Ego Nwodim made her debut as host of 43rd Spirit Awards Sunday, and while she steered clear of politics, there were still several people (and things) that caught strays.
“OK, budget!” Nwodim opened things up, a reference to the awards show’s move from a tent in Santa Monica to the Palladium in Hollywood, before she added, “This is like the Bad Bunny Bowl.”
“What a gorgeous day it is to be inside at an awards show, and how fitting for a room full of indie filmmakers — the only time y’all are getting sun is when you need it for b-roll,” she joked. Nwodim added that the filmmakers in attendance needed vitamin D, but that she can’t relate because “I’m getting D all the time.”
Like many independent films, Nwodim continued, “We don’t have a permit.” She warned the crowd they may need to be prepared to “scatter and act like y’all are waiting for the bus.”
“It turns out that being indoors at the Palladium in Hollywood is just as expensive as being in a tent in Santa Monica,” she joked.
The comedian ran through the list of movies nominated and offered her own vision for “Ego Nwodim’s Day.”
“When y’all give me my award, I hope it’s Cher who presents it to me, becaused I’d love to hear her try to say my name,” she added.
Nwodim had high praise for Ben Affleck’s 2010 film “The Town,” which she said should have been nominated despite having been released 16 years prior. She then offered the award for “Best Movie None of Y’all Made” to the movie — and accepted it on behalf of the film’s team, shouting out “The Town” co-star Rebecca Hall who was in the audience for “Peter Hujar’s Day.”
“I really do have so much respect for the creators in this room, truly. You all are making art just for the love of it, which is the only way to do it these days, because this industry is a mess,” she added, before joking that she recently saw a 12-year-old snatching wigs — and then realized he was cast on “White Lotus.”
“Seriously, though, we are truly living through some incredibly heartbreaking times, but it is deeply inspiring to be amongst artists like all of you who have dedicated your lives to locking in instead of tuning out,” Nwodim offered toward the end of her monologue.
“So thank you all. It may feel impossible to see the light right now, but I’m deeply grateful to all of you for helping us understand who we are in the midst of chaos, and reminding us of what we can achieve with just a little bit of empathy and bravery. Because you all are making this art that you shot in those few days with only that amount of money, proves that together we are capable of ennobling light, joy, and truth.”
