Rich Heldenfels, Pop Culture Wanderer

There was a time when Burt Reynolds was, well, the coolest. His masculinity came with self-deprecation that underscored his self-confidence, his aggressiveness made room for some vulnerability. He could pose for Cosmopolitan -- you knew I couldn't leave that out -- and it was just a little romp. Men and women liked him, and -- key to his leading-man appeal -- he came across as someone who really liked women, and not just for a hop in the sack. Women could look at his relationship with Sally Field, onscreen and off, and think, well, if Sally Field  likes him. ... He was, in short, George Clooney before Clooney. And he knew how to reach across demographics: appealing to a Southern, drive-in kind of audience in some films; the action crowd in others, and the people who took movies seriously in a third. I was a southerner who loved action movies and good films, so I saw a lot of Burt Reynolds in the '70s: Fuzz, Deliverance, Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sex ,

From a Motion Picture Academy announcement: While remaining committed to celebrating a wide spectrum of movies, the Academy announced today that it will not present the new Oscars category at the upcoming 91st awards. The Academy recognized that implementing any new award nine months into the year creates challenges for films that have already been released.  The Board of Governors continues to be actively engaged in discussions, and will examine and seek additional input regarding this category.  “There has been a wide range of reactions to the introduction of a new award, and we recognize the need for further discussion with our members,” said Academy CEO Dawn Hudson.  “We have made changes to the Oscars over the years—including this year—and we will continue to evolve while also respecting the incredible legacy of the last 90 years.” Changes to the 91st Oscars (2019) include restructuring and shortening the length of the telecast to three hours.  To honor all 24 award categorie