10 Biggest Surprises of the Academy Awards

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2. Attendees dressed the part. Brokeback Mountain writer Larry McMurtry picked up his best adapted screenplay Oscar in jeans and cowboy books. The Wallace & Gromit directors Nick Park and Steve Box accepted for best animated feature in cartoonish Paul Smith bow-ties. Presenter King Kong’s Naomi Watts wore a distressed Givenchy gown that looked straight from Skull Island. Fortunately, Best Actress nominee Felicity Huffman left her Transamerica look at home, choosing a low-cut gown that proves she’s all woman.

3. The night’s biggest color: Orange. Skin, that is. Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Alba, Charlize Theron and many others took Oscar gold a tad too far in the sunless spray tan booth. The Marge Simpson look only works with blue hair, ladies.

4. Robert Altman has a youthful heart. Literally. While accepting an honorary Oscar, the 81-year-old director disclosed that he had had a heart transplant a decade ago, and received the organ of a woman in her 30s. Altman said he figured that gave him 40 more years in Hollywood. Someone should break it to the guy that in this town, a woman in her 40s is already over the hill.

5. The night’s most mature speech came from a hot, young thing. You were counting on George Clooney for the evening’s gravitas? Best Actress winner Reese Witherspoon delivered the most eloquent thanks, without notes, tears, or gimmicks. June Carter Cash would approve.

6. Rap cleared its last pop culture hurdle—an Academy Award for best song. Three 6 Mafia became the first rap act to win on Oscar night, for Hustle & Flow’s It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp. They also introduced the Academy to the latest high-end accessory—diamond-encrusted teeth. How about a set in next year’s swag bag?

7. Chris Penn got leading man recognition. The well-liked character actor who died in January drew thunderous applause during the In Memoriam section of the show, proving that in industry circles, he was more than just Sean Penn’s younger brother.

8. Moms, not agents, got credit for this year’s successes. Best Actor winner Philip Seymour Hoffman gave a shout out to his mom, who raised him and three siblings on her own. Crash director Paul Haggis shared that he was wearing his late mother’s ring. Best Director Ang Lee sent a message to his Mama in Mandarin. Just about every winner named Mom as an inspiration. Hopefully Dads cleaned up at the Technical Awards.

9. Dolly Parton was the night’s minimalist. The kitschy country legend belted out her best song bid, Transamerica’s Travelin’ Thru, without the aid of the slow-motion dancers, smoke machines and elaborate sets that turned listenable tunes from Crash and Hustle & Flow into cringe-worthy performance art.

10. It was a zero-tolerance orchestra. Past gabby winners Cuba Gooding Jr. and Julia Roberts wouldn’t have had a chance with this year’s schedule-conscious conductor. Co-winners, like Crash, scriptwriter Bobby Moresco who won for original screenplay, never got to utter a word. In fact, we had lots more to say—about Jon Stewart’s under-stated hosting, Meryl Streep & Lily Tomlin’s witty presenting, Isaac Mizrahi’s good behavior, the penguins who made the trip…(music swells)