How to Accept an Oscar

Monday, 31 January 2011 | by Pat's Picks

The first rule of giving an acceptance speech at the Oscars? Don’t wing it. The New York Post reminds us of Tom Hanks’ outing of his high school drama teacher in their tips on how to accept an Oscar. Another good one: be funny. Dustin Hoffman (thanked his mother and father for not practicing birth control), Shirley MacLaine (screamed ‘I deserve this’) and Sally Field (‘You really, really like me’) all successfully went the humor route.

And if that doesn’t work, the Post says take a cue from Gwyneth Paltrow and just cry: “Even if you are screwing up the words, you cry. And you end up with this sweet, vulnerable human moment. When in doubt, turn on the waterworks.”

Here’s a link to Dustin Hoffman’s acceptance speech, back in 1980 for “Kramer vs Kramer”—presented by a 1980s era Jane Fonda!

Here’s Tom Hanks winning for “Philadelphia,” a speech his high school drama teacher may have not appreciated.

And here’s Gwyneth Paltrow’s blubbery win for “Shakespeare in Love”