Tom Cruise was presented the “courage” award at Germany’s Bambi Awards, their equivalent of the Oscars. The Bambis are drier than the Oscars, but aren’t as long and also include fashion and music awards. This year the musical acts included Rihanna and Bon Jovi and American celebrities in attendance were Cruise and Katie Holmes, Sharon Stone and Eva Longoria. Sofia Loren was also honored for her life’s work.

I just watched Cruise’s acceptance speech and he rambled on for more than five minutes. He was given the award after a long montage was shown featuring practically every movie he’s ever appeared in, so maybe he was feeling particularly nostalgic. Even though I didn’t understand all of it I was starting to feel embarrassed for him.

Cruise’s speech was dubbed over in German, which I usually understand in context, but it was hard to follow. I bugged the shit out of my husband to translate it for me, and he kept saying he couldn’t directly translate it and that Cruise was like a preacher who was just rambling on. Cruise talked about how gracious and welcoming the German people had been to him while he was filming Valkyrie, and he then spoke about his meager childhood and about he moved around a lot with his mom while he was growing up. Then he launched into this long diatribe about following your dreams or something. Every time you thought he was over he wasn’t and he would just keep rambling on. At one point the audience clapped and he should have taken his leave, but instead he stayed at the podium to go on at least twice as long. The camera panned to the audience quite a few times and the attendees looked bored and perplexed as he just went on and on.

When Cruise returned to his seat, Katie Holmes smiled slightly and looked down, you could totally tell that she was embarrassed by how effusive he was. I love the German people too, I married one, but there’s no reason to go on and on about it and philosophize without end at an awards show.

I’m not home at the moment, we’re moving and are at a hotel, or I would have taped this and put it up. As soon as it’s available online I’ll post the video here. It was truly incredible how long Cruise spoke.

Thanks to WENN for the pictures of Tom and Kate at the Bambis. Also does Katie look pregnant or is her stomach just sticking out? Either way, that’s not a flattering dress, but at least her new hair detracts from it.