Sunday, February 26th of this year, 2012, saw three nearly mutually exclusive groups celebrating the biggest day for their people, industries, and slices of Americana and/or America.
Sunday saw, from the entertainment industry, the Academy Awards ceremony, where Hollywood celebrates itself. Living in Southern California helps me realize just how many people actually sustain themselves by working in some facet of "show business" while simultaneously seeing how many people it takes to sustain the entertainment industry.
Living in Sacramento, then San Luis Obispo, then Brooklyn, then Austin, always seemed to lead to a more and more disdainful view of the Oscar awards ceremony. Show-biz types congratulating themselves for such a wonderful hollow show of make believe...I don't know. Part of me, though, pays attention to certain aspects. I think this is due to my love of cinema as art, and my mathematical infatuation with lists and categories.
In any case, I am happy for The Artist and Rango, but Viola Davis was robbed.
Sunday also saw the NBA All Star Game, the crown jewel in the NBA All Star Weekend. The Western Conference beat the Eastern Conference 152-149, the 301 combined points were good enough for second place all time. The highest total, reached three or four separate times, always had been in overtime.
Even though the game was played in Orlando, it was big news here in LA, since four of the five starters for the West play in LA; Kobe and Bynum for the Lakers and Chris Paul and Blake Griffin for the Clippers. The other Western starter, Kevin Durant (UT), won MVP of the game. Kobe passed Oscar Robertson, Kareem Abdul-Jabar, and Michael Jordan in All Star game scoring en route to the title of "most points scored in career all star games". This is likely a short-lived title, though, with LeBron and Durant around for many years to come.
You may not have known, but the NBA All Star Weekend is one of, if not the, biggest annual event for black America and black Americans. It's the place to go, to be seen, to experience, and to show off. NFL players, baseball players, other basketball players, everybody comes out and tries to enjoy themselves.
Sunday also saw the Great American Rainout. I joke, but I'm referring to the Great American Race, which is what the heads of NASCAR have dubbed the Daytona 500. NASCAR is the only organized sporting entity that starts its season with its Super Bowl. The biggest, most prestigious race starts off the year for stock car racing's more prestigious circuit (Sprint Cup vs Nationwide; seriously, it's like Majors vs AAA).
For the first time in the event's history, it was postponed due to rain.
Now, can you imagine three groups of Americans more disparate? Fans of cinema as art; black American NBA devotees; and the white droves of NASCAR fans...
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