Attention deficit

Hollywood shows its wartime insecurities during a low-rated Academy Awards event | Andrew Coffin

The 2003 Academy Awards were the lowest rated of any Oscar telecast since 1974, the year such data first became available. So, for those who tuned out in favor of war coverage, or simply turned off expecting the ceremony to degenerate into an anti-America rally, here's a rundown of the evening's events:

Politics The biggest question of the evening was not who would win the major awards, but which presenters or winners would use their platform to speak out against Operation Iraqi Freedom. As it turned out, the evening was a mixed bag. Host Steve Martin was both funny and respectful, mostly avoiding the topic and closing the evening with: "To our young men and women overseas, we hope you enjoyed the show. It's for you." Several others simply made generic appeals for peace.