Oscars' new get tough policy -- the proof is in the enforcement

At the Oscar luncheon earlier this week honoring all the nominees for Hollywood's premiere movie award, the producers of the program laid down the law: No long acceptance speeches. No thanking everyone from your agent to your hairdresser. In fact, there's going to be a 45-second limit on speechmaking.

Sure. Fine. Whatever. The idea is sound -- no one in the TV audience wants to sit through a laundry list of people they never heard of. But I want to know is how they are going to enforce this? Co-producer Bill Mechanic said "Our favorite (option) was a trap drawer, but we were talked out of it." By whom? The trap drawer bit worked wonders for the late Ernie Kovacs.

Oh, and one more thing. It seems that this year's telecast is also going to eschew performing the nominated songs. Well, there goes another bathroom break.

Update: I was discussing this limitation on acceptance speeches with My Hero this evening and she said "They could just turn the microphone off." That works and also proves who is the real brainchild in my circle.