9 Memorable Things About Last Night's Oscar Show

So Oscar has come and gone again, leaving us spent and regretful. Typical. Why do we always fall under his spell when we know he's just going to use us and disappear for a year? Sure, he has a golden body and is 13 1/2 inches ... oh, um. Never mind.

No, the reason why we watch the Academy Awards telecast (even when we have to get up early the next morning and let out an audible string of obscenities when the alarm that frightens the cat rings) is because we love the tradition, the pomp and circumstance, the glitz and glamor, and the knowledge that each show will produce memorable moments that will stay with us for ... days.

Here are a few interesting moments from last night's show, and while none of them compare with that one time that whatsisface said that one thing, and whosit flubbed that one line, they still injected some life into a show that's mostly about people ... sitting.

THE OPENING

Neil Patrick Harris is deceptive. When rumors started that he would be doing the Oscar opening with Martin Short, he insisted "I will not be doing the Oscar opening with Martin Short". Pretty sneaky, Neil! He did a typically great job, but he really needs to stop buying his tuxedos from the Vegas gift shop.

THE RETURN OF THE LOSERS

Years ago the Academy asked presenters to start using "And the Oscar goes to" instead of "And the winner is" because they thought the latter was too insensitive to the losers "people who didn't win". Well that ended last night, and the "people who didn't win" are once again ... losers.

THIS GUY HERE, THIS IS THE GUY

I love that the Academy is trying new things with the presentations. Last year they scored big with the "ghosts of winners past" tribute, with former winners accepting a new member into the cabal.

This year they brought up former costars of each lead acting nominee to sing their praises (except for Gabourey Sidibe, who had Queen Oprah Herself to extol her virtues). This led to Colin Farrell reminiscing about "spooning" nominee Jeremy Renner in Mexico. Aww!