Watch me bask and smile with ditzy admiration at the magical wonder that is Glenn Close as she talks about her role in Oscar-nominated role in Albert Nobbs where she portrays a woman living as a man in 19th century Ireland.

Albert Nobbs opens in theaters today.

Yesterday, Facebook, Twitter, blogs, news sites, town criers, and carrier pigeons delivered news about Eddie Murphy stepping down as host of the Oscars. This news came shortly after Brett Ratner resigned as producer because of his gaycist ways.

Apparently the two are homies so the news wasn’t that surprising. However, I am kind of upset that Murphy isn’t hosting. I would of loved to see him in his Raw leather outfit.

Nonetheless, the world is now making their own suggestions on WHO should host. Gawker gives some great suggestions ranging from Oprah to Anderson Cooper while Muppets fans are hell bent on getting the lovable felt creatures to do the hosting — kinda sounds ridiculous but it could work. One name that is common place within all the blogs is Neil Patrick Harris. He’s charismatic. He can sing. He can dance. He’s funny. And he’s the only gay guy that the entire world can handle. It works.

Others that have been included in the mix are Tina Fey, Billy Crystal, and Hugh Jackman — or maybe Jesus Christ can take some time out of his schedule and descend upon us to do the hosting duties.

These are all terrific suggestions, but I am lobbying to get Hall & Oates to host:

This issue needs to get resolved soon so we can move on and complain about everything else wrong with the Oscars telecast.

Yesterday, I saw a screening of political thriller, The Ides of March (stay tuned for a review later this week) and realized that, in addition to Gosling swag, this movie is stuffed with so much thespian wattage that it is destined for an Academy Award nomination or two. For instance, Ryan Gosling has received an Oscar nod for Half Nelson and Golden Globe noms for Blue Valentine as well as Lars and the Real Girl — I’m pretty sure he’ll be getting a little somethin’ for this. To add to that, Jeffrey Wright is an actor who’s mere presence (even though his screentime is limited) elevates the quality of a film — and his Golden Globe-winning performance in HBO’s Angels in America and in the Oscar-winning Syriana is testimony to that.

With that in mind, I thought I would tabulate the cinematic accolades (focusing on Academy Awards, Golden Globes, and Emmys) of some of the other main actors in the film…and create some obnoxious pictures from stills from the movie:

Evan Rachel Wood: She snagged a Golden Globe nom early in her career for the gritty teen drama, Thirteen. More recently, she was bestowed with an Emmy nod for her portrayal of Veda, the best and brattiest man-stealing daughter a woman can have.

Paul Giamatti: Got an Oscar nom for Cinderella Man and won a Golden Globe for both Barney’s Version and John Adams — he was nominated for Sideways, but he didn’t win.

George Clooney: He received Oscar noms for Up in the Air and Michael Clayton — and he won for Syriana. Behind the camera he was nominated for directing AND original screenplay (along with Grant Heslov) for Good Night and Good Luck. On the Golden Globe front, he won for O Brother Where Art Thou. He does double duty on Idesas director and actor — so he doubles his chances for wins. Even so, he’ll always be a plastic factory manager in Lanford.

Marisa Tomei: Two Oscar nods: The Wrestler and In the Bedroom; One win: My Cousin Vinny. Her work in A Different World? Underrated.

Philip Seymour Hoffman: Oh Lord. P.S.H. is a movie awards monster. In terms of Oscars AND Golden Globes, he’s been nominated for his work in Doubt and Charlie Wilson’s War. He scored an Oscar AND a Golden Globe win for Capote. He scares me like my elementary school principal scared me.

Max Minghella: He’s the son of Academy Award-winning director Anthony Minghella and was in last year’s Oscar darling The Social Network. He’s like the actor equivalent of Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket.

The Ides of March opens in theaters Friday, October 7.

I’ll bypass the obvious things that are drunkenly wandering around in the pop culture geist such as the whole Charlie Sheen circus, X-tina’s public intoxication, Gaga’s egotistically moist music video, and John Galliano’s anti-semitic tirade that got him dethroned from the house of Dior.

But forget all that — it’s all about RED.

