I saw during the Oscars broadcast why the ratings for this this show are so abysmal. Hugh Jackman’s routines were generally odd and not all that funny.  Throw in some tasteless anti-religion rhetoric from Bill Maher and Sean Penn’s edict that all who voted for Proposition 8 should wallow in shame and wear sackcloth, and you have the typical Hollywood formula: a few blowhards overshadow some compelling stories. 

Too bad because there were plenty of them – Kate Winslett’s first Oscar, Mickey O’Rourke’s comeback story, another nomination for the storied Meryl Streep, and of course the success of Slumdog Millionaire.

There was only one way to watch. By using the greatest technological innovations in modern civilization – the DVR. It was great to skip over the lame skits and ABC television promos. It was worth it to enjoy the great ments, even though they were few.