Video credit: Courtesy of Oscar® Roadtrip
Photo credit: Leigh Vogel – Getty Images North America
And the Oscar goes to……………our troops at Ft. Meade.
Oscar® Roadtrip, a multicity promotional tour that will bring an Oscar® statuette across the country from New York to Los Angeles, stopped at USO of Metropolitan Washington’s Fort Meade USO Center – right in our own back yard.
And there was no messing with Oscar when he heard about the famous Maryland crabs, even if they are blue as shown below at Henderson’s Wharf. Color analysts will love the look – #trending.
Hollywood on the Potomac caught up with Comedic Roadtrip reporters Ben Gleib and Angie Greenup fresh off their gig at Ft. Meade. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences launched the Oscar Roadtrip to build buzz for Oscar night on February 24th. Fans are able to embrace the famous statuette, take pictures with him and give pretend acceptance speeches…….which they also did in DC last week at the Le Meridien Hotel in Arlington.
Gleib, a regular on E! and Chelsea Lately late night talk show, is an actor, stand up comedian, satirist, and writer with a leaning toward political humor.
“He was called by Esquire to be one of “the six comedians who could be comedy’s next big things” and part of a “a bumper crop of brilliant new-alt comics” Wikepedia
So how did he get the gig? “I can’t verify this, but I believe the Academy has been considering how to honor my limiting acting work over the years, and this job came along,” he told us. On being inspired to accept the job……..”Again, I want to make clear that The Academy has been looking for a way to honor me.”
“I also loved how the Pentagon gave us access to the building that civilians don’t usually get, just because they wanted to hold the golden statue. I now have information that I can’t repeat without having to kill the person after. And that’s just another example of the magic of Oscar,” he joked. “I believe that the Academy is planning to present this Oscar to me in the future, and they just want me to get used to holding it.”
Avoiding a glib answer to a serious question, Gleib relays the response from the troops: “With all the difficult things that our troops have to go through, I think many of them love the escapism of the movies. But, some of them told us that it seems so far removed from their everyday lives, so to be able to actually touch the Oscar I think it’s something they didn’t expect and truly enjoyed. And, of course it’s one of our favorite people to show it to because we appreciate all they do for our country every day.”
“I got the gig by being an exceptional movie lover…and also to make sure Ben doesn’t say stupid things,” said Angie Greenup
“Angie Greenup is an American comedian and television host known for her work on E!, Fearnet and Spike TV. She is one of the hosts on G4’s series It’s Effin’ Science, as well as an occasional co-host on G4’s Attack of the Show and has also hosted the 25 reasons to worship Ninja Warrior. Greenup hosts “It’s Always Angie in Santa Monica”, a videocast on Comedy.com.” Wikepedia
“The Academy wanted to bring Oscar to his fans,” she added. “This has never been done before and they thought that this year with Seth McFarlane hosting that this could be a really good, fun year to get people excited about the Oscars.”
“For me, the most memorable moment so far has been when we gave Oscar Fan Experience tickets to two girls outside the White House and they started crying and hugging …pretty sure I won’t forget that one for awhile”
“It is actually a real Oscar,” she explained. “The Academy doesn’t just make fake Oscars. The one we are bringing around the country will be given out at a future awards show.”
Richard Simmons meets Oscar and Ben Gleib:
