When you read that title, did you do it in a whiney voice?

Peggy Siegal is a publicist and events planner who knows everyone who’s worth knowing, darling. That’s basically how these people talk. Anyway, she’s also known as an informal Oscar strategist and advisor and she talked to Vanity Fair this week about Oscar campaigning, the “hand to hand combat” nature of award season. Vanity Fair highlighted this particular quote from the discussion about Leonardo DiCaprio. Peggy’s known him for years and planned a lunch for The Revenant team with Academy voters recently:

“A year ago I saw him at a party in St. Barth’s at Christmas, and he said, “Siegal, who’s going to win the Oscars? I have to call my bookie.” Well, Julianne Moore is going to win for her fourth nomination. And he said, “When am I going to win? I’ve had four nominations.” And I said, “When you’re in a wheelchair you’ll get the Irving Thalberg award.” He was not happy about that. A year later, I said, “It’s your year, you’re winning. You’ve got to do the campaigning, you’ve got to go to the mats because you’re going to win.” I’m not the only one who said this to him. He did it with grace and class and he wrote all of his own speeches, and he was perfect.”

When am I going to win? I’ve had four nominations…

I’ll ask again. In your head, was it a whiney voice?

How much do you think Leo wants Peggy to be talking like this? She’s certainly helped him, by telling people how “graceful” he’s been in his speeches but these bonus details? Like how much he’s been thinking about when he’s going to win his? And complimenting him because he “wrote all of his own speeches”? It’s kinda like rewarding a kid for doing his homework.

But, maybe, where these people live, in their environment, none of this is remarkable because all of it is the standard. Sarah already told us that some Oscars voters are picking Leo because he’s worn them the f-ck down, and that if they don’t give it to him this time, he might electrocute his scrotum, he wants it so bad. And, well, since these are people who are paid to speak lines written by other people, perhaps it is, actually, a special thing that Leo will be choosing his own words. I’ve already noted a few times that he’s not the most articulate person. For Leo then, writing a speech is his equivalent of a masters thesis?

Here he is with his ma and his boys the other day sightseeing in London after his win at the BAFTAs. You can see the ever-faithful Lukas Haas lurking in the background, as usual. And Scott Bloom’s there too. Scott Bloom, you’ll recall, was in Don’s Plum, that film Leo and Tobey don’t want you to see. Scott’s an original member of the Pussy Posse.

Started from the bottom now we here

Do you think they play that song on repeat in the clubhouse?