The Best Actor in the Vase of Meiyu

Chapter 2020 is available instantly.
Work is in full swing. A flurry of activity.

After a long four-month journey and a full year of hard work, Hollywood has finally ushered in its most important annual event.

Awards were announced one after another, drawing countless eyes, but the concerns of ABC... remained unresolved.

It can't be said that it happened, but it can't be said that it didn't happen either. After the continuous high-energy bombardment of the Grammys and Paris Fashion Week, the Oscars' ratings are facing a severe test. On the one hand, there is an eager hope that Anson can become a ratings magic weapon, while on the other hand, there is a concern that the awards ceremony will not be able to generate a buzz.

From the red carpet to the awards ceremony, viewership easily surpassed 30 million, once again defending the Oscars' position as the premier entertainment event in North America. Even the Oscars' worst performance still managed to surpass the Golden Globes and Emmys, if it weren't for the Grammys' unexpected surge this year...

However, should we be satisfied with 30 million?
The answer is no. ABC and the Academy don't expect to surpass this year's historic Grammys, but they do expect at least 50 million viewers to defend their industry position once again; or rather, deep down, they still hope that the Oscars can surpass the Grammys.

Unfortunately, Chris Rock's opening remarks created a small climax but ultimately failed to capture the interest of the general public, and the ratings did not improve.

That breath was stuck in my chest, I couldn't swallow it or spit it out, my heart was lingering in mid-air, it was really uncomfortable.

Neither a success nor a failure, this mediocre performance left the ABC live broadcast team on edge.

For the Oscars, "not a success" is a failure. Obviously, the Academy won't be overjoyed and release a flood of press releases just because "ratings didn't plummet."

What should we do now?
"Anson?"

No, Anson wasn't the answer either. The live camera panned at Anson again and again, but it still couldn't keep viewers in front of their TVs.

But... wait, where's Anson?
Viewers who leave may not return because of Anson's camera, but those who stay in front of the TV are very happy to see Anson on screen.

When the live camera panned across the front row seats again, only Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Middleton were visible, and a small group of viewers immediately noticed the empty seat.

Anson's absence easily raised the alarm; now is not the time for a performance, which means—

Award presenters.

Suddenly, a rare sight appeared: posts calling for friends appeared on the forum, and announcements were made through loudspeakers on instant messaging software.

Anson is about to appear, and if you don't want to miss it, now is the best time to switch channels.

ABC could see a clear rebound in live viewership, and the live broadcast team was overjoyed, exchanging bewildered glances.

"what happened?"

"Aha, it'll work just fine without Anson. Who says it has to be Anson?"

"No one says Anson is a panacea that guarantees efficacy once taken, but no one can deny the buzz surrounding Anson."

“I’m just saying we don’t need to rely on Anson completely.”

"That's true. Oscar has more than just Anson. Could it be because of Scarlett Johansson?"

Amid the hustle and bustle, the announcer's voice rang out from the Kodak Theatre space, "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Anson Wood."

Snap, snap, snap—

The symphony orchestra's drumbeats surged in layer upon layer, clearly the melody of "Sailing"!

The sound in the live broadcast room was completely cut off, and the real-time viewership curve could be seen to climb continuously, soaring into the sky, and in an instant, the breath was cut off.

Even more incredibly, the guests at the Kodak Theater all became agitated.

It's just a name, an appearance, and it's enough to create such a stir.

Dressed in a suit and tie, with impeccable manners, Anson made a dashing entrance. He raised his hands high, clapping in time with the symphony orchestra's drumbeats, a broad smile spreading across his face, effortlessly igniting the crowd's frenzy in an instant.

clap clap clap!clap clap clap!
A tacit understanding, a spontaneous high-five, without even needing any extra movements, one can feel the elation and excitement surging in their chest.

Finally, Anson stopped in front of the microphone, and only then did people get a clear look at him and have time to examine him closely.

A black outfit, devoid of any other colors, yet still revealing layers and lines. That natural sense of sophistication possesses a fatal charm, striking the heart hard, causing one to hold their breath, be swept into a storm, their thoughts become chaotic and blurred, briefly losing the ability to think, and utterly captivated.

Having witnessed the red carpet and the opening ceremony, seeing Anson again still brought an overwhelming impact.

I never knew that a waist belt could be so sexy, exuding a forbidden and dangerous aura, completely revealing the proportions and lines of the body.

It was only in the instant I swallowed that I realized my mouth was dry—

incredible!

In that brief instant, time seemed to stand still for Anson.

"You should look forward to the next dance. Sorry, I forgot Gene Kelly's dance shoes at home today."

A lighthearted joke successfully eased the tension in the Kodak Theater, eliciting laughter.

Anson didn't pause and continued speaking.

"While I'm not sure if there's any deeper meaning behind this arrangement, I'm still very honored to stand here and announce this award. I'd like to invite a group of people with a unique taste in form, fashion, characters, and the times to join us. Here are the nominees for Best Costume Design."

stunned.

applause.

Finally snapping out of it, I burst into laughter.

The entire Kodak Theater was bustling and noisy, and the atmosphere instantly reached its peak.

I never expected that the academy would arrange for Anson to be the presenter for the Best Costume Design Award tonight. Does this really not imply anything about anyone or anything?

The Academy denied the allegations, stating that the presenters had been arranged well before Paris Fashion Week and that they had no intention of making any insinuations. They added that a quick glance at Anson's outfit tonight showed he was the perfect presenter, and the Academy's arrangements were correct.

Regardless, Anson's little jokes and banter still won a warm response from the Kodak Theater, with laughter, applause, and whistles that just wouldn't stop.

As expected, Anson is Anson. He's not only excellent in stand-up comedy, but also in stand-up comedy. Doesn't the academy really want to consider inviting Anson to be the host next year?

On stage, Anson didn't have time to respond; his attention was on the scene.

This year's Oscars used a little trick: the awards ceremony and the live broadcast were divided into two parts.

At the event, all nominees for each technology award will take to the stage, stand behind the presenters, and receive their share of the spotlight.

During the live broadcast, the camera will look down from above and focus on the huge screen on the stage floor, which will play clips of each nominee's work.

In other words, the audience at the event and the live viewers saw different things, and ABC was trying to use this method to give the nominees for the technology awards real attention.

Therefore, for the award presenters, they are not standing alone on the stage; they are also accompanied by the nominees.

(End of this chapter)