Firstly, I can’t discuss the Oscars without referencing the hideous assault by Will Smith on the host, Chris Rock.

I’ve said all I need to say in various Facebook posts – but just to say that I found the incident shocking and appalling – but I found the audience’s response even more appalling. To applaud Will Smith and give him a standing ovation later when he won the Best Actor Oscar was shameful. Do these people lack all common decency and integrity?

Will Smith today has come out, some 24hrs later, and apologised to Chris Rock, but only after the Screen Actors Guild and the Academy resoundly condemned his actions and said that they would mount an investigation.

He had an opportunity to apologise to Chris Rock during his acceptance speech, but chose not to do so.

Bad joke or no, there’s simply no excuse to assault someone, and especially in front of a worldwide audience. What signal does that send out? With Hollywood standing and applauding, it sends out the signal that it’s okay to assault someone if you’re offended by what they’ve said.

And please, they call it a “slap,” as if that somehow diminishes the act of violence. It was an assault.

Enough of that.
How did I go with my predictions?
I did okay – I picked sixteen right and got four wrong.

Best Picture
Coda
WINNER: CODA

Best Director
Jane Campion / The Power of the Dog
WINNER: JANE CAMPION

Best Actor
Will Smith / King Richard
WINNER: WILL SMITH

Best Actress
Nicole Kidman / Being the Ricardos
WINNER: JESSICA CHASTAIN
WRONG!

Best Supporting Actor
Troy Kotsur / CODA
WINNER: TROY KOTSUR

Best Supporting Actress
Ariana DeBose / West Side Story
WINNER: ARIANA De BOSE

Best Original Screenplay
Kenneth Branagh / Belfast
WINNER: KENNETH BRANAGH / BELFAST

Best Adapted Screenplay
Jane Campion / The Power of the Dog
WINNER: SIAN HEDER / CODA
WRONG!

Best International Film
Drive My Car
WINNER: DRIVE MY CAR

Best Cinematography
Greig Fraser / Dune
WINNER: GREIG FRASER

Best Film Editing
Dune
WINNER: DUNE

Best Sound Mixing:
Dune
WINNER: DUNE

Best Production Design
Dune
WINNER: DUNE

Visual Effects
Dune
WINNER: DUNE

Original Score
Dune / Hans Zimmer
WINNER: DUNE

Original Song
No Time to Die / No Time to Die
WINNER: NO TIME TO DIE

Best Costume Design
Dune
WINNER: CRUELLA
WRONG!

Best Makeup & Hair
Dune
WINNER: THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE
WRONG!

Best Documentary
Summer of Soul
WINNER: SUMMER OF SOUL

Best Animated Feature
Encanto
WINNER: ENCANTO

So of the 20 predictions I made, I got four wrong. That’s an 80% success rate.
That’s okay!

I never would have predicated a punch up!