David Niven’s streaker moment

by David Safier

After I put up the last post, I realized, if I remembered the moment when a streaker ran behind David Nivens at the Academy Awards, it has to be on youtube. Sure enough.

By way of background, I compared the hapless Tony Hill, who after subbing at a Glendale school wrote an angry blame-the-students email to Russell Pearce, to the streaker behind Nivens. My memory was that Nivens commented that "this man should not be making a public display of his inadequacies."

I was close, but Nivens was far, far better. For instance, instead of "inadequacies," Nivens used the word "shortcomings." I am not worthy, David N. I am not worthy.

Unfortunately, the embed feature of the video has been disabled. You can enjoy it on youtube, if you wish.

Here is Nivens' statement, delivered impromptu, with his usual grace and impeccable timing.

"Isn't it fascinating to think that probably the only laugh that man will ever get in his life is by stripping off and showing his shortcomings."