Washington, D.C. (February 25, 2008) -- Last night's 80th annual Academy Awards was broadcast on ABC in beautiful High-Definition TV.

But, as everyone now knows, not everyone is beautiful in High-Definition TV.

Yes, high-def's picture is so clear -- so life-like -- that you can see every facial imperfection; every wrinkle; every tug of the plastic surgeon's knife. As a result, many TV celebrities come off looking worse (or better) in HDTV than you might think.

So, with that in mind, here is our annual...

Swanni's...
HDTV 'Best & Worst' at the Oscars!


Worse
John Travolta
People like to call a toupee "a rug," but Travolta's toup is starting to look like an actual rug. I don't think he combs his hair; I think he vacuums it. Last night, he wore his close-cropped Caesar toupee, but it looked more like Cleopatra's asp up there. In high-def, it's the most unnatural "hair: I've ever seen. Travolta needs to get a better hair piece or just give up and go natural. In high-def, Stevie Wonder can tell that thing's a toup.


Worse
Katherine Heigl
The Grey's Anatomy star is gorgeous, but last night she looked like she had vacationed in a toaster oven. Her makeup, particularly on her forehead and cheeks, was a crimson red, making her look half-baked; whoever did her makeup must have been half in the bag. And here's the irony of it all: Heigl last night presented the award for... "Achievement in Makeup!"

Better
Jessica Alba
Preggers or not, Jessica looked awesome as usual with clear, glistening skin that would make any woman envious. And more than a few men lascivious.


Worse
Laura Linney
The actress gets the award for what appears to be the worst Botox job of the night. Her forehead was more frozen solid than a Hollywood agent's heart.

Worse
Harrison Ford
The Indiana Jones star last night looked like a million bucks -- crinkly, wrinkled and green. At his age, he shouldn't look for the Holy Grail. He needs to look for the Fountain of Youth.


Better
George Clooney
The Michael Clayton star must have negotiated an agreement with the Devil. Despite approaching his late 40s, his face is still relatively unlined and there's very little sagging skin around the eyes.

Better
Nicole Kidman
No doubt, she gets the needle, too, but somehow Nicole pulls it off; her skin is so beautiful that you can't help but be in awe.


Worse
Cameron Diaz
Oh, dear God, the poor girl. It's not the first time here that we've reported on Cam's unclear complexion, which is all too clear in high-def. Acne. Pockmarks. You name it. But last night, she looked particularly rough; she had more break-outs than eight episodes of Prison Break.

Worse
The Coen Brothers
The creative team behind the Oscar-winning No Country for Old Men demonstrated why they are behind the camera. In high-def, the Oscars are No Show For Old Coen Brothers. On Ethan Coen, I haven't seen teeth like that since Shark Week on the Discovery Channel.

Worse
Diablo Cody
The Oscar-winning Juno screenwriter sported on her arm a loud and large tattoo of a woman in a red bikini. I know Ms. Cody used to be a stripper, but this is the Oscars, sweetie, not LA Ink. Next time, cover up. (That is, if there is a next time, flavor of the month.)

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Swanni (Phillip Swann) is president and publisher of TVPredictions.com. He has been quoted in dozens of publications and broadcast outlets, including CNN, Fox News, Inside Edition, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, The Financial Times, The Associated Press and The Hollywood Reporter. He can be reached at swann@tvpredictions.com or at 703-505-3064.

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