HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 10: Scott George and The Osage Singers perform 'Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)' from "Killers of the Flower Moon" onstage during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Let's open with this, which was a really wonderful performance of the nominated "Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)" from Killers of the Flower Moon. Listen, I had real issues with that movie and its centering of Leonardo DiCaprio at every available opportunity, but the ensuing celebrations of it have done a super job elevating all of the Indigenous contributors.
Becky G
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 10: Becky G performs 'The Fire Inside' from "Flamin' Hot" onstage during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
This is a lot of drama for a movie about Cheetos. Which I know is also reductive, but no one saw this movie AND its central story has since been debunked? But Becky G did a good job with a deeply mediocre Diane Warren song, and invited a choir of girls from Inglewood to sing beside her.
Jon Batiste
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 10: Jon Batiste performs 'It Never Went Away' from "American Symphony" onstage during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
HIS song was quite short, also; is it naturally, or were some songs trimmed down to make room for others? Surely not?
Billie Eilish
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 10: Billie Eilish performs onstage during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
She has performed this so many times this season, and I have to say, I have yet to get tired of it. She throws herself into it every time, and I'm so glad it won. I'm curious why she swapped her black jacket and metallic tweedy skirt for a longer black skirt and a tweedy coat. It's like she inverted it just for this.
The Gos
Ryan Gosling performs 'I'm Just Ken' from "Barbie" onstage at the 96th Annual Oscars held at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rich Polk/Variety via Getty Images)
This was fun. It was. It was FUN. It was like a release of energy. EVERYONE had a blast. If they could have ended the show this way, they should have, but you can't really ask them to perform after they've lost.
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 10: Ryan Gosling performs 'I'm Just Ken' from "Barbie" onstage during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Unfortunately, he had to put the mic in the stand during this shot, so his face is blocked, but still. Love the hats. (Ryan gave his to his sister in the audience.)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 10: Ryan Gosling performs 'I'm Just Ken' from "Barbie" onstage during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
On TV, we saw this from above, as he then disappeared under the barbie faces. This is how it would have looked in the room. Still funny.
Gos n' Roses
Ryan Gosling and Slash perform 'I'm Just Ken' from "Barbie" onstage at the 96th Annual Oscars held at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rich Polk/Variety via Getty Images)
And of course: SLASH, who shows up at everything! We have a joke about how anytime there's a special guest at a concert, it's always Slash. However, he actually did play on the original recording of the song, as did Wolfgang Van Halen (also present, just not in this pic). So it's kind of like The Slash Effect, but in private, and at the recording phase.
Jimmy Kimmel
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 10: Host Jimmy Kimmel speaks onstage during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
That's a nice Champagne jacket on Jimmy there.
Matteo and Andrea Bocelli
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 10: Matteo Bocelli and Andrea Bocelli perform onstage during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
This montage may have fallen flat, as discussed in Drinks With Broads today, but they did sound beautiful. "Con Te Partiro" is a classic banger, of the "plaintive and moving" variety.
This is the team behind -- and one of the stars of -- The Last Repair Shop, and that young lady had THE NIGHT OF HER LIFE. She wins!!!
John Cena
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 10: (L-R) John Cena and host Jimmy Kimmel speak onstage during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
John's head peeking out from behind the set was very funny...
96th Annual Academy Awards - Show
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 10: John Cena speaks onstage during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
... but I truly did not expect him to go Full Monty. (The gag was that he was going to be the punch line to a joke about the 1974 streaker, and then ended up being that he was presenting Best Costumes in the buff.) John Cena is a man who has honed his body for his job, so he is not going to mind me saying, "OH MY LORD."
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 10: (L-R) John Cena presents the Best Costume Design award for "Poor Things" to Holly Waddington onstage during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
They put him in this to open the envelope. It was an easy laugh but it did get one from me.
Messi
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 10: Messi in the audience during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
