Let’s broadcast the Oscars from the red carpet

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In today’s WWD, an article takes a close look at the outcome of an aborted awards season. As you know, the writers are on strike and plan to picket outside the Golden Globes at the Beverly Hills Hilton hotel on Jan. 13. Organizers may smartly decide to eschew the red carpet and fanfare to convince actors -- leery of crossing the line -- to come out for the show.

(At left, Barbra Streisand at the Oscars in 1969, wearing Arnold Scaasi. Nice buns, Babs!)

If so, no red carpet means no fashion parade. In the WWD story, designers like Donna Karan and Stefano Gabbana are quoted on the economics of the red carpet. Yes, it befits them financially to have Scarlett Johansson or Gwyneth Paltrow sashay down the press line in one of their gowns.

But it is Roberto Cavalli’s realistic take on the proceedings that I prefer. Cavalli says: ‘It’s true that Oscars bring us a lot of work, but personally I’ve always taken it as pure fun. Without any doubt, getting stuff on the red carpet propels a brand in the realm of dreams. However, to be honest, it’s the ego, the designer’s own vanity that really gets flattered by being featured on the red carpet and that is not easy to quantify.’

(Celine Dion didn’t know if she was coming or going in this pant suit by John Galliano for Dior in 1999, right.)

Ah, Cavalli has nailed it. It is truly about ego. After all, women in Kansas -- or Oceanside, for that matter -- don’t rush out to buy a Gucci frock just because Nicole Kidman wears Gucci to the Globes. They may buy an entry into the brand, like a pair of sunglasses or a wallet, but even that is iffy. (In all fairness, Cavalli dresses more of the Grammy crowd than the Oscar crowd, so he isn’t exactly losing business if the award shows must not go on.)

(Cher wore this Bob Mackie ostrich-feather headdress (which reportedly weighed 50 pounds) to the Oscars in 1986 to protest the dress code memo that went out to nominees and members.)

So much hype has been paid to the red carpet and who’s wearing whom. Of course, the fixation with fashion for the show dates back to the days when Edith Head dressed the likes of Grace Kelly for the Academy Awards. But still, would it be such a bad thing to have the show focus on talent, rather than fashion taste? Very few actresses even dress themselves these days, so their red carpet get-ups are really more of a reflection of a stylist’s choices or even an endorsement contract with a designer.

Then again, the ceremonies have become so long and boring and canned that the red carpet highlights stick in my mind as the most memorable moments.

Here’s a novel idea: How about we hold the Globes and the Oscars on the red carpet? That way, the writers can come too.

Photo credits: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences