There are are a few of them. Refusing to allow Hattie McDaniel to sit with her cast and crew members and forcing her to sit at a table in a back corner at the 1940 Oscars was much worse. Some say that Will Smith should give his Oscar back, but the Academy awarded Roman Polanski an Oscar for Best Director for The Pianist years after he fled the country to escape jail time for raping a child.
Right? Like this
I just have one question:
Who still watches the Oscars?
Even if you care about the winners, you can look that up in about 5 minutes the following morning and use those 3 hours for something better.
You think the ratings are falling because it’s needlessly political, but the ratings are probably falling because it’s boring and elitist, and movies that the general public actually watch and like don’t get nominated/voted for.As a gay man, the Oscars used to be our Super Bowl. For decades it was Must See TV. There were parties that were planned months in advance. There were cocktails. There were outfits. I used to go to a famous OC Oscar's Party that was hosted by a fabulous couple who always employed a shirtless bartender to mix and serve drinks for the evening. Shirtless! Did I mention he wasn't wearing a shirt?
It all started collapsing in the early 2010's, with endless political claptrap from the celebs. By the mid 2010's it was becoming no fun. All the celebs were so needlessly political. Regardless of which political spectrum you were on, you didn't want to hear it on that magic night. I haven't been to a big Oscars party since 2018. No one hosts them anymore. Somewhere, there's a shirtless young bartender looking for a gig, and that's very sad.
The stats on TV ratings for the Oscars (which, as I'm a Straight ally, I have been told by a straight friend is like what the Super Bowl is for straight people) versus the TV ratings for the Super Bowl, is quite telling...
Nielsen TV Ratings By Year
2010 = Super Bowl 106 Million, Oscars 41 Million
2011 = Super Bowl 111 Million, Oscars 39 Million
2012 = Super Bowl 112 Million, Oscars 40 Million
2013 = Super Bowl 109 Million, Oscars 41 Million
2014 = Super Bowl 112 Million, Oscars 43 Million
2015 = Super Bowl 114 Million, Oscars 40 Million
2016 = Super Bowl 113 Million, Oscars 36 Million
2017 = Super Bowl 105 Million, Oscars 33 Million
2018 = Super Bowl 106 Million, Oscars 29 Million
2019 = Super Bowl 102 Million, Oscars 24 Million
2020 = Super Bowl 104 Million, Oscars 19 Million
2021 = Super Bowl 98 Million, Oscars 11 Million (Covid Depths)
2022 = Super Bowl 105 Million, Oscars 15 Million
It’s definitely a rare occasion
Place yourself in their actual position in the actual moment and not from a bystander perspective with the perfect instantaneous judgment of hindsight. Do we expect them to be in telepathic communication with identically gifted colleagues primed and ready to confer, decide, and dispense pure justice live on the spot?
Yes, yes. Reach back in history a half a century to find some "whatabout!?" item.
And blame John Wayne! He's a white guy! Blame him! And never fly out of his airport (regardless of ease of travel)!
Which I'm laughing at because a few hours ago I almost used the analogy "Imagine if Don Rickle's had told a typically saucy joke at John Wayne's expense during the 1970 Oscars, and John Wayne stormed up on stage and clocked Don Rickles!"
That never would have happened. Because John Wayne was a gentleman, and he would have understood what Don Rickle's role was that evening as an Oscar's telecast comedian. Because both of those men were grown adults with fully developed brains.
And they would probably tell a few racist jokes Cuz… 1970
@TP2000 I’m letting you know that when I bid you a good evening a few hours ago, I meant it. Not interested, nor am I in the mood to talk to you for the remainder of the evening, hence why I’m not reading, nor responding to your replies to me.
Just informing you, in case you were confused.
