There is a misperception in the film culture that Meryl Streep is the most decorated actor in the history of film. That may very well be true if you considered all of the nomination certificates she has earned. An entire paper wardrobe could be created from them, but if you were designing a suit of armor you might be able to pound out only one arm greave with the metal she has actually taken home.
Meryl’s files must be bulging with nominations but if she should ever downsize, I have an idea for her. In 1966, Scott Paper Co. offered paper A-line dresses with their new line of paper towels and toilet paper. It was an advertising gimmick that turned into a popular fashion fad. It was known as the Paper Caper. Why not have an awards show Paper Caper? Forty years later the IRS came down hard on awards show gift bags, and required recipients to fill out individual tax forms – unless they chose to donate their swags for charitable causes. Meryl probably has enough unfulfilled paper nominations to include one in every swag bag, along with instructions on how to fold them into the origami award du jour. I’m sure everyone would love one of Meryl’s nominations, and Meryl could consider them charitable contributions. It’s a win-win! They could call it the Streep Swag. After assembly you can place them in your trophy case. You can paint and decorate them. It might even turn into the Pokemon trend of the year! Pretty soon other nominees will offer up their paper. Jack Nicholson can throw in his nine paper Oscar losers. Richard Burton’s heirs can offer up all of his.
The most technically challenging Streep Swag would be the origami Emmy, but don’t think that Susan Lucci can hawk hers on the Home Shopping Network. No, no, no! It is forbidden to sell the Streep Swag! If the current owner no longer wants his/her Swag then it must be returned to the original owner, or the owner’s heirs — as is.
It wouldn’t be long before they would create the Streep Swag Award, given every year at every major awards show for the most artistic rendering of the previous years’ unfulfilled paper nominations.
Seriously, Meryl Streep’s trophy case is a little undernourished when it comes to the major awards. Take for example the picture above. If Meryl had won every major award for which she was nominated then her trophy case would look like the image at the left (if you spotted the extra Oscar it is because I’m assuming she will be nominated for Doubt). In reality, Meryl Streep’s trophy case looks like the one on the right. Anemic.
In 2007, May Brenner, wife of Nobel Prize winner Sydney Brenner, said the following during an interview: “Prizes are so external. They’re not like friends and they’re not even like good meals … or they’re not like beautiful music or they’re not like holding someone’s hand. They don’t get inside you where these other things get. They’re very external.” [R.I.P. May Brenner: 30 Dec 2009]
I bet the four greatest awards Meryl Streep ever received were conceived internally and won’t fit in a trophy case.
Filed under: 1, Entertainment, Meryl Streep Tagged: | Academy Awards, Entertainment, Meryl Streep, Oscars
I agree with you. Meryl deserves more than she actually gets. I would love to see her winning for Doubt. She did a fantastic job. Great post Mr.
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[...] by displaying the “perceived” and “actual” Meryl Streep trophy cases. Once again, I present the visual guide to Meryl’s Streep’s nominations and awards. If Meryl Streep had won every major award for which she was nominated as an actor, her trophy case [...]