Oscars, 2005: Live-blogging the Oscar Party

8:43pm: Fuck, I am so, so late. Supposedly this shit started at 8pm, right? But then there were all these issues with the express A-train lingering between stops in the tunnels under Manhattan for what seemed like forever. So I finally show up, and the hostess is all, “Hi, you’re early…only a few people are here yet.” I totally should have taken the C-train. It makes local stops.
8:44pm: The handful of attendees who have shown up thus far are dressed, shall we say, excessively well. Like, ties, and coats and shit like that. Apparently, there was a dress code of sorts? My t-shirt neglected to actually read the invite. Or rather, Evite. That’s probably related to the fact that I fucking hate Evites.
The hostess, meanwhile, looks great in a sleeveless knit top and dark pleated skirt, and her boyfriend is wearing a magnificent outfit by D&G. I ask her who she’s wearing, and it’s clear she’s already drunk as fuck, because her response is something along the lines of turning to the boyfriend and saying, “By the end of the night, him.” Not so funny, and slightly dated, but, damn, the boyfriend’s shoes really do work well with the slacks.
8:57pm: People have begun arriving in disparate groups of ones and twos and threes. We watch them as they stroll down the hallway into the living room, and pepper each new arrival with questions: Your name? Did you find the place OK? Did you fill out your Oscar ballot? You already missed the best original screenplay award, did you know that?

9:25pm: Everyone is talking about how great Cate Blanchett looks, you know, for a Brit. One guest makes a joke about British people’s teeth that’s met first with a chorus of laughs then several examples of British people with good teeth. Everyone agrees that Jude Law is very good looking and was robbed this year, maybe twice. Also, the pretzels bowl is getting dangerously empty.

9:54pm No one can name a single Sidney Lumet film before the montage begins. Man, the hostess’ cat is so cute. He rubs his head into my ankle and even lets me pick him up.
10:20pm Cat’s still in my lap! I can’t believe it. Everyone is cooing at him, saying he’s so cute. I sense some jealousy over how quickly the cat has taken to me. “I’m just a cat magnet,” I say. “Like Jack Nicholson!” one of the guests says. When no one laughs, he explains that he meant “‘Pussy magnet’—Nicholson’s a pussy magnet.” Groans all around. Penelope Cruz is on stage for some reason.

10:35pm People start taking photos of themselves. Someone says that Natalie Portman looks good, but I’m busy looking for the cat, who ran away a little while ago. It was my fault for shifting my weight in my chair.
11:03pm One of the guests makes fun of Sean Penn for his trip to Iraq. Another thinks he’s brave. I go to the fridge and get another drink. How many has this been? I lost count around the second Beyoncé song. Damn, only hard ciders. ‘Whatever,’ I think, and twist the cap off.
11:05pm There’s that cat. He’s crapping in the litter box. Best not to bother him now, I guess.
11:07pm Still shitting.
11:10pm What the fuck did this cat eat?
11:20pm He’s sitting on someone else’s lap now. There’s an opening next to her, so I go sit down. Cat seems to like me petting him better, but doesn’t move to my lap. Oh, so that’s what Charlie Kauffman looks like.
11:30pm Everyone chants along with Jamie Foxx. The cat runs from the room in fear. I’m getting a bit dizzy. Maybe the shrimp was bad.
11:36pm Maybe Dustin Hoffman had the shrimp, too. He looks bad. What? The room is practically spinning. Pretzel bowl empty.

11:40pm Everyone applauds and the girl next to me kisses me. Then I black out.
Monday, Feb. 28, 1:00pm What time is it? Where am I? Where are my pants? Who won what? And who is this next to me in the bed? Oh, it’s that cat! I told you I was a pussy magnet.