The 84th Academy Awards have now come and gone and I am sure the powers that be have already loaded the cash truck and parked in Billy Crystal’s driveway to lure him for Hosting duties for the 85th. Billy not only didn’t disappoint, he showed no rust, what an effortless job he did while at the same time proving how exceptional he really is.

The winners were pretty predictable, however Meryl Streep’s win for best Actress was somewhat surprising but you could never question when a talent like she wins. George Clooney not being crowned as best Actor was a pleasant surprise. Why he is put on such a pedestal in Hollywood is a question, it certainly is not for his acting ability or box office returns’ so for the Academy to not bestow the coveted prize on him was a pleasant relief.

Two events do stand out from the relentless coverage. Jennifer Lopez’s almost clothes malfunction was ridiculous. With all the handlers she has, and you know she has many, how could none of them have noticed that her nipple was peeking out? You know the tape on her dress was strategically placed to just show a hint, why? Most likely because someone with an ego like hers needed to get her name mentioned as much as possible to let everyone know that despite she is just a judge on a TV Game Show, she once acted in movies. Sacha Baron Cohen also known as “The Dictator”, what a brilliant marketing ploy. To show up on the Red Carpet in character to promote his movie was clever enough, but to dump the so-called ashes of the late Kim Jong 11 on Ryan Seacrest was a thing of beauty. Sacha knew that every outlet in the world would pick up on it and have it talked about for days…..smart man.

The Internet was a buzz as well. Twitter was working overtime with all the “real-time” posts including the very funny and cynical @TheGriper. Everyone was jumping in with their comments encompassing every conceivable aspect from clothes to exposed legs, from inside the Theater to the comfy chair in your den.

With Billy Crystal at the helm, the 84th Academy Awards broadcast was a huge success and an immeasurable improvement from last year. With Billy Crystal hopefully secured for next year, the 85th is one to look forward to.

There are many performers in all aspects of the Entertainment business that either reside in or were born in Toronto. Their profiles and career highlights can be obtained through various sources however, profiling their accomplishments in local and national media outlets are far and few between. With that said, I would like to bring to light one such pioneer’s achievements in the Entertainment/Broadcast Industry who’s career contributions spanned over 40 years and can still be seen and felt 22 years after his passing. This pioneer’s name is Bernard Cowan

His career started on stage as a teenager, and continued to radio, and then on to television. On radio he was an actor, host, and interviewer on such programs as, “The 1010 Swing Club,” ”Lux Radio Theatre,” and for 17 years “The Toronto Symphony Pops Concerts” where he amongst other things Interviewed the likes of Benny Goodman and Louis Armstrong. After a meeting in 1959 with writer/producer Arthur Rankin Jr., VideoCraft decided to add a Canadian division to their international production company with Bernard Cowan as their representative. This collaboration with Bernard Cowan as the Supervisor/Director of Dialogue, produced and contributed his voice to such classics as “Rudolf the Rednosed Reindeer,” “Return to Oz,” and “Pinocchio,” just to name a few. He also continued in Canada to produce many more cartoons including the Marvel Super Hero series, “King Kong,” “Thom from T.H.U.M.B.” “The Incredible Hulk,’ “Thor,” and “Spiderman.”

His talent was not only used behind the scenes. His golden voice narrated numerous Television shows, Documentaries, and hundreds of Commercials. One would be hard pressed to name a television show that was on the air for 10 years. It would be even harder to name one that was on the air for 20 years. Two programs that were on the air for over 30 years each were “Front Page Challenge,” and the “Wayne and Shuster Comedy Specials.” Both programs had one thing in common besides being produced here in Canada, a signature voice, the voice of Bernard Cowan. He also was the Announcer for other programs including “The Pierre Berton Show”, and “The Great Debate”.

Bernard Cowan was also a crusader. He was a founding member, past President, and Vice President of ACTRA. Through the tireless efforts of Bernard Cowan and others, Canadian performers as well as performers around the world receive protections and benefits they would not otherwise have. One such benefit is residuals. Bernard Cowan drafted the first commercial residual agreement in North America, he said, “our
time once given is gone, our talent once recorded remains of value.” Interesting considering the time we live in, this “Digital Age”, how relevant that statement continues to be.
There were legendary battles within the ACTRA offices to secure what he felt was in the best interest of Canada and its Performers which led to what is now called “The Bernard Cowan Boardroom”. Bernard Cowan was recognized for his efforts when ACTRA established the Bernard Cowan Medallion. The recipient of this medallion is recognized for their significant contributions to ACTRA. He was also honored by being presented with the John Draine Award for outstanding contributions to Broadcasting which is the equivalent, one would say, to that of the Cecil B. DeMille Award in the United States.

Is it just me or is the whole thing out of whack? There once was a time in the Broadcasting Industry where you performed a task you were paid your rate or the Union rate for the job. Yes things have changed….I get it, however, what is going on now is just bizarre. It’s bad enough that instead of being asked your rate you’re being told what (little) they are willing to pay, but the multi function aspect–what’s going on here?. People today are advertising to fill the SINGLE position of director, writer, camera operator (with knowledge of sound), lighting, and editor. Single position, really, what professional does all this? Did I mention this candidate must also have all his or her specific gear as well? For this, the rate is about 2/3 of what was once paid for a single function with NO included equipment. Maybe this opinion is a bit “old school” but what kind of “professional” is being sought? I realize new technology and multitasking is the new norm, but sometimes the old way should still be considered the right way.