The 82nd Annual Academy Awards are just over 3 hours away and here are the who I think should win this year.

Actor in a Leading Role

• Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart”  but don’t count out George Clooney for Up in the Air

Actor in a Supporting Role

• Christoph Waltz in “Inglourious Basterds”

Actress in a Leading Role

• Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side” but Meryl Streep is a strong contender or maybe even Gabourey Sidibe

Actress in a Supporting Role

• Mo’Nique in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

Animated Feature Film

• “Up” Pete Docter I think this is a tougher category than Best Film. So many great animation features this year but if the rare chance Pixar doesn’t take the category Coraline or The Princess and the Frog should win.

Directing

• “Avatar” James Cameron everyone is saying Kathryn Bigelow will win this for The Hurt Locker. I don’t care if she does, this award belongs to James Cameron.

Music (Original Song)

• “Almost There” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
• “Down in New Orleans” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman either or because I think both songs were great.

Best Picture

• “Avatar” James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

• “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher

Writing (Original Screenplay)

• “Inglourious Basterds” Written by Quentin Tarantino

Although panned by most critics the star studded Valentine’s Day ruled at the box office this holiday weekend raking in over $66 million dollars. Not keeping up with the love theme was Dear John dropping all the way to #5. Percy Jackson was the runner up this weekend followed up by Del Toro in The Wolfman. The currently top grossing movie of all time Avatar dropped to #4.

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE ESTIMATE

Feb. 12 – 15

Title	Engagements		Estimated Weekend Box Office
1.	Valentine’s Day (Warner Bros.)	3,665	$66,900,000
2.	Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (20th Century Fox)	3,356	$38,800,000
3.	The Wolfman (Universal)	3,222	$36,500,000
4.	Avatar (20th Century Fox)	2,685	$30,000,000
5.	Dear John (Sony)	2,975	$18,800,000
6.	Tooth Fairy (20th Century Fox)	2,748	$7,700,000
7.	From Paris With Love (Lionsgate)	2,722	$6,800,000
8.	Edge of Darkness (Warner Bros.)	2,615	$5,700,000
9.	Crazy Heart (Fox Searchlight)	1,005	$5,000,000
10.	When In Rome (Disney)	2,125	$4,200,000
in millions of dollars

Variety

I am in no way going to defend his use of the n-word or him comparing his member to a white supremacist. Those two statements were a stupid move on his part but I will defend him in that the point he was trying to make using the word was proven by the backlash he is receiving.

Someone asked me the other day, “What does it feel like now to have a hood pass?” And by the way, it’s sort of a contradiction in terms, because if you really had a hood pass, you could call it a nigger pass. Why are you pulling a punch and calling it a hood pass if you really have a hood pass? But I said, “I can’t really have a hood pass. I’ve never walked into a restaurant, asked for a table and been told, ‘We’re full.’”- Playboy Magazine.

In no way was he throwing out this slur in a way to demean blacks. I am black myself and I got that in the first read. He was saying that the term “hood pass” meant nothing in reality because as a white man there is no “pass” to allow him to say the n-word. No matter how many blacks like him he is still a white person. Oddly he proved his own point. We are in such a race sensitive state that any use of the word by someone other than an African American even in a non derogatory way will get you sent straight to social jail; no passing go, no collecting $200. As smart as John Mayer is, he used very poor judgment and I have no sympathy in regards to the public lashing he is receiving. He deserves it.

