Locals Won Big on Oscars Night at Canoe Place

Hampton Bays became ‘Hollywood West’ for Oscar night as around 100 people gathered in the Main Ballroom of the Canoe Place Inn and Cottages Sunday for an unofficial viewing party.

Guests sipped Oppenheimer and Barbie themed drinks, walked a red carpet and then settled in for an evening of advice and commentary from three PBS hosts. East Hampton resident Robert Downey Jr., who won for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Lewis Strauss in Oppenheimer, beat Montauk homeowner Robert De Niro, who was nominated in the same category for his role in Martin Scorsese’s acclaimed western Killers of the Flower Moon.

“We were excited to throw our first Oscar party,” said Canoe Place General Manager Matthew Kristan. “It’s a perfect fit for us because so many people from show business, sports and politics have been a part of our history.”

The audience included lots of film fans, local press and reportedly even a few Academy members who make their homes out here.

“If you couldn’t make it to L.A. this was a fantastic option,” said Patrick McLaughlin, a realtor and editor of HamptonsChatter.net. “The food was fantastic, and there were a lot of laughs.”

“It felt like we were watching it in a country club,” added table-mate Jackie Dunphy. “I especially loved the trivia questions and prizes sprinkled throughout the night,” she said. “I give it two thumbs up!”

Not faint praise from a woman who stood in for Sharon Stone as a hand model for Casino.

In addition to Jimmy Kimmel and the ABC telecast, the often comical banter came from Canoe hosts Bill McCuddy, Lisa Rosman and Neil Rosen.

“Ryan Gosling is my boyfriend,” Rosman gushed. “He doesn’t know it and he’s married to a great actress, but still.”

McCuddy said he wasn’t surprised there was more Oscar interest this year.

“It always depends on whether or not you have a horse in the race. The year Titanic won, 55 million people watched the Oscars. This year will be a bit below that.”

The telecast drew around 19 million people, up around two million from last year.

“The point is, a lot of people saw Oppenheimer and Barbie, so they actually cared about the outcome,” McCuddy said, noting that the Oscars were good for the restored Canoe Place Inn but also for nominated and winning Hamptonites.

“Yeah, the local boys did okay,” McCuddy quipped. “Robert Downey, Jr. won. And that kid Steven Spielberg handed out an important Oscar. He was also funny deadpanning in the audience to a few gags.”

Rosman, who cohosts the PBS/All Arts show Talking Pictures with Rosen and McCuddy says 2023 was a solid film year. Rosen reminded the audience that many of the nominees, as in years past, were first seen by Hamptons residents at the Hamptons International Film Festival last October.

“It didn’t really dawn on me how great the movies were this year,” Rosman said, “until tonight.” Rosen is a fan of Canoe Place and its Hollywood lore. “A lot of famous people have stayed here, you can feel it walking around this place.”

Angela Boyer-Stump of Sotheby’s Real Estate brought a table of 12. Missy Hargraves was one of her guests who answered a few trivia questions right. They all took home signed books, shirts, sheet music and other swag the studios sent to the three hosts during the Oscar season.

The crowd had their pictures taken on the red carpet and filled out ballots with help from the hosts.

“You can also guess,” Rosen urged. “We do that all the time.”

After the last envelope was opened and Oppenheimer secured its seventh Oscar of the night, the winning ballot belonged to a Montauk school teacher who lives in East Hampton. Donna Di Paolo got 19 of 23 categories right and won a gift certificate to Canoe Place for an overnight stay.

“This is fantastic,” she said. “As the night went on, I thought maybe I was winning.”

Di Paolo must know a little more than the hosts. She won an Oscar pool last year at a party.

“So we were her sequel,” McCuddy said with a grin.

Canoe Place officials say they are considering the evening as an annual event. And if there’s a teacher from Montauk in the room, she’s the one to beat.