Dear Xan Brooks, who for the purposes of this post will represent all people who get agitated over Oscar nominations and winners,

Xan, do you know who Dr John Penno is? What do you mean you don’t know who Dr John Penno is!? He’s only Federated Farmers Agribusiness Person of the Year for 2009. Why should I give a toss about that, you ask? In the first place, because no Bruce Villanch stage patter can dream of matching

This award recognises John’s demonstrated leadership and the innovative business model Synlait has adopted as a cow to customer producer, his challenging of the status quo and contributing toward New Zealand’s growth.

But more to my pedantic point, because getting all red in the face about the Oscars is the same as worrying over which cow to consumer executive is going to get the best table at Federated Farmers yearly do.

They’re industry awards. Accent on industry.

Yours truly, Christian Long

PS Bret McKenzie better win best song.