Let her Razzie-dazzle you
| Wednesday, Mar 03 2010 02:43 PM
Last Updated Wednesday, Mar 03 2010 02:43 PM
About the Razzies
John Wilson, founder of the awards show, is author of "The Official Razzie Movie Guide: Enjoying the Best of Hollywood's Worst"
More about Paula Einstein
I was born and raised in Bakersfield. If you ever had a persistent cough and it turned out to be valley fever, you probably spent some time with my father, Dr. Hans Einstein. I contracted valley fever when I was 9. I had the quickest diagnosis ever. On the first day of the first symptom, I was in the office being tested. It also happened to be the first day of Christmas vacation, so I never missed a day of school, something Dad was very pleased with, but I was not. I moved back to Bakersfield a few years ago and it is nice to be back home. I still work occasionally in the glamorous world of movies, editing behind-the-scenes specials. I also am a songbird for hire and sing jazz, standards and whatever around town. Look for me in your favorite restaurant, service organization function or special event.
Top Razzie nominations
Worst Picture
"All About Steve"
"G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra"
"Land of the Lost"
"Old Dogs"
"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"
Worst Actor
All Three Jonas Brothers, "Jonas Brothers: The 3-D Concert Experience"
Will Ferrell, "Land of the Lost"
Steve Martin, "Pink Panther 2"
Eddie Murphy, "Imagine That"
John Travolta, "Old Dogs"
Worst Actress
Beyonce, "Obsessed"
Sandra Bullock (the same Sandra Bullock nominated for an Oscar for "The Blind Side"!), "All About Steve"
Miley Cyrus, "Hannah Montana: The Movie"
Megan Fox, "Jennifer's Body" and "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"
Sarah Jessica Parker, "Did you Hear About the Morgans?"
After spending most of her career in the movie business, Bakersfield resident Paula Einstein sure knows a stinker when she sees one (she admits to having worked on more than a few herself in her role as editor and writer at several major studios and networks). But to create a truly awful film takes about as much effort as making a masterpiece, and that's how the Golden Raspberry Awards were born 30 years ago. The idea was to "award" movies and performances so bad that they're almost good. Paula shares the story of the Razzie awards with us. Unfortunately, Saturday's show isn't televised, but highlights will pop up on YouTube.
John (J.B.) Wilson and I met when we both worked at Kaleidoscope Films in Los Angeles, which produces movie trailers, TV spots and behind-the-scenes documentaries. We often worked on four or five movies simultaneously, so we saw plenty of bad ones. But it was a double feature of "Can't Stop the Music," which I worked on, and "Xanadu," which I did not, that gave J.B. the idea for doing a light-hearted parody of award shows in general and the Oscars in particular. He felt there should be awards presented to such misguided and expensive endeavors. After all, why should only good movies get awards?
It started in 1980 with a Razzie ceremony on Oscar night that was so small it was actually staged in J.B.'s living room alcove. The Razzies have since grown into what E! Online recently called, "the foremost authority on all things that suck on the big screen." It is now a foundation with hundreds of voting members and an annual award show complete with gowns, tuxes, opening numbers, award presentations and sometimes an award winner acceptance speech or two.
I was a cast member from year one, presenting worst-of awards and singing the opening number, a parody written by J.B. to a song done in our unique Razzie way. We put the show together in the month before the Oscar telecast and we beat them to the punch by having our ceremony the night before their show. Because we are entering our third decade, we are presenting Worst Actor, Worst Actress and Worst Picture of the decade in addition to the Annual Roster of Rotten.
Halle 'Catwoman' Berry purrfect
A few notable people have come to the show to except their award over the years. Some have been very funny and some have made more of a fool of themselves than their movies did. Halle Berry had a wonderful sense of humor, standing at the podium with a Razzie in one hand and her Oscar in the other, saying you don't get awards like these without a lot of help. She proceeded to tell stories of the horror that was the movie "Catwoman."
Robert Conrad, the original James West in the TV series "The Wild Wild West," accepted several Razzies for the producers and actors involved in the abominable theatrical remake of his fabulous series. He was "caught" many times making out with his girlfriend as "The Wild Wild West" name was announced and the spotlight would hit them. He would then tear himself away and come up to except the award. I was the presenter for one of these and, as he kissed my hand, I said he would always be James West to me. What a guy. On the other hand, we have had people come to try to grandstand or see it as an opportunity to try out their comic skills. Our audience is a tough crowd and won't laugh if it's not funny. They're not above booing if need be. Would-be actor/comedians be warned.
Someone get the hook
And then there was Tom Green, who was in a movie with the delightful title "Freddy Got Fingered." After his laugh-free acceptance speech, he began to play the harmonica and even after the mike and the lights were shut off, he would not leave. It took the entire cast surrounding him and squeezing him and lifting him off his feet and carrying him offstage to get him to stop.
