Oscars

A “Hollywood Rust” it is
By Srimathi Sridhar
February 27, 2012 - 3:27am
Cohen arrives as The Dictator, Seacrest gets urn-dusted and the 84th Annual Academy Awards emerge as a true blast from the past.

The Twitterverse erupted with exclamations of shock or amusement the moment threatened-with-banishment funny Sacha Baron Cohen arrived in his controversial costume and dumped an urn of ashes (actually, pancake mix) on a shocked Ryan Seacrest. The well-known TV personality was visibly peeved but remained composed, and it was the first entertaining event to take place Sunday night. Did it suck for Seacrest? Of course.

Huckabee criticizes Portman
By Katya Ana Rivera
March 4, 2011 - 3:33pm
Mike Huckabee comments on Natalie Portman's pregnancy, single motherhood.

Former Arkansas governor and possible presidential candidate Mike Huckabee criticized Oscar's best actress Natalie Portman on a radio show, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Huckabee says Portman is glamorizing the life of a single mother. Portman is pregnant with her fiancé’s child. Portman met Benjamin Millepeid when he was the choreographer on the set of the Black Swan.

Oscar losers still win big
By Amy Khuu
February 28, 2011 - 6:27pm
Nominees who didn't get Oscar on Sunday get prizes on Monday.

Oscar nominees who didn't win last night are now celebrating the loot they got in their swag bag. Distinctive Assets has created gift bags for nominees so they have something to take away from the event, according to People. 

The gift bags are distributed Monday morning after Oscar Sunday. This year's bag is worth more than $23,000. 

Some of the gifts this year are out of this world -- literally. 

Oscar host dissapoints viewers
By Patrick Schnobrich
February 28, 2011 - 4:56pm
Critics say Franco seemed uninterested.

SYRACUSE, NY -- The 83rd-annual Academy Awards aired last night on ABC and featured hosts Anne Hathaway and James Franco. According to a review by Yahoo!, Hathaway was very energetic and outgoing in her performance. However, Franco received mixed reviews.

Twitter takes down Oscars hosts
By Alanah Maria Ro...
February 28, 2011 - 12:57pm
Hosts receive more attention on social media site than actual awards ceremony.

The Oscars were very much tweeted about last night but not for the reasons you might think. The Twitter feed following the 83rd annual Academy Awards ceremony was far more entertaining than the show itself, according to CNN.

Queen approves Oscar nominated film
By Dania Souid
February 8, 2011 - 4:10pm
Queen Elizabeth 'moved' by Oscar nominated 'The King's Speech.'

After a private screening of the award-nominated film "The King's Speech," Queen Elizabeth II said she supported and enjoyed the film, according to People.

"The King's Speech" documents the story of Queen Elizabeth's father, King George IV, as he struggles to overcome a stutter. The Queen Mother originally asked screenwriter David Seidler not to share the story in her lifetime as the "memory of the events was still too painful,” according to Seidler.

Academy Awards could be moved up several weeks starting in 2012
By Maddie Dockery
October 5, 2010 - 5:39pm
The organizers of the Academy Awards are looking into the logistics of moving up the ceremony in an attempt to remain competitive among viewers.

With this year's ceremony scheduled for Feb. 27, the Academy Awards finds itself at the end of awards season. According to the Los Angeles Times, organizers are trying to move up the date to late January or early February, beginning as early as 2012.

This earlier date could potentially boost Oscar ratings, by capitalizing on the interest sparked by award shows held earlier in the season, including the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Onondaga County deputy wins $1 lawsuit
By Kelly Anne McCarthy
March 8, 2010 - 11:28am
Plus, Iraq troops are on schedule to pull out and Sandra Bullock wins big.

The Post Standard reports an Onondaga County sheriff was the victim of a racially hostile environment at work for seven years, ending in 2004. The federal jury ruled Odell Willis was subjected to racial harrassment at his work in the Justice Center jail but suffered no damages from the harassment. Under federal court rules nominal damages have to be rewarded if the jury says the victim has been wronged. The jury rewarded Willis $1. 

Man dies in Syracuse's second homocide of 2010
By Alyssa Norwin
March 8, 2010 - 11:01am
Plus, "The Hurt Locker" wins Best Picture and Turkey earthquake kills more than 50 people

A man was shot in the head while driving on East Genesee  St. last night.  Police later declared his death Syracuse's second homocide of 2010, according to The Post-Standard.  The first occurred in January 2010. 

The shooter was a man driving in another car that pulled up next to Vernel Hills, 27, and fired several shots.  Hills was taken to Upstate University Hospital. He died there later in the night.