'Stay weird', girl power, equality, and more words of wisdom from Oscar 2015

Neil Patrick Harris won kudos on Sunday for his debut outing as Oscars host, mocking the gala’s lack of racial diversity and stripping down to his Y-fronts in a nod to “Birdman.” however, although Harris was the host, it is not just him who spoke the show’s most memorable lines, even winners and presenters had their moments. Here is a selection of quotes from the 87th Oscars on Sunday: [caption id=“attachment_2116235” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Reuters[/caption] WHITEWASH? “Tonight we honor Hollywood’s best and whitest … sorry, brightest.” — Harris, joking that all of those nominated for acting Oscars were white.

CALL YOUR MOM “If you are lucky enough to have a parent or two alive on this planet, call them. Don’t text, don’t email. Call them on the phone.” — Best supporting actor Oscar winner J.K. Simmons in his acceptance speech.

  SHOCK AND AWE “Life is full of surprises.” – Polish director Pawel Pawlikowski accepting the best foreign language film Oscar for his “Ida.”

TOO LITTLE TOO LATE “Sure. Now you like him.” - Harris, introducing British actor David Oyelowo, who many believed should have earned a nomination for his portrayal of Martin Luther King in “Selma.” [caption id=“attachment_2116165” align=“aligncenter” width=“820”]  Reuters[/caption] STAY WEIRD “I would like for this moment to be for that kid out there that feels like she’s weird or she doesn’t fit in anywhere – yes, you do. I promise you do. You do. Stay weird. Stay different and when it’s your turn and you are standing on this stage, please pass the same message to the next person who comes along.” – Graham Moore, winner of the best adapted screenplay Oscar for “The Imitation Game,” explaining how he tried to commit suicide at age 16 because he “felt weird.”

TREASON “The subject of ‘Citizenfour,’ Edward Snowden, couldn’t be here tonight, for some treason.” – Harris, joking about the charges facing Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who leaked classified documents and is facing espionage charges in the United States. He lives in exile in Russia. [caption id=“attachment_2116149” align=“aligncenter” width=“820”]  A screengrab of Citizenfour. Courtesy: Facebook[/caption] GREEN CARD “Who gave this son-of-a-bitch his green card?” - Sean Penn, joking as he presented Mexican filmmaker Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu with the best picture Oscar.  

WEINSTEIN KILLS "‘American Sniper’ focuses on a soldier with 160 kills, or as Harvey Weinstein calls it, a slow morning." - Host Harris, joking about legendary Hollywood producer Weinstein’s reputation for making or breaking projects in Tinseltown. [caption id=“attachment_2116185” align=“aligncenter” width=“820”]  Courtesy: Facebook[/caption] FEMALE EQUALITY “It is our time to have wage equality once and for all, and equal rights for women in the United States of America.” - Patricia Arquette, accepting her best supporting actress Oscar for playing a mother in coming-of-age drama “Boyhood.”  

LUCKY REDMAYNE “I’m fully aware that I am a lucky, lucky man. This Oscar belongs to all those people around the world battling ALS…. I will be its custodian and I promise you that I will polish him, and wait on him hand and foot.” - British actor Eddie Redmayne, accepting his best actor Oscar for playing astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, who suffers from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disease.’

AFP