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Sunday, Nov 8, 2009
The low points of the Oscars for me occurred in the first 30 seconds of the broadcast and the last 30 seconds. I knew in those first 30 seconds exactly what would occur in the last 30 seconds. Homosexuality is still a concept that's OK to joke about in this country. The Academy knows that even among those people who loved "Brokeback Mountain" as a film, there is huge discomfort with issues involving gay sex and relationships. So it's not only OK to pick that issue as the opening joke of the evening, it's an opening joke that's sure to score big points with all viewers, from those sympathetic to the film to the raging homophobes. Think about it -- pick any other minority in this country -- racial, religious, or otherwise. Would it be OK to spend the opening 30 seconds of a program viewed by hundreds of millions of people around the world making fun of that group? Making fun of exactly the thing that defines them as a minority? Could you open the Oscar broadcast having a group of people pointing and laughing at someone's black skin or someone's Asian features? Could you just laugh at people having trouble operating their wheelchairs? Of course not. Why, then, is it sill OK to make fun of just being gay? Didn't Matthew Shepherd change that? And if it's OK for a group like the Academy (a group that went on for 2 and a half hours congratulating itself for being broad-minded), why isn't it OK for highschool kids, employers, the military, and everyone else to make fun of (and marginalize) gay people for being gay? It's no wonder that, as has been reported, older Acadamy voters couldn't even bring themselves to watch the movie, much less vote for it as "Best Picture".
So much more could be said in criticism of that opening scene. Why would a prominent Jewish comic and a prominent African-American comic participate in it? Shouldn't they, more than most, understand the subtly corrosive effects of that kind of humor? Some would say, well, each one of them makes fun of his own Jewish-ness or his own black-ness, so why isn't gay humor OK? The simple answer is that when gay people are truly accepted in the mainstream in this country, and a prominent OUT gay actor is up there making the jokes and lifting the boat for all gay people, than maybe I'll react differently. As it was, I cringed as soon as I saw the pup-tent show up on the screen. I knew it was a moment I was supposed to let slide and laugh at, along with the straight people I was watching the show with. But what I felt in my heart was -- this ain't gonna' be the year Oscar does right by gay people.
All I have to say is, I completely understand why Cintra wants to go off on the bOrscars. I, personally, thought Jon Stewart did a fantastic job! Her reference to him knowing he tanked in the first 20 seconds? Do you watch the Daily Show, Cintra? Because I do, and have, since Craig Kilbourne ran it. I watched Jon's take over, and his rise to fame, with pride and love in my heart. If you do watch the show, you will notice Jon's self deprecating reactions to his jokes. The " me and my jokes are tanking" look IS Jon Stewart. Bringing Stephen Colbert in to voice over video shorts to be shown throughout the night, mocking the constant movie montages, making light of celebrities in an intelligent way, for me, made the oscars better than they have been in years. I will admit to the boringness factor being high, but my favorite moments were the Jon moments.
I think you need to know think before you write with such anger and disappointment. Maybe take a breath, count to ten, watch the Daily Show, as well as Oscar's passed. YOu will realized what a marked improvement this is for the next generation of both stars and movie goers.
Yes, the Oscars are dull. They are getting duller by the year. For me, the predictability of the results was a big factor. It wasn't until Crash won that I sat up and said "What?" I knew every winner down the line until that moment.
I really enjoy reading Cintra's comments after the Oscars. I have looked for them every year for the past few. I love her biting insights.
I do have to disagree with a few of her comments however. Personally, I don't think we need to see any more skin or nipples of the ladies in their gowns. I find the post Janet Jackson necklines to be quite lovely. After a while, all that flesh gets as boring. And annoying.
And, although Klute was a great movie, I am hoping that Hollywood has moved on a bit from focusing on women as prostitutes. The movement coming not from a censorship perspective, but from an enlightened one. That's probably naive of me, but I've had my fill of Hollywood hookers. Can women do something else for a living in the movies?
Anytime I read something so hateful, I automatically think well this one wasn't picked, included, wanted, listened to, or was ignored by the big boys and girls. And so we react by stamping our feet, screaming dirty words, making terrible faces and then breaking down in tears or committing professional suicide.
Sweetie, you ain't never gonna make the big time, and no, they ain't never gonna give two shakes what you say. So have your bitch and find something better to do, because no matter what you say, no matter what you do, NOBODY CARES!!
And no, I didn't read past the first sentence, only glanced at headings to make sure. What a pathetic twit - get a real job 'cause you certainly suck at this one.
I'm suspecting Cintra was exhausted after her long podcast and wasn't in top form. Lack of sleep can do that to you. Her article, while witty, was heavy on bitterness and she only succeeded in alienating the majority of your readers.
Cintra, if you nailed it, I'd give you all the credit in the world, but "no cleavage"? Tons of it--Dolly Parton was a guest, fer crissakes. "Jon sold out"? He did a commendable job and that seemed to be the general concensus. If he wishes to be invited back, it's in his best interest to not piss all over the red carpet lining Hollywood Bvld. To harp on about the lack of swearing in "It's Hard out here for a Pimp" when its misogyny was celebrated and rewarded for God-knows-what merit just blows my mind. I could go on, but I think the 150+ letters you have received just about cover it.
It's unfair for readers to accuse Cintra of submitting this prior to the awards, though, as her piece contains observations she couldn't have known otherwise, unless she's moonlighting on some 1-800-psychic hotline.
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