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The New York Film Critics Circle "has decided against a threatened crackdown on members who report on behind-the-scenes details of voting on awards this Monday," reports Envelope/Gold Derby's Tom O'Neil. "Fears ran high that members may be booted if they tattle on vote scores and other details of balloting after leaders responded furiously last year to one member blogging live during the vote session and another blabbing goings-on via Twitter."

In other words, NYFCC chairman Armond White has waved off complaints voiced last year by Entertainment Weekly's Lisa Schwarzbaum. She told O'Neil in late '08 "that she was so furious about the 'betrayal of our group's confidentiality' that 'a similar violation of the group's bylaws would result in a stern response,'" he writes.

"When asked if that meant that a member who reveals vote scores would be ousted from the circle, she avoided a direct answer, saying, 'Reporting the vote scores will not be tolerated.'

Last year's uproar was caused by N.Y. Post critic Lou Lumenick, who was live blogging last year during the NYFCC voting session. Lumenick confided last night that he intends to run right back to his office on Monday after voting ends and post all of the scores in detail at his blog, so that's where everyone can get the inside scoop fastest on Monday -- who came in second place, third place, etc.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on December 11, 2009 at 11:42 AM

comment #1

lbeale says ...

Inside baseball. Who really cares?

Posted by lbeale at December 11, 2009 12:14 PM

comment #2

raygo says ...

I seem to remember hearing about NYFCC runners-up in years past, but no necessarily about the politics behind the decisions. Not sure what the difference is, and in the blog age, it's pointless to try to keep the shades drawn.

As a kid reading reviews and the different trade rags at the library, I thought getting an award from NYFCC was more prestigious than an Oscar. They always seemed less sentimental, more artistic (and I include Cameron Diaz in that statement).

Posted by raygo at December 11, 2009 12:22 PM

comment #3

George Prager says ...

This is how the New York Film Critics Circle Awards are going to go down:

Best Movie: BROKEN EMBRACES
Best Director: Judd Apatow, FUNNY PEOPLE
Best Actor: Morgan Freeman, INVICTUS
Best Actress: Anna Faris, OBSERVE AND REPORT
Best Screenplay: Dave Eggers, WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
Best Supporting Actor: Dominic Cooper, AN EDUCATION
Best Supporting Actress: Maggie Gyllenhaal, AWAY WE GO

Posted by George Prager at December 11, 2009 12:29 PM

comment #4

great scott says ...

How a sorry-ass critic like Armond White got to be chairman of a film critics association is a mystery worthy of Sherlock Holmes. One good thing is that Precious probably won't be winning anything.

Posted by great scott at December 11, 2009 12:56 PM

comment #5

ZayTonday says ...

I stopped reading after "Armond White". Seriously. The fact that he is the chairman completely invalidates the NYFCC and they deserve to be a laughing stock as a result.

Posted by ZayTonday at December 11, 2009 4:51 PM

comment #6

JohnCope says ...

But evidently anyone else would provide the necessary validity? That's how laughably bad Armond is, right?

Posted by JohnCope at December 11, 2009 7:01 PM

comment #7

Muscle McGurk says ...

Great call Tonday, because having Peter Travers or Kyle Smith or Thelma Adams as the chairman would bring so much more credibility to their efforts.

Posted by Muscle McGurk at December 13, 2009 9:48 AM

comment #8

smith33jast says ...

I like the hollywood movie 2012.I think this movie must be legend
Colon Cleanse.

Posted by smith33jast at December 15, 2009 10:22 PM

comment #9

bradwilde says ...

I always prefer looking at Behind the scene making of the movie. We get to know how difficult it is to make a 2hr movie which we simply reject on the bases of music and actors.
Reverse Phone Lookup

Posted by bradwilde at December 22, 2009 8:35 PM

comment #10