The Oscars that Came and Went
Some of the best conversations I’ve ever had have been in a car. At night. Usually parked. Like last week.
Me and a friend of mine were rehashing the Oscars since we didn’t get to watch it together.
We both remarked on Lady GaGa and Bradley Cooper, who had quite the steamy performance. The boring repetitiveness of the show: Award, song, award, song. And something we were both excited about: Regina King’s win.
Now, this next exchange is my favorite.
She looked at me suddenly with a thought, and said, ‘Oh yeah!’ and proceeded to ask me if I had ever seen “A Cinderella Story” with Hillary Duff.
The change in topic threw me for a moment so I answered, albeit dubiously, ‘Of course?’
She then asked me if I remembered one of the women in the movie, the one who helps Hillary Duff and gives her a dress to go to the big dance.
To which I replied by laughing because she was talking about Regina King
Seeing me laugh, she sort of sheepishly apologized for not knowing what her real name was, but that wasn’t the reason why I found this so funny.
The hilarity of the moment was purely because King, who is such a staple in my life as an icon, from Poetic Justice to Ray, Boyz In the Hood, andThe Boondocks – is known to someone else as the woman in one of the Cinderella movies that help the main character.
My friend went on to explain herself, but she didn’t have to. This wasn’t an insensitive blunder. My nose wasn’t up in the air with disdain, because she didn’t reference some of the more notable works that King was in.
It was a thoughtful moment to consider who your heroes are, and who they are to other people.
