kunis.

Oscar Odds: If Black Swan wins for Best Picture, it will be due to the sum of its parts – not likely to happen. Portman has an excellent chance to win, but Annette Bening will most likely get it for being overlooked for past performances. Aronofsky has a better chance to win for Best Director. But the most likely winner is Andrew Weisblum for Best Editing.

Movie: The King’s Speech (now playing in theaters)

Gay Interest: Colin Firth, a straight actor who played gay to perfection in A Single Man, is at his prime in this interpretation of King George VI.

Oscar Odds: Firth will most likely walk away with the Best Actor award, but it will be for his performance in A Single Man as much as for The King’s Speech. Helena Bonham Carter faces stiff competition in her category of best supporting actress but she might sneak in if the other nominees split the vote. Wins in other categories, including Best Picture, would be deserving, but not guaranteed. Geoffrey Rush (who plays Lionel Logue in this movie, and sexual freedom pioneer Marquis de Sade in Quill) stands a good chance of winning Best Supporting Actor since he is more than supporting here. But Christian Bale is more likely to win for the Fighter because the Academy is anxious to give him an award before something happens to him.

Movie: The Social Network

Gay Interest: Gay icon and Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes is given cameo treatment.


Oscar Odds: The Best Picture vote will come down to a choice between historical drama The King’s Speech, and computer technology drama The Social Network. If Network wins, it will be because the voters are too embarrassed to cling on to the past. In order for that to happen, David Fincher will have to win for Best Director, and Aaron Sorkin for Best Screenplay.­­

Other Oscar nominees: James Franco is up for Best Actor for 127 Hours. He portrays gay poet Allen Ginsberg in Howl. Javier Bardem is also up for Best Actor for Biutiful. Bardem expertly played a gay lead character in Before Night Falls back in 2000.

You can head on over there and get your Oscar Party Sheet so you can keep up with all the various movies and performances.

My picks? I'm going with:

Best Movie: The King's Speech
Best Lead Actor: Colin Firth (The King's Speech)
Best Leading Actress: Annette Bening (The Kids Are All Right)
Best Supporting Actor: Geoffry Rush (The King's Speech)
Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo (The Fighter)
Best Director: Tom Hooper (The King's Speech)
Best Screenplay: Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson, Keith Dorrington (The Fighter)

That's really all I can predict, and most of them are wishes based on personal favorites and based on the movies I've seen. 

I'd love to know what your predictions or pics are for The Oscars.

Okay, I can see some of you scratching your heads and asking why The Oscars are the Super Bowl party for God's Rainbow Tribe.

You know what? If you have to ask the question . . . . .

So, off you go, children. There's lots of preparation to be done. There's creative, FABULOUS canapes to make, a few cucumber and watercress sandwiches to assemble - trimming the crusts just so - some eggs to devil (always a favorite although I'm at a loss to know why) and the imported beer and Veuve Clique Champagne 375 to chill (Alas, no Dom Pérignon this year, kids. Times are tough and the new House Majority says everyone has to sacrifice. So, just one glass for everybody.).

I have a smart black dress in my closet (doesn't everyone?) as well as a sharp black pants suit. Or, I could always wear jeans, a black t-shirt and a black suit jacket (decisions, decisions, decisions), but I simply have to find a feather boa (purple, preferably, or red, but beggars can't be choosers) and a sting of pearls.

I think I have a few doors to knock on between now and tomorrow afternoon.

Remember, after the list of nominees are read, when the Oscars are awarded the announcement is: "And the Oscar goes to . . . .".

That's your first clue to to why The Oscars are the Super Bowl for the LGBT community.

There are no "winners" or "losers". Everyone is FABULOUS!

Have fun everybody! Don't forget to post your 'picks and favorites' in the comment section! We'll check back in on Monday and see how we did.