Fans catch Hollywood magic-carpet ride

03/27/2000

By Paul Pringle / The Dallas Morning News

LOS ANGELES - From a prime spot in the Shrine Auditorium bleachers, a trio of Oscar fans from Dallas offered three reasons for sleeping on a dirty L.A. sidewalk.

"Kevin Spacey," said Michelle Raskiewicz, 33, a certified public accountant.

"Tom Cruise," said Myrtis Hooper, 37, a fellow CPA.

" 'N Sync!" yelled Ms. Hooper's 12-year-old daughter, Rochelle, pumping her fists in the air.

The Hoopers and Ms. Raskiewicz were part of the screeching, abuse-absorbing, star-crazy mob that provided sound and color for The Arrivals, the red-carpet ritual that kicked off Sunday's Academy Awards.

"This is our third year," related Ms. Hooper, above a roar of cheers and jeers for Joan Rivers' entrance. "We'd heard that you could come out here and get into the bleachers, and we said, 'Let's do it!' "

They grabbed a flight here Saturday and headed straight from the airport to the Shrine, where they camped on the pavement overnight. "It was cold," said Rochelle.

"Tonight, we'll get a hotel room," said Ms. Raskiewicz.

And on Monday, they'll return to Dallas.

But first there was . . . KEVIN! (who got one of the biggest whoops from the bleachers), then TOM! (who, with the help of wife Nicole Kidman, scored an even bigger one) and finally the kaleidoscope-haired members of 'N SYNC! (who did not register as loudly with the nonteens in the crowd).

"This is amazing!" said Joey Fatone, 'N Sync's crimson-headed crooner, who gazed into a blaze of flashbulbs.

The sleeping-bag set, about 500 strong, came from all over the country for an up-close glimpse of Hollywood glitz. Some had staked out a piece of flagstone on Jefferson Boulevard more than a week before the event. Two days was the average.

"We wanted to do the Oscar thing," said Mary Sanger, 50, who traveled here with four friends from St. Louis. All were decked out in sequined vests and floppy hats. They looked a little tattered from 48 hours on the street. "We had to see the stars!"

The celebrity parade stretched over three hours leading up to show time. As the famous faces moved along the rope line, the names chanted from the bleachers seemed to run together: Cameron!Drew!Hilary!Chloe!Uma!Antonio!Val!Russell!Keanu!Ethan!

"It's finally here, I'm so happy it's finally here," said Mr. Spacey. "Maybe when I get inside I'll start to get really nervous."

Film freaks who couldn't land a bleacher pass massed outside the Moorish auditorium, held at bay by steel barricades and police officers. About 20 climbed trees for a better view. Most were treated only to the sight of endless ranks of limousines.

"So far we got to see a hand," said Lynne Whitcomb, 39, an interior designer from nearby Thousand Oaks. She couldn't tell whether it was a star's hand.