People: Winfrey, Thompson OK with Oscar night off
Oprah Winfrey says she’s “already won.” And Emma Thompson says she’s at least relieved not to have to put on “another frock and heels.”
Both actresses, snubbed for Oscars this year, are waxing philosophical about the situation, and looking at the bright side.
“Don’t be annoyed,” Winfrey, overlooked in the supporting actress category for “Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” said of her reaction.
“I really look at that category and look who is nominated in that category: my friend Julia (Roberts) and June (Squibb), whom I don’t know, but Sally Hawkins and Jennifer (Lawrence) and Lupita (Nyong’o). I think that’s fantastic. And so I haven’t picked up the acting chops in 15 years. So to be able to be a part of a film that could get that kind of attention, that could earn the kind of audience respect that it has, I’ve been saying all along, ‘I’ve already won. I already won.’ ”
As for Thompson, passed over for best actress in “Saving Mr. Banks,” she noted: “You just go ‘Oh!’ – and then you (say) ‘Ooh, that means I can work in March instead of getting into another frock and heels.’ ”
First lady tweets half-C note, pic
Michelle Obama turned 50 on Friday and promptly showed off her AARP card.
“Excited to join Barack in the 50+ club today … check out my @AARP card!” the first lady told her more than 600,000 Twitter followers in a post that included a photo of her smiling and holding up the red-and-white membership card that bears her name.
President Barack Obama turned 50 in 2011.
Other than the Twitter pic, the first lady laid low Friday, resting up for a big birthday dance party the president has been planning for tonight at the White House.
‘Octomom’ denies welfare fraud
“Octomom” Nadya Suleman, the 38-year-old mother with 14 children, including a set of octuplets, pleaded not guilty Friday to felony charges that she lied about her income on welfare applications.
Prosecutors said earlier this month that Suleman received $16,481 in state welfare payments during the first half of 2013 that she would not have been sent had she properly disclosed nearly $30,000 in earnings during that period.
Suleman, who drew international attention in 2009 as only the second U.S. woman to successfully give birth to octuplets, earned the money from personal appearances and video royalties, prosecutors said. They charged her with one count of aid by misrepresentation and two counts of perjury by false application for aid.
The charges carry a maximum sentence of five years, eight months in custody.
The birthday bunch
Singer-songwriter Bobby Goldsboro is 73. Actor-director Kevin Costner is 59. Comedian Dave Attell is 49. Rock singer Jonathan Davis (Korn) is 43. Actor Jason Segel is 34.