“Good luck at Oscars. Please give our regards to Wanda!” learn a textual content from my dad and stepmom as I boarded a airplane to LA on Thursday to cowl this 12 months’s events for the Academy Awards. It turned out my civilian dad and mom have been Wanda Sykes superfans, extra captivated with her co-hosting the present than any film star.
Who knew? And who knew Sykes’ profitable evening could be eclipsed by Will Smith’s palm.
Whenever you’re protecting Oscars events, naïve family and friends will inform you to “look out” for sure stars for them, not realizing the weekend isn’t about superstar sightings and selfies, however a grueling but glamorous slog of sleepless nights, slippery scoops, PR provocations, hors d’oeuvres and anxiousness. You turn into fully un-star struck. Even whenever you’re on the Sundown Tower sitting at a desk between Dua Lipa and Robert Pattinson, with Orlando Bloom, Riz Ahmed and the solid of “Euphoria” partying round you, you’re panicking you could be within the mistaken place on the mistaken time.


Then once more, it ain’t precisely reporting on Ukraine — the strain to cowl the occasions normally comes with a waiter providing sliders on the finish of the evening.
At a string of Oscars pre-parties final week, I used to be yelled at by WME superagent Ari Emanuel — who accused me of making an attempt to be “provocative,” and mentioned he didn’t “endure fools gladly,” once I innocently requested him why his company wasn’t throwing its annual bash — and I had an amped up chat with Quentin Tarantino wherein the director pooh-poohed the Oscars altogether and mentioned he couldn’t wait to see Tom Cruise’s “High Gun” sequel.
By Sunday evening I used to be at an Oscars screening occasion placed on by Neon, the studio behind the Kristen Stewart movie “Spencer” in addition to different titles in rivalry. As all of us watched the ceremony, I used to be panicked: In a couple of hours I’d be on the Vainness Honest Oscars Social gathering — actually the world’s solely FOMO-free zone since everybody who’s anybody is there and you might be lastly, positively in the proper place. However the awards had, by this level, been such a sleep. I had no thought what I’d really ask any of the partying celebs. I imply, what number of instances can we study that Jessica Chastain attended Julliard?

After which got here the slap that was heard all over the world.
Immediately everybody on the Neon occasion was struck silent, earlier than erupting in debate. However whether or not one thought Will Smith must be stripped of his Oscar or celebrated for defending his spouse, my mission was instantly clear. There was just one matter to be mentioned for the remainder of the evening.
Later on the Vainness Honest occasion, there have been stars and VIPs from Kim Kardashian to Apple boss Tim Prepare dinner and everybody in between — together with Smith himself, with spouse Jada, dancing and celebrating his Oscar win like nothing out of the odd had occurred.

Some celebs declined to debate the slap (Invoice Maher was “nonetheless processing”). Others freely spoke in regards to the incident (Tiffany Haddish backed Smith, whereas Diddy solid himself as peace dealer), and even joked about it (Damon Wayans introduced whereas taking a star-studded group photograph, “If you wish to get slapped, you’ve obtained to get in!”).
Because the occasion raged on, I scanned the starry room. There was Wanda Sykes on the bar, ordering a drink.
After I approached and requested her what she considered the incident, she vaguely shook her head and mumbled one thing. (A pair days later, Sykes would seem on the Ellen DeGeneres Present and reveal her true emotions: “It was sickening. I bodily felt ailing, and I’m nonetheless slightly traumatized by it.”) However on this evening, she simply seemed like she’d had a tough day on the workplace and didn’t wish to discuss it. Her mouth form of screwed as much as the facet, and she or he seemed a bit pained by the weird Oscars incident. She wanted a drink. I dropped it.

However earlier than we parted methods, I advised her, “I’m sorry if what occurred detracted out of your expertise tonight, since you have been nice. You probably did such an important job, you have been actually humorous, and I’m sorry in case your efficiency was overshadowed.”
She mentioned, “Thanks,” and I added, “By the best way… I simply need to inform you that my dad and my stepmom on the Higher West Aspect are obsessive about you. They’re enormous followers. The truth is, once I was coming right here from New York, they have been far more excited that I’d see you than some other superstar.”
After I turned to stroll away, Wanda stopped me.

“Do you wish to take an image for them?” she mentioned. I ended.
For the file: I might by no means, ever take a selfie with a star. I’m sufficiently old for it to strike me as bizarre, tacky, amateurish and a dereliction of obligation.
However Sykes smiled — and since she recommended it, I obtained out my digital camera.
After I boarded the airplane again to New York on Monday evening, I texted my father and stepmother the pic of myself and Sykes.
“Wanda says hello,” I added.
“Wow I really feel like such a celeb!!! Thanx a lot!!!!!” my stepmother wrote again.
The evening that Smith smacked a comic at a present that gave him a career-boosting award, Sykes proved that some stars can nonetheless be class acts.
Ian Mohr, the chief editor of Web page Six, has coated the Hollywood awards season for Web page Six for over a decade — and by no means as soon as taken a selfie till now.