As with the other comment about not being attracted to black women, again there is nothing really wrong with the statement just that he worded it badly. He should have in no way compared his member to a white supremacist. What the hell John. No good. But going pass that flub, he as a person has a the right to be attracted to whoever he wants to be attracted to. So he doesn’t want to date black women…who cares. I have read a few pieces today were black female bloggers are so up in arms about it. Is it because he had the balls to say it outloud or are these women really that upset? I can’t even tell you how many times I have heard black women grope about black men marrying white women and then go on to complain about it for another 10 minutes with statements like, ‘Why are all the white women taking our black men.’ So what if these black men want to marry white women. It’s their lives not ours to hate on. One cousin of mine married a Japanese man, another married a Mexican; should I start going around angrily declaring my distaste for the Japanese and Mexicans ’stealing’ the black women of my family? No because it was all about who they were attracted to. I can see if John said he hates black women and thought they were ugly, but he didn’t. Everyone in this entire world is allowed to have preferences. He isn’t attracted to black women, I know alot who aren’t attracted to white men. Big deal, it’s life, move on.

Then there are other topics like the Jessica Simpson quote. I think most people don’t know or forgot what Jessica Simpson was like back during 2006-2007 when they dated. His statement about her definitely earns an apology from him, if she’s actual offended, but I can’t I feel too bad. Let’s just say I am not surprised he addressed her as being a sex object. But out of all of this, his statements about Jennifer Aniston are the ones that have been buried beneath the rubble.

Throughout the entire interview he held her in higher regard than J. Simpson, even interrupting the reporter after talking about Jessica’s drug sex to say how much he loves Aniston and would feel bad if she thinks he is lumping her in with the other kiss and tells, a point in the interview alot of the media outlets failed to quote. Ok if I was Jessica that would sting a little. Matter fact he said he loved Aniston a few times in the piece even mused a little that he in a way wished to still be with her. What they did quote however,was him explaining that Aniston wasn’t thrilled with twitter and tried to twist it into a him saying she was ‘old’. No, he’s actual right, Aniston has gone on record saying she isn’t into the new social media and is “computer illiterate.” Don’t see why that statement was a big deal other than it’s her birthday and why not drill it in that she is 8 years older. After yesterday, he is probably wishing he had listened to her a little better.

I’ve been a fan of Mayer’s music since the Continuum era in 2006 and purchased tickets to his upcoming Verizon Center show in D.C. before he started given these idiotic interviews. I have not been offended by his statements and have no plans to sell my tickets. Only sad about his choice of words because he is literally the best guitarist of this generation, and I hate that his talents are being overshadowed by the nonsense. He seemed very apologetic last night at his show in Nashville and on twitter. I really do think that it took him to hit this verbal rock bottom to see that he needs to change somethings maybe even hire new pr. Hopefully we can chop it up as the ending of this side of John Mayer. No more shock, just rock.

While the saying always goes that the Golden Globes set the tone for the Oscars, this years nominations prove that while true the Academy still has a mind of it’s own.

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The Grammy Awards just ended and Beyonce comes out on top winning six out of ten awards making her the current record holder of most Grammys won in a single night. by a female artist.

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The main show hasn’t even started yet and already two of tonight’s biggest nominees know that they will walk away winners. Lady Gaga is so far a winner in the Best Dance Category for Poker Face and Best Dance Album for The Fame. While this isn’t Taylor’s first Grammy show it is her first win in Best Female Country Vocal Performance for her song White Horse. Swift has a chance of winning an additional six,Gaga an additional four but that all depends on how they match up to tonight’s biggest nominee Beyonce with ten nominations. The 52md Annual Grammy Awards air live on CBS tonight at 8 pm et.

Pre-Show Winners

Best Dance Recording
“Poker Face” – Lady Gaga
RedOne, producer; Robert Orton, RedOne & Dave Russell, mixers
Track from: “The Fame”
[Streamline/Interscope/Konlive/Cherrytree]

Best Electronic/Dance Album
“The Fame”
Lady Gaga
[Streamline/Interscope/Konlive/Cherrytree]

Best Female Country Vocal Performance
“White Horse” – Taylor Swift
Track from: “Fearless”
[Big Machine Records]

Best Male Country Vocal Performance“Sweet Thing” – Keith Urban
Track from: “Defying Gravity”
[Capitol Records Nashville]

Best New Age Album
“Prayer For Compassion”
David Darling
[Wind Over The Earth]

Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Story Telling)
“Always Looking Up”
Michael J. Fox
[Hyperion Audio]

Best Jazz Vocal Album
“Dedicated To You: Kurt Elling Sings The Music Of Coltrane And Hartman”
Kurt Elling
[Concord Jazz]

Best Contemporary Jazz Album
“75″
Joe Zawinul & The Zawinul Syndicate
[Heads Up International]

Best Improvised Jazz Solo“Dancin’ 4 Chicken”
Terence Blanchard, soloist
Track from: Watts (Jeff “Tain” Watts)
[Dark Key Music]

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album“Book One”
New Orleans Jazz Orchestra
[World Village]

Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual Or Group“Five Peace Band – Live”
Chick Corea & John McLaughlin Five Peace Band
[Concord Records]

Best Latin Jazz Album
“Juntos Para Siempre”
Bebo Valdés And Chucho Valdés
[Sony Music/Calle 54]

Best Gospel Performance
“Wait On The Lord”
Donnie McClurkin Featuring Karen Clark Sheard
Track from: We All Are One (Live In Detroit)
[Verity]

Best Rock Or Rap Gospel Album
“Live Revelations”
Third Day
[Essential Records]

Best Gospel Song
“God In Me”
Erica Campbell, Tina Campbell & Warryn Campbell, songwriters (Mary Mary Featuring Kierra “KiKi” Sheard)
Track from: “The Sound”
[Columbia Records; Publishers: EMI April Music, Wet Ink Red Music, That's Plum Song, It's Tea Tyme.]

Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album
“The Power Of One”
Israel Houghton
[Integrity Music]

Best Southern/Country/Bluegrass Gospel Album“Jason Crabb”
Jason Crabb
[Spring Hill Music Group]

Best Traditional Gospel Album
“Oh Happy Day”
(Various Artists)
Bill Hearn, Ken Levitan, Ken Pennell, Jack Rovner & Cedric Thompson, producers
[EMI Gospel/Vector Recordings]

Best Latin Rock, Alternative Or Urban Album
“Los De Atras Vienen Conmigo”
Calle 13
[Sony Music Norte]

Best Latin Pop Album
“Sin Frenos”
La Quinta Estación
[Sony Music Latin]

Best Tejano Album
“Borders Y Bailes”
Los Texmaniacs
[Smithsonian Folkways Recordings]

Best Banda Album
“Tu Esclavo Y Amo”
Lupillo Rivera
[Disa]

Best Native American Music Album
“Spirit Wind North”
Bill Miller
[Cool Springs Music Group]

Best Traditional World Music Album
“Douga Mansa”
Mamadou Diabate
[World Village]

Best Contemporary World Music Album
“Throw Down Your Heart: Tales From The Acoustic Planet, Vol. 3 – Africa Sessions”
Béla Fleck
[Rounder]

Best Zydeco Or Cajun Music Album
“Lay Your Burden Down”
Buckwheat Zydeco
[Alligator]

Best Reggae Album“Mind Control – Acoustic”
Stephen Marley
[Ghetto Youths/Tuff Gong/Universal Republic]

Best Hawaiian Music Album
“Masters Of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar, Volume 2″
(Various Artists)
Daniel Ho, George Kahumoku, Jr., Paul Konwiser & Wayne Wong, producers
[Daniel Ho Creations]

Best Norteno Album
“Tu Noche Con…Los Tigres Del Norte”
Los Tigres Del Norte
[Fonovisa]

Best Regional Mexican Album
“Necesito De Ti”
Vicente Fernández
[Sony Music Norte]

Best Tropical Latin Album
“Ciclos”
Luis Enrique
[Top Stop Music]

Best Musical Album For Children
“Family Time”
Ziggy Marley
[Tuff Gong Worldwide]

Best Spoken Word Album For Children
“Aaaaah! Spooky, Scary Stories & Songs”
Buck Howdy
[Prairie Dog Entertainment]

