On her "side"

Sandy, my dear.�

Swell job in "The Blind Side", your tear-jerking crowd pleaser of an inspirational made-for-movie TV-movie movie about a saintly white American family who saves a giant black kid from the projects and pushes him into fame and fortune as a football star.�

Who knew you could be Miss Congeniality, a Real Housewife, and Erin Brokovich all at once? Oh wait. You had already been Miss Uncongeniality, A Desperate Housewife and Erin BrokoBITCH in "Crash". Now that was a stretch. And you were brilliant.�

Too bad you were just one in a gallery of characters in that movie. Oscar would surely have noticed if you were in the lead. But never mind. I believe you have wormed your way to the very top of his mind this year. Good for you. And I'll be most happy when you claim your statuette (but Oscar is a guy, right, so why do others call the trophy an "ette"?), as is almost guaranteed now, what with your victories at the Globes and the SAG Awards.�

But my dear, can I be honest with you? Much as I adore you and was thoroughly impressed with your performance in "Blind", I'm on Meryl's side. She was just simply divine in "Julie & Julia". And if I'm gonna be completely, absolutely honest, I'd say that the entire work you did does not even come close to what La Streep did in any one of her scenes. Any one scene.

The good news is I'm not Oscar. So you can rest easy. Go on then, continue polishing that acceptance speech. Having heard what you said at the Globes and the SAGs, I expect it to be another stellar piece -- sweet, humble, honest, funny.�

Which is to say, I expect you to be you when the Academy finally celebrates you being very you in your biggest hit movie.

XOXO