No, I’m not referring to the kind-of good movie about old people with machine guns (but you can include that in this geist if need be.) I’m talking about the actual color. First off, the Academy Awards red carpet had ton’s of gowns that are worthy of surfing the crimson wave. Then, Catherine Hardwicke‘s kind-of-anticipated interpretation of Red Riding Hood hit theaters on March 11. And finally,, red has bled all over the runway at this year’s fashion week.

What’s with all this red? Is it that time of the year for the pop culture? Well, it actually makes sense considering the iPad 2 announcement is today.

Click here to read about past Geist Infections.

Live blogging is sooooo 2010! Live tweeting the Academy Awards (also called the Oscars just in case you didn’t know) is all the rage!

That said, I wanted to share some of the most brilliant tweets I read tonight (most of them are mine).

Please read and then judge how unfunny and vain I am in the comment section below.

Thank you.

@DinoRay Jennifer Lawrence said her Calvin Klein was made by “Francisco Acosta.” I think she meant Francisco COSTA. I hate fashion.

@DinoRay I have an idea. Let’s play an #Oscars game that makes us question, “Who invited them?”

@DinoRay Best Supporting actress goes to…the sisters in The Fighter. #oscars

@DinoRay Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross win for best original score for Social Network. #iwannafuckyoulikeananimal #oscars

@mandystadt If I win an Oscar I’m going to use as an opportunity to tell my wife I want a divorce. Then say “Where my Oscar pussy at!” Then thank Jesus.

@DinoRay OK. That auto-tuned music thing was cool. I am glad I thought of it. #oscars

@DinoRay FYI: Banksy directed Inside Job. #Oscars

@RamonDestroys @jamesfranco Be honest, man, I won’t tell anyone… how fucking baked are you?

@louispeitzman I’m glad Celine Dion is singing a song about smiling over a parade of the dead. #oscars

@nysantelices Happy to inform that Hillary Swank is only two procedures away from being officially and legally a woman.

@PopWrap Anne Hathaway is a Woo Girl — this does not surprise me #Oscars

@IncredibleFaulk OH WOW! Portman Wins For Fullest Pussy! #Oscars

@DinoRay I wonder if Danity Kane is going to perform “Damaged” to end the #Oscars telecast. I sure hope so.

@michcoll Sad that these chorus kids couldn’t afford formal t-shirts for the #oscars. #ps122

Did you notice how it was all in chronological order? It was like reliving the entire evening of the Oscars with more low brow appeal!

Enjoy.

AP Photo/Amy Sancetta

AP Photo/Matt Sayles

I wonder if they planned that.

San Dimas High School football rules!!!

Zoe Saldana in a cotton candied Givenchy gown on the Oscars red carpet. Eat it up folks. Because that’s all the red carpet “reporting” I am doing…for now.

AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

Does anyone remember that episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 when they were watching a B-movie starring Kathy and they were commenting on how annoying her voice was? Well, nothing has really changed.

As a “fashion writer” I should be excited by the red carpet, but for many fashion journalists (not broadcast personalities or style bloggers) that I have talked to, the red carpet is a dreaded battleground of irritable regurgitated two-dimensional reporting. Don’t ask me why. It just is.

I am waiting for the actual ceremony and avoiding Facebook and Twitter at all costs to avoid any spoilers. And whilst doing this, I am watching Randolph Duke talk about how posing the wrong way can ruin a dress and how Meryl Streep’s white gown has broad shoulders which is really “in” for fashion.

Yawn and vomit.

AP Photo/Matt Sayles

I have a proposal for next year’s Oscars: how about every single person who attends wear the same thing? Everyone could be in a plain tuxedo – men and women. This would make the Academy Awards red carpet a little bit boring – but when in the past 10 years has the red carpet been really exciting? By having everyone in a red carpet uniform tuxedo, we’ll make the Academy Awards all about the movies and and the actors – which is ultimately the basis of the whole ordeal.

If we absolutely need fashionable red carpet intrigue, the aforementioned uniform tuxedo could be a “contest” amongst designers all over the world. Much like designers submitted sketches for Michelle Obama’s inauguration dress, they can submit sketches for the “Oscars 2011 Uniform Tuxedo”. The chosen one will relish in the fact that they have monopolized the red carpet.

Sounds like the greatest idea. Ever.