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I'm constantly amazed by the loyal visitors to DarynKagan.com. I'm humbled and very much appreciate the love and support I get from all of you on a daily basis. That's why I feel it is my personal responsibility to pass on some important information to all of you.
If you ever find yourself covering The Academy Awards, you should know that they have snacks for you backstage.
I come by this information by first hand experience.
In the interest of full disclosure, I should paint the picture. I write this as I watch this year's Oscars while sitting on my couch, wearing my purple flannel jammie top from Target on top of my Old Navy jeans and brown UPS promotional slippers on my feet. Hair is up in a banana clip.
But there many a year while working for CNN that I covered the Oscars and on this big night I would look more like this:
I learned over the years that a lot goes into getting ready for that night. Borrowing a designer gown (Vera Wang in this picture,) borrowing jewels (the folks at Fred Leighton were nice enough to loan me about $200,000 worth of gems that night) hair, makeup. And for me the most important detail of all—the snacks.
Let me explain. Oscar day and night is a very long ordeal. To get in place and do all the live shots, I needed to be gussied up and in place on the red carpet by about noon. Then, you pretty much stay up all night, covering the show, the parties, writing your story and getting ready for the early morning live shots.
A gal's gotta eat! Especially one who likes to eat often. Yes, I enjoy my snacks.
So, let's go back to that first year I covered the Oscars. I was in the backstage area where the winners come after they step off-stage. I was very excited about the assignment and wanted to share the moment with my parents. I whipped out my cell phone and called them.
"Hello, from backstage at the Oscars!" I greeted them.
Mom and Dad were very excited to hear from me and share the moment. They wanted to hear about every detail: what the room looked like, what I was wearing, what exactly I would be doing. I think they started to do the math, figuring out just how long this night would be and they became a little concerned.
"Did you eat? Aren't you going to get hungry?"
"Oh, not to worry," I assured them, "I have a sandwich!"
"A sandwich?" my mother asked doing the geography. "Where do you have a sandwich?" she was almost afraid to ask.
"In my purse!" I said, oh so very pleased with myself.
There was a pause.
'Please don't tell me," she pleaded, "that my supposedly pulled together sophisticated anchorwoman daughter is backstage at the Oscars all dolled up, but with a sandwich in her purse."
"Well, yeah," I replied as the wind went out of my sails to hear her disappointment in what I thought was very good planning. "It's a long day and night. You know I get hungry. And I didn't know if there would be snacks."
Safe to say my mother was horrified.
I want to save you from this experience. I can report that very soon after the Oscar show begins, the Academy brings out a very nice spread of food for the reporters working backstage. It's a snack-a-rama.
My days covering the awards I believe have passed. But you never know. The opportunity might come up for me again, and maybe even for you. If the invite does come your way, let me be the first to tell you—they have snacks! No need to shove a sandwich in your purse.
The theme of this website is, "Show The World What's Possible!" I guess today's blog entry shows what my friends and family have known all along. It's possible to clean me up with gowns and drip me in jewels, but at the end of the day what really makes me happy is access to a simple snack.
And, oh, yes! of course! It's possible to get some delightful snacks backstage at the Oscars!
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