Water Cooler Topic #3
Academy of shattered dreams
This year’s Academy Award nominations were released on Tuesday, and Dreamgirls was the big winner. With eight nominations, the movie got more Oscar nods than any other film. However, the movie was absent in the Best Picture category; a shocker to many in the entertainment world.

Adam's take: Tough break for Dreamgirls. After winning the Golden Globe for Best Musical or Comedy, you’d think the film would be a shoe-in for at least a Best Picture nomination. Adding to this shock was the fact that Beyonce was also missing from the Best Actress list. However, she did get a nod for Best Song. But how impressive is that, really? In the entertainment industry, a VH1 Behind the Music special gets more respect than that.

Pete's take: Oh, this is just ridiculous. Somehow, some way, Artie Lange’s work in Beer League went overlooked by the Academy. In a film that both inspired and shed light on the world of New Jersey softball, the gritty Lange explored a character outside his comfort zone. In the process, the Howard Stern Show-regular gave us the chance to hope and dream. I didn’t see Blood Diamond and I missed out on Babel, but I severely doubt any actors in either of the films took so many risks and explored their acting chops quite like Lange did.

Water Coolet Topic #4
Trading up
The Indiana Pacers and Golden State Warriors completed a complex, eight-player trade last week. Among the key figures in the deal were Stephen Jackson, Al Harrington, Mike Dunleavy, Jr., and Troy Murphy. Both teams won their first games following the trade.

Adam's take: The last time there was a shake-up like this in the Indiana Pacers roster, it was because the entire team was suspended for punching fans. In last week’s trade, the Pacers acquired four young players, including a potential double-double guy in Troy Murphy. Along with the shooting prowess of Mike Dunleavy, the new man power might just make the Pacers a real contender in the East. That’s right, career underachiever Dunleavy and the oft-injured Murphy make the Pacers a conference title threat… welcome to the NBA East, folks.

Pete's take: When you trade a guy like Stephen Jackson, you’re giving away a lot. Suddenly, your team no longer has a reliable three-point threat, a fiery leader and a gun-wielding frequenter of late-night gentlemen’s club-like establishments. Ultimately, Jackson’s career stop in Indiana was an interesting one. Marked by the brawl, the gun incident and questionable on- and off-court antics, he gave Ron Artest a run for his money in the wackiness category. The Pacers may be better without him on the roster, but they certainly won’t be as fun.

Water Cooler Topic #5
Idol worship
American Idol has returned for yet another season, and with it comes the show’s customary gigantic ratings. Idol’s season-six premiere peaked at nearly 38 million viewers, beating the next most-watched show in its time slot nearly five times over. Producers for American Idol plan to air over 45 hours of footage this season.

Adam’s take: Something very weird has happened this season for me on American Idol. I’m not sure if it was after Randy Jackson called out a singing teacher’s professionalism or if it was when Simon teased and patronized a Special Olympian, but I have turned on the judges. No more can I sit back and watch Ryan Seacrest and the crew set up oblivious contestants for ridicule. It has gone from funny to cringe worthy and is now generally uncomfortable for me.

Pete's take: I gotta say, I feel just the opposite. I love seeing these poor, pathetic saps getting lit up by Simon. Whether he’s calling them “handicapped” or asking them to leave the room, he’s got a Bobby Knight-esque way of just telling it like it is -- and every week, I want more. As for the contestants, they know what they’re getting themselves into before they walk in front of those cameras. You don’t come in weighing 400 pounds with a tube top on and choose to sing “Don’t Cha” by the Pussycat Dolls by accident. No, ma’am, we don’t wish our girlfriends were raw like you. Nope, not at all.

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