Oscar liveblog: 'The Cove' swims to welcome shores

8:02 pm: "The Cove" is the unsurprising winner for best documentary, beating out the other socially conscious picture "Food, Inc." More controversial: One of the winners holds up a save-the-dolphins text-message number onstage, which seems like a pretty clear infraction of the academy's no-promotion rules for the podium, even if it is a promotion for a good cause.

One interesting subplot for "The Cove" win: Sundance 2009 is now faring pretty well, what with this victory and "Precious" landing two wins.

-- Steven Zeitchik

Comments

[Malcolm J. Brenner]

It took a lot of balls to make "The Cove," made under combat conditions in a distinctly hostile environment. It took a lot of balls for Hollywood to give the film an Oscar, 50 years after they spear-gunned a dolphin making "Flipper." I hope in the future no dolphins or killer whales will have to spend their lives in jail, and the ones that perform in movies will have an agent... and a translator. There is nothing we can give these creatures but their freedom, clean oceans, unpolluted fish to eat and our love.

[Diana Thater]

Ric O'Barry, the world's leading activist for dolphins and whales, held up a sign that said "Text Dolphin to 44144" and so what if it is a clear infraction - remember when all kinds of nutty things used to happen at the Oscars? Like people talking about politics and refusing awards? That little "infraction" made the night - someone disobeyed and it was an activist - how surprising! God bless Ric O'Barry and everyone who follows the sign's directions to help save the dolphins being slaughtered in Japan.