Rain Doesn't Dampen Oscars

Even buckets of rain couldn't put a serious damper on Hollywood's glitziest show of the year.
 
As rain fell throughout much of the day, thousands of fans packed the bleachers and streets around the Kodak Theatre, hoping to catch a glimpse of Hollywood's biggest stars as they arrived for Sunday's 80th annual Academy Awards.

The rain, often heavy, arrived hours before the stars did, drenching fans on Hollywood Boulevard.

However, the red carpet remained dry under a hastily erected tent, as did the bleachers where people lucky enough to win tickets by lottery sat waiting to cheer on their favourite stars.

Among industry insiders, there was no way a rainy day was going to dampen spirits for Hollywood's biggest night, which was serving double duty as a ceremony honouring the year's best in film and a celebration for a town relieved that the crushing writers' strike had ended.

Settled just two weeks before the Oscars, the 100-day strike had left the fate of the show in doubt as stars indicated they would not cross writers' picket lines to attend.

The celebrity bash at the Golden Globes was cancelled for just that reason, so Oscar organizers figured everyone was ready for a big party.