The Oscar for Best Supporting Actress is usually presented by the winner of the previous year’s trophy for Best Supporting Actor, but let’s all give thanks for Christoph Waltz’s apparent unavailability: Kirk Douglas was booked instead, and the 94-year-old made the most of it. Instead of simply reading off the TelePrompTer and presenting an Oscar, the hammy Douglas cracked jokes, flirted with Anne Hathaway, riffed on his own Oscar success, played games with the man holding his cane, and deliciously refrained from announcing the winner for as long as possible, leaving the nominees twisting in the wind for nearly a minute’s worth of priceless reaction shots. As far as entertainment-related performance art goes, James Franco could learn a thing or two from his elders. (Update: Video removed by request of the Academy.)
MORE OSCAR COVERAGE:
The Oscars: The Complete Winners List
Oscar Wrap-Up: What Worked and What Didn’t
All the Red Carpet Looks
Dave Edelstein Live Blogs the Awards
The Fug Girls Critique the Red Carpet
The Best of James Franco’s Backstage Oscar Tweets
