At the Oscars, true awards show buffs know that the biggest question of the night isn’t “Who will win Best Picture?” but instead “What will be the best random movie reference song kind of skit thing?” What will be this year’s answer to Neil Patrick Harris tap-dancing down the stairs in a sequined tux in 2010 or — admittedly an oldie here but imo a surprising goodie — Jack Black and Sarah Michelle Gellar singing about how movies kick ass at the MTV Movie Awards in 2002?
The best awards show segment of the weekend is LA’s Gay Men’s Chorus celebrating Laura Dern
Saturday’s Independent Spirit Awards recapped the season in LGBTQ representation … sort of.
Constance Grady is a senior correspondent on the Culture team for Vox, where since 2016 she has covered books, publishing, gender, celebrity analysis, and theater.
But in a dramatic upset, the best movie song skit thing of awards season arrived ahead of the Oscars.
At Saturday night’s Independent Spirit Awards, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles took the stage to celebrate all the LGBTQ representation of this season’s big films — including the stuff you didn’t even realize was gay.
Per the Chorus, representation for gay men this season includes but is not limited to:
- Broadway star Idina Menzel in Uncut Gems
- J. Lo pole-dancing to Fiona Apple in Hustlers
- The title of the film Diane
- Octavia Spencer playing a history teacher
- Renée Zellweger’s press tour for the film Judy
- The women of Parasite
- Awkwafina’s Guggenheim rejection letter in The Farewell
- The kid from Marriage Story, probably, one day
- Laura Dern kicking her feet up on the couch in Marriage Story
- Laura Dern ordering a kale salad (also Marriage Story)
- Laura Dern dressed slutty in court (also Marriage Story, although a fun exercise might be to imagine Marmee from Little Women showing up to a court of law in a lacy tank top)
- Just all of Laura Dern
Obviously, the big takeaway from this video is Laura Dern joyfully dancing along as the chorus — and special guest star Alex Newell — repeatedly sang her name, but I encourage you to watch and rewatch for further details. Of note: Naomi Watts loudly singing “Laura Dern!” at the end. Jennifer Lopez appearing uncertain of whether she should be offended about her inclusion in this song and landing on the unamused end of things. The chorus’s diction and careful accent on the words “curséd bird.”
However, on careful consideration, I do have some constructive criticism for this song: I’m not sure there’s quite enough Laura Dern in it.
