Sandra Bullock's Comeback Strategy: Self-Effacement and Same-Sex Kisses

Sandra Bullock has no film to promote, and nothing to atone for, but she's in the middle of a publicity blitz as strategic as a surgical strike.

What makes her appearances at the Spike TV Guys Choice Awards and the MTV Movie Awards so unique is that as a press tour from an A-list star, it's rather unprecedented. Ever since her marriage to Jesse James imploded in the wake of her Oscar win for Best Actress, all eyes have been on Bullock's move, and she and her team have controlled that next step like a pro.

If you could put a name to the strategy, it'd be something along the lines of "Acknowledge the situation, then change the conversation." Bullock's first demonstration of that came in April, where instead of doing the expected "victim of infidelity" cover of People, she instead produced a secret, adopted baby (!), making that the headline and her thoughts on divorce a mere addendum.

But what next? Bullock isn't the type to tote her new child around like he was the heir to Suri Cruise, and as a result, that storyline receded as Jesse James's own mea culpa interview -- and the attendant publicity burst of his mistress, Bombshell McGee -- dominated headlines.

That brings us to this weekend, when Bullock accepted two carefully chosen awards. Make no mistake, both were surely negotiated with Bullock's presence a prerequisite; had the star declined to attend, Spike probably would have given the Troops Choice Entertainer of the Year to whichever bombshell was willing to show up, and MTV would have handed the Generation Award to Cameron Diaz.

Instead, Bullock appeared at the Guys Choice Awards to joke about her personal life before pivoting to an unassailable tribute to the troops:

"Let's be honest here, just for a moment. Did I win this for being entertainer of the year, or did I win this because of the spectacular I.E.D. explosion that became my personal life?! It's okay. Because I would do it over again if it was to entertain our troops, and our extraordinary troops deserve something much more than some actress in a tight dress talking about herself."

Then, the actress showed up at last night's Movie Awards to smooch Scarlett Johansson in a sexy frock before again pivoting to a dramatic heartfelt tribute, this time to the areas affected by the BP oil spill:

So, in summation: Sandra Bullock would really like for you to think of her as a sexy altruist and not a victim -- at least until winter 2011, when her next film with can remind you of that other awards season storyline: her torrid chemistry with Meryl Streep. Lesson learned: there's no scandal that can't be defused by a good ol' same-sex smooch.