Topic: Jackie Cooper

Mimi Smith-Dvorak describes the internal voting process of the Academy, sharing anecdotes about helping sort through the screeners of the late actor Jackie Cooper. The discussion touches on how "pity awards" and popular votes have historically influenced winners, such as the 1969 Best Actress category. Current trends in the industry are criticized for prioritizing skin color and gender over artistic merit in the selection process.

Boris Johnson reveals in the House of Commons that the BBC requested he speak about Queen Elizabeth II in the past tense months before her death, which he describes as a ghoulish request. This prompts a comparison to old Hollywood tactics, specifically an anecdote about a child actor being told his dog died to induce crying for a scene with W.C. Fields.