Dr. Batorious: To emcee our next two awards, please welcome the former editor of the Disney Afternoon fanzine 'Where The Fun Begins', Mr. Jeff Pierce....

::As polite applause breaks out and an instrumental riff of 'Everybody Loves Ned Flanders' from 'The Simpsons' sounds over the speakers, a somewhat overweight, sandy-blonde-haired man in his early '40s emerges from stage right. Blue-eyed, wearing eyeglasses and sporting a mustache, he really *does* look a lot like the cartoon character! Nevertheless, he manages to put forward a professorial air as he strides across the stage in his black rented tuxedo. Reaching the podium as the music ends, he faces the assembled audience::

JP (grinning a bit self-depreciatingly): Hi-dilly ho, neighbors!

::A general round laughter erupts, and then quickly subsides as he adopts a more serious tone::

JP: As editor of a fan publication oriented primarily towards fiction and commentary, I had the pleasure of seeing several of the earliest Rescue Rangers stories before they hit the Internet. I was always impressed by the skill and craft of the authors; and to this day, much of the emphasis of our collective fandom is dedicated to telling the continuing adventures of the Rangers and their adversaries.

::Jeff leans over the podium, getting comfortable::

Jeff: But let us also be honest, fellow Rangerphiles -- before author put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard......there was the *art*. For CDRR is, above all, a *visual* medium; and ever since the first days of the series, fans have created (with apologies to Mr. Monterey Jack) a 'veritable cornucopia' of imagery featuring their favorite Rangers. These run the gamut from single-panel images to full-fledged graphic novels, spanning almost every conceivable interpretation of the Rescue Rangers, and their universe, by a wide variety of talented artists.

::Jeff gestures grandly to the award next to him::

Jeff: And so it is that the next Golden Acorns are intended to honor the best single images created by you, the fans, over the previous year. To present our first award, in the category of Best Color Image (Flat), allow me to introduce a lady who was recently revealed to have her own artistic talents in the field of Japanese anime and manga. Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Foxglove Fairmont!

::Hearty applause, accompanied by wolf-whistles (especially from Dale) erupts as Foxglove, wearing a demure sleeveless, backless black evening gown, glides down from stage left and alights on the podium. Jeff adjusts the microphone and steps back out of the spotlight, leaving the pink-furred bat maid to take Center Stage::

Foxglove: Thanks, everyone! Especially you, cutie.

::She winks and a blows a kiss in Dale's direction::

::Dale jumps up out of his chair to catch the kiss, which somersaults him into the back row behind the other Rangers, face-down....only to emerge a moment later with a lipstick kiss on his cheek and a dreamy look on his face::

Dale: And now you know why I never mind it much when the D+F gang gets Foxy and me together!

::Dale brings an agreeing chuckle from the audience -- as well as a good-natured bonk on the head from Chip, as he reaches back over the seat to reboot his friend and partner::

Foxglove (a bit shyly): As Jeff mentioned, I do a bit of fan art myself, as Stainless Steel Rat revealed in his story, 'Foxglove wa otaku desu.' As a result, I've gained an even greater appreciation for the talents of our fans when they create new images of us for all the world to see.

Our first category, 'Best Colored Image (Flat)', refers to an image created primarily through the use of traditional media -- colored pencils, markers, pen and ink, or even crayon! This is probably the most common art style used by fan artists; and when they're used well -- as in the case of tonight's nominees -- the results are simply *magical*!

::Foxglove says with a smiles and a wiggle of wing digits, from which sparkly lights briefly flicker to illuminate her face and form, bringing several 'ooohs' and 'aaaahs' from the audience::

Foxglove: The nominees for Best Colored Image (Flat) are...

::reading them off the teleprompter as the images appear on the large screens on the stage behind the podium::

Gadget in the Night, by Mikhail;
Gadget's Cosmos, also by Mikhail;
Resurrection, *also* by Mikhail;
The Rangers of Oz, by Fish;
Valentine's Day 2005, also by Fish (with color by Obi-Wan Maplewood);
Mamaliens 3, *also* by Fish;
Someday I'll learn hands, by E. D. Thweatt; and
End of Work by Rex.

Foxglove (playfully): Hmmm...gee, wonder what these all have in common?

::She, as does everyone else, looks at the blonde-haired (and furiously blushing) female mouse inventor in the front row. Foxglove giggles slightly at her friend's discomfiture, as Jeff steps forward with the envelope, tears it open, and presents the card for Foxglove to read::

Foxglove: Thanks, Jeff! And the winner is... Fish for “Valentine’s Day 2005” and Rex for “End of Work”!

::As the audience stands and applauds, Fish comes up on stage::

Fish: Thanks to my colorist- Obi wan, of course- may the farce be with you….

::Obi-Wan Maplewood bows in the audience::

Fish: And an early "happy V-day" to everyone, be they pro, anti, or just plain romantically impaired. Now has anyone seen any suspicious wallabies running up a particularly large tab at the lobby bar with MY credit cards?

::A few nervous bits of laughter filter through the place, then Indy comes on stage::

Indy: Rex couldn’t be reached for his award, but rest assured he’ll get it. Security, check on that wallaby…

::Indy and Fish leave the stage, the orchestra playing as they go::