Video: Robert Downey Jr. Tebows at the Oscars

Love or loathe Tim Tebow as you may -- but there's no denying the cultural impact of The Chosen One. Prime example: At last night's Academy Awards ceremony, presenter Robert Downey Jr. preceded his trip to the stage with a little preparatory Tebowing -- one of several Colorado moments during...

By Michael Roberts

February 27, 2012

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Love or loathe Tim Tebow as you may -- but there's no denying the cultural impact of The Chosen One.

Prime example: At last night's Academy Awards ceremony, presenter Robert Downey Jr. preceded his trip to the stage with a little preparatory Tebowing -- one of several Colorado moments during Hollywood's biggest night.

As our friends at Westword's Show and Tell blog have noted, the Oscar-winning screenplay for The Descendants was based on a novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings, who not only lived in Colorado for a stretch, but worked in the Westword sales department. In addition, Daniel Junge, whose Saving Face won Oscar gold for Best Documentary Short Subject, is a proud member of the Colorado film community.

And let's not forget Best Animated Film winner Rango, whose opening section features a cameo/homage dedicated to the late author Hunter S. Thompson, the longtime Coloradan and proud progenitor of Gonzo-ism.

Yet Downey's gag was the most unexpected link to our fair state -- one that our friends at the original Tebowing website picked up on instantly, as noted in this tweet:

Photo: Robert Downey Jr. Tebowing at the Oscars! #stillgoingstrong tmblr.co/ZxdrfwH6mXc6
— Tebowing (@Tebowing) February 27, 2012

A nod from one Iron Man to another. Look below to see a video of Downey's bit with Gwyneth Paltrow, as well as the Hunter S. Thompson snippet from Rango.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

Contact: Michael Roberts

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