It's raining, it's pouring, wet Oscars is less boring

LOS ANGELES -- As it was last year, the red carpet is a shade darker. Yep, rain at the Oscars is becoming a bit of a short-term tradition.

The Academy Awards red carpet once again took place under the big, clear plastic tent, which they set up whenever there's even a chance of rain. And, as last year, it was more than a chance -- it was a big, wet reality:

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

An aerial view of the #Oscars red carpet, where @ChrisConnelly is pumping up the crowd https://t.co/wvzC3q8Tv4— Brian A. Hernandez (@BAHjournalist) February 22, 2015

Not such a big deal for the stars, whose limos arrive in a protected area. But for the thousands of fans, publicists, seat-fillers, journalists and other mere mortals, rain means a definite hair-and-makeup ruiner:

PROTECT THE HAIR AT ALL COST! #OscarsRedCarpet pic.twitter.com/042vkrfagh— Brian A. Hernandez (@BAHjournalist) February 23, 2015

Even Oscar himself had to take steps to protect the face:

An Oscar statuette is covered as rain falls on the red carpet before the 87th Annual Academy Awards. Credit: Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

The rain didn't keep Ed Begley Jr. from riding his bike:

At the @TheAcademy Awards. Now I gotta lose the windbreaker & dry off! pic.twitter.com/dJlNf5XTHD— Ed Begley, Jr. (@edbegleyjr) February 23, 2015

But it was warm and dry inside the Kodak Theatre, and once everyone was piled in, the rain was a distant memory.