Best Musical Show Album
“West Side Story”
David Caddick & David Lai, producers (Leonard Bernstein, composer; Stephen Sondheim, lyricist) (New Broadway Cast with Matt Cavenaugh, Josefina Scaglione & Others)
[Masterworks Broadway]

Best Instrumental Composition
“Married Life” (From “Up”)
Michael Giacchino, composer (Michael Giacchino)
Track from: Up – Soundtrack
[Walt Disney Records]

Best Instrumental Arrangement
“West Side Story Medley”
Bill Cunliffe, arranger (Resonance Big Band)
Track from: Resonance Big Band Plays Tribute To Oscar Peterson
[Resonance Records]

Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)
“Quiet Nights”
Claus Ogerman, arranger (Diana Krall)
Track from: Quiet Nights
[Verve]

Best Recording Package
“Everything That Happens Will Happen Today”
Stefan Sagmeister, art director (David Byrne & Brian Eno)
[Todomundo/Opal]

Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package
“Neil Young Archives Vol. I” (1963-1972)
Gary Burden, Jenice Heo & Neil Young, art directors (Neil Young)
[Reprise]

Best Album Notes
“The Complete Louis Armstrong Decca Sessions” (1935-1946)
Dan Morgenstern, album notes writer (Louis Armstrong)
[Mosaic Records]

Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media
“Jai Ho” (From “Slumdog Millionaire”)
Gulzar, A.R. Rahman & Tanvi Shah, songwriters (A.R. Rahman, Sukhvinder Singh, Tanvi Shah, Mahalaxmi Iyer & Vijay Prakash)
Track from: “Slumdog Millionaire” – Music From The Motion Picture
[N.E.E.T./Interscope Records; Publisher: KM Musiq.]

Best Score Soundtrack Album For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media
“Up”
Michael Giacchino, composer
[Walt Disney Records]

Best Compilation Soundtrack Album For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media
“Slumdog Millionaire”
(Various Artists)
A.R. Rahman, producer
[N.E.E.T./Interscope Records]

Best Historical Album“The Complete Chess Masters (1950-1967)”
Andy McKaie, compilation producer; Erick Labson, mastering engineer (Little Walter)
[Hip-O Select/Geffen Records]

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
“Ellipse”
Imogen Heap, engineer (Imogen Heap)
[RCA/Megaphonic Records]

Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical
“When Love Takes Over (Electro Extended Remix)”
David Guetta, remixer (David Guetta Featuring Kelly Rowland)
[Astralwerks]

Best Surround Sound Album
“Transmigration”
Michael Bishop, surround mix engineer; Michael Bishop, surround mastering engineer; Elaine Martone, surround producer (Robert Spano, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Choruses)
[Telarc]

Source: Variety

Johnny Deep is set to become Captain Jack Sparrow once again when filming for the 4th installment of Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise is slated to start this summer in Hawaii but one cast member who is not coming back…Orlando Bloom. Bloom talked with the press while in Sundance and told them he was not slated for the new film.

What?! You can’t have a ‘Pirates’ film without having Will Turner! Before you go blaming Orlando it was Disney’s decision. Also not returning is Keira Knightly. In the last film, Will Turner was bound to the sea for 10 years but is Orlando Bloom that expendable now? They couldn’t have written him in the film? Here’s to hoping for Turner’s return in Pirates 5. (Oh you know Disney will milk this cash cow dry. )

Last week was the Golden Globes, next it’s all about the Grammys but yesterday it was all about the actors as the 2010 SAG Awards were handed out. Give and take a few categories and winners (Tina Fey should have one at the Globes too) their wasn’t too many surprises. It looks won’t be too hard to guess Oscar nominees this year.

