I didn’t watch The Oscars …

Heyyyyyyyyyy berriesI I need a new word to call my buddies and I like fruit, so let’s make this catch on.

That is if you’ll still talk to me after I reveal I didn’t watch the Oscars last night.

Believe it or not, I enjoy a good deep dive on Twitter and coverage from The New York Times and Grantland more than the show itself.

I was actually surprised Birdman won over Boyhood in the best picture category, even though there was solid buzz about Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s film. Iñárritu also won for best director and original screenplay and the film was recognized for its cinematography. Micheal Keaton should have walked away with recognition for his performance too, but he lost to Eddie Redmayne in The Theory of Everything. I still haven’t seen that film, but Keaton’s performance was one of the positives of Birdman for me and he deserves payback from when he wasn’t nominated for Mr. Mom years ago.

There wasn’t a huge sweep by one of the winners this year, which is rare. Whiplash did prevail in the sound editing and supporting actor categories so I am happy about that and hope that even more people see the film now. i think comedian wonder Daniel Van Kirk said it best on Twitter last night, “J.K. Simmons is my tempo.”

Now that the Oscars are over, I still do want to take some time to catch up on seeing the animated films and documentaries that were nominated.

I have to be in a certain mood to watch documentaries and really take in the subject at hand. I never would have expected it, but yesterday my mood was one where I felt I could make it through Blackfish and not have a total breakdown.

The documentary (released in 2013) was showing at the movie theater I work at, but I just couldn’t bring myself to see it. I saw parts here and there while I was working, but I just knew it was going to be a sad and a frustrating story without a positive outcome.

At just under an hour-and-a-half, the film effectively covers details about the Killer Whale species, their captivity and treatment at theme parks like Sea World as well as what it’s like to be a trainer there.

It also focuses on one whale, Tilikum, who was treated maybe the worst of all the whales at Sea World and some trainers lost their lives or were injured as a result. I am appreciative the film shed light on a story a lot of people may not know about, but I am also frustrated it is a story that even needed to be told.

I do recommend the film if you can somehow prepare yourself for that feeling and being reminded about all the bad things that are going on in this world every day.

I wish I had something positive to turn to now, but last week I heard one of my favorite comedians, Harris Wittels, died. He was a writer and producer for Parks and Recreation (which just ended as a series) and a regular guest on many podcasts I listen to.

I never got to see Wittels perform as a stand-up comedian but, as I’ve heard many people say, I feel like I did know him from listening to his improv bits and interviews. Most of my exposure to Wittels’ work was through Comedy Bang! Bang! Scott Aukerman just released the latest episode, which happened to be recorded with Wittels, Adam Scott and Chelsea Peretti about a week before Wittels passed away. I definitely recommend visiting the Earwolf site for more archives of Wittels’ podcast appearances.

Marc Maron and Alison Rosen posted their most recent interviews with Wittels for listeners to hear again or for the first time. Even though Wittels died too young, at age 30, and clearly had a wonderful career ahead of him, listening to these interviews did make me laugh. It’s very bittersweet.

Well, this is just getting more and more somber. How can I pick things up?

I know, here’s a funny cat video on Funny or Die.

Bye berries! (Has this caught on yet?)