The 90th Academy Awards were held last night. As usual, the event featured the self-congratulatory entertainment-industry insiders taking pot-shots at political opponents and signaling all sorts of virtue. And this year, for extra fun, the honored films included one about bestiality and one about pedophilia.
Noted late-night crybaby Jimmy Kimmel hosted the show. His monologue was more of the recycled tripe that we’ve come to expect from Kimmel, touching on topics ranging from the #MeToo movement to the “amazing students at Parkland” and the “March for our Lives” event, which is scheduled for March 24. Kimmel, of course, couldn’t resist a couple of jokes at the expense of the White House.
“None other than President Trump called Get Out the best first three-quarters of a movie he’s seen this year,” Kimmel joked. Later, Kimmel clowned, “We don’t make films like Call Me By Your Name to make money. We make them to upset Mike Pence.” Call Me By Your Name is a film which celebrates the homosexual relationship between an adult and a 17-year-old boy. And later still, Kimmel babbled, “If the last two years have taught us anything it’s that reality can be quite depressing. But there’s always hope. Except at the White House, Hope quit on Tuesday.”
Other virtue signaling included:
• In presenting one award, actors Kumail Nanjiani and Lupita Nyong’o told America’s illegal immigrants, “We stand with you.”
• Several celebrities wore orange lapel pins in support of Everytown for Gun Safety, Michael Bloomberg’s gun-control group. Of course, they did this while being protected by more than 500 armed security officers.
• Someone named Common gave a quasi-musical performance referencing the DACA program and the #MeToo movement and demeaning the National Rifle Association: “Immigrants get the benefits; we put up monuments for feminists / Tell the NRA they in God’s way.”
• In an especially weird moment, Best Actress winner Frances McDormand asked all of the female nominees to stand up and bid the audience to “Look around ladies and gentlemen, because we all have stories to tell and projects we need financed.” McDormand ended the bizarre scene by saying, “I have two words to leave you with tonight, ladies and gentlemen: inclusion rider.” An inclusion rider is a clause in a contract that ensures diversity in a film.
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If only the vast amount of hot air and fake virtue emanating from the attendees could somehow be harnessed into energy we could shut down all the coal fired electric plants and cease all fracking operations today.
The Guillermo del Toro (shown) film The Shape of Water won Best Picture, and also took home Oscars for Best Director, Best Original Music Score, and Best Production Design. The basic plot of the film is that of a deaf-mute cleaning lady who works at a secure government facility where she meets, falls in love with, and has sex with a man-like amphibian creature who is scheduled to be dissected and studied by evil scientists.
Yuk.
At least America seems to be finally getting the message that Hollywood doesn’t care about them. Only two of the nine nominees (Dunkirk and Get Out) have netted more than $100 million this year. And this year’s awards were, reportedly, the lowest rated in history as far as viewers.
Hollywood does deserve some credit for tackling some of their own issues, most notably the rampant sexual harassment that the industry is justly famous for. Harvey Weinstein, the face of Hollywood perversion, was not at the event. Last year’s Best Actor award winner, Casey Affleck, withdrew from presenting this year’s Best Actress Oscar amid sexual-harassment allegations. And serial pervert Kevin Spacey was also a no-show at the event.
This year’s Oscars were not completely devoid of any redeeming value. Actor Gary Oldman, who won the Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Sir Winston Churchill in the film Darkest Hour, used a portion of his acceptance speech to actually thank his adopted country of America. “I’ve lived in America for the longest time and I’m deeply grateful to her for the loves and the friendships I have made and the many wonderful gifts it has given me: my home, my livelihood, my family and now Oscar.”
Oldman’s heartfelt thanks to America was greeted with stony silence from the audience members. That should tell you all you need to know about Hollywood.
Photo: AP Images