SAG Winners

MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Jeff Bridges, “Crazy Heart”

FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Sandra Bullock, “The Blind Side”

MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Christoph Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds”

FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Mo’Nique, “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

CAST IN A MOTION PICTURE
“Inglourious Basterds”
Daniel Bruehl
August Diehl
Julie Dreyfus
Michael Fassbender
Sylvester Groth
Jacky Ido
Diane Kruger
Melanie Laurent
Denis Menochet
Mike Myers
Brad Pitt
Eli Roth
Til Schweiger
Rod Taylor
Christoph Waltz
Martin Wuttke

STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
“Star Trek”

PRIMETIME TELEVISION

MALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINISERIES
Kevin Bacon, “Taking Chance”

FEMALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINISERIES
Drew Barrymore, “Grey Gardens”

MALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Michael C. Hall, “Dexter”

FEMALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife”

MALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock”

FEMALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Tina Fey, “30 Rock”

ENSEMBLE IN A DRAMA SERIES
“Mad Men”
Alexa Alemanni
Bryan Batt
Jared S. Gilmore
Michael Gladis
Jon Hamm
Jared Harris
Christina Hendricks
January Jones
Vincent Kartheiser
Robert Morse
Elisabeth Moss
Kiernan Shipka
John Slattery
Rich Sommer
Christopher Stanley
Aaron Staton

ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY SERIES
“Glee”
Diana Agron
Chris Colfer
Patrick Gallagher
Jessalyn Gilsig
Jane Lynch
Jayma Mays
Kevin McHale
Lea Michele
Cory Monteith
Heather Morris
Matthew Morrison
Amber Riley
Naya Rivera
Mark Salling
Harry Shum Jr.
Josh Sussman
Dijon Talton
Iqbal Theba
Jenna Ushkowitz

STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A TELEVISION SERIES
“24″

LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Betty White

Is there even a point of mentioning the box office numbers anymore? It’s been the same for the past six weeks; Avatar number one followed by those other films. The real news will be when another films knocks it from the throne. Until then here are this weekend’s chart. And if you haven’t seen Avatar yet go see it!

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE ESTIMATE

Jan. 22 – 24

Title	Engagements		Estimated Weekend Box Office
1.	Avatar (20th Century Fox)	3,141	$36,000,000
2.	Legion (Sony)	2,476	$18,200,000
3.	The Book of Eli (Warner Bros.)	3,111	$17,000,000
4.	Tooth Fairy (20th Century Fox)	3,344	$14,500,000
5.	The Lovely Bones (Paramount)	2,571	$8,800,000
6.	Sherlock Holmes (Warner Bros.)	2,670	$7,100,000
7.	Extraordinary Measures (CBS Films)	2,549	$7,000,000
8.	Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (20th Century Fox)	2,973	$6,500,000
9.	It’s Complicated (Universal)	2,301	$6,200,000
10.	The Spy Next Door (Lionsgate)	2,924	$4,700,000

Variety

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE ESTIMATE

Jan. 22 – 24

Title	Engagements		Estimated Weekend Box Office
1.	Avatar (20th Century Fox)	3,141	$36,000,000
2.	Legion (Sony)	2,476	$18,200,000
3.	The Book of Eli (Warner Bros.)	3,111	$17,000,000
4.	Tooth Fairy (20th Century Fox)	3,344	$14,500,000
5.	The Lovely Bones (Paramount)	2,571	$8,800,000
6.	Sherlock Holmes (Warner Bros.)	2,670	$7,100,000
7.	Extraordinary Measures (CBS Films)	2,549	$7,000,000
8.	Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (20th Century Fox)	2,973	$6,500,000
9.	It’s Complicated (Universal)	2,301	$6,200,000
10.	The Spy Next Door (Lionsgate)	2,924	$4,700,000

My only critique is that Ricky Gervais did not do that well of a job hosting. I don’t know if it was the fact that it’s been awhile since there was a host or that he just wasn’t  funny but something was off. Blame it on the alcohol? Where’s Mariah Carey? Click for full winners list.

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