Question: Does Politics Belong at Oscars?

[Khephra]

Question: Does Politics Belong at Oscars?

LOS ANGELES -- Like celebrities and the red carpet, politics just can't seem to stay off the Oscars.

On Sunday night, Academy Awards host Billy Crystal said the first time he emceed the Oscars 13 years ago, "Bush was president, the economy was tanking and we'd just finished a war with Iraq." He then alluded to questions about President Bush's Vietnam-era service: "The academy and the Oscars have been very gracious to me. They let me come and go the past few years. It's kind of like being in the Texas National Guard."

Filmmaker Michael Moore, who won an Oscar last year and lambasted Bush from the stage, appeared momentarily in the opening montage of film spoofs -- being crushed by a monster.

Thus, The Associated Press asks "The Question": Does politics belong at the Oscars?

more.......................

http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/news/wire/sns-ap-oscars-the-question,0,5670004.story?coll=sns-ap-entertainment-headlines

[pinniped]

1. Why not?

The Oscars are viewed by millions and wherever and whenever the message can get out about the AHOLE in chief the better.

[whirlygigspin]

2. Only when it's funny

"The academy and the Oscars have been very gracious to me. They let me come and go the past few years. It's kind of like being in the Texas National Guard."

--that was damn funny, lol

[AliceWonderland]

3. Here's my two cents

IF it is assumed that "Hollywood" is made up of artists, then the point of being an artist is to do/be whatever is true to your creative spirit. An artist should never be required to be political OR apolitical.

There aren't a lot of actual artists in Hollywood. Lot of stars, lot of celebrities, but not a lot of artists. So, when an actual artist takes the stage to get an award, I'm even less inclined to forbid that person to say/be/do whatever.

But watch, this will become one more way to make the "entertainment industry" even more bland and insipid than it already is.

[Fight_n_back]

11. You don't know what you are talking about

The only place in the world with more artists than Hollywood is New York.

Actors make up about 1/20 of a movie set. Most of the crew and most of the non stars are creating things for the joy of creating them...the esscence of art.

Most of the stars do they things for the shear enjoyment (rather than money) about half the time.

[AliceWonderland]

13. Oh, I'm pretty comfortable

with what I'm talking about. Hollywood is an "entertainment industry" and far too many of its denizens are celebrities. If it were filled with artists, then, say, a highly talented woman over 30, who isn't a size 2, could find work. Hollywood isn't about artistry, it's about product. Now, that's fine, whatever... it really doesn't affect the argument I made. An artist should never be required to be political OR apolitical. Artists should do as they please, and to hell with what anyone thinks.

However, the fact that it's an "entertainment industry" makes me all the more adamant that artists should say whatever they like.

[Fight_n_back]

14. You can be ads comfortable as you like

but if you seperate "art" form "entertainment" as many non artists do, then that you means you don't consider dance an art or music or any of the performance arts for that matter.

And if you don't know the highly talented, over 30, not size 2 female actors getting work then why are you pretending to know what you are talking about?

Most of the female parts in most of the movies we see are for actors over 30 and larger than size 2.

[TreasonousBastard]

16. Hey you two...

get a room and hash it out.

Yes, artists do have a function of making the rest of us terribly uncomfortable. That includes writers, of course.

But, yeah... while Hollywood might have a bunch of serious creative types, the whole thing is a basically business filled with highly talented and effective crafts people, not so much the kind of artists who make you think.

Their purpose isn't to enlighten-- it's to sell you stuff.

[AliceWonderland]

17. Actually

I said nothing about artists and entertainment. I said that Hollywood is an "entertainment industry." It's about products and business and studio profits, because it's an industry.

Now, there are certainly walk-ons and small roles for older women who are not size 2 beauty queens. I re-watched American Beauty last night and an overweight woman got a great 90-second bit as the fastfood drive-through manager. But how substantial are those parts? How often are they leads? Who gets the big bucks and has the most influence? How much is there to choose from? I really don't think this is even a debatable point; Hollywood features pretty young faces. That's a given.

However, I'll reiterate the point: whatever. That doesn't affect the central point -- artists should be as free to be as political or apolitical as they please.

[Fight_n_back]

18. Evidently you didn't watch the Oscars

and see Diane Keaton and Patricia Clarkson and Marcia Gay Harden or last year with Queen Latifah and Kathy Bates.

Its not 1947. "Hollywood" is a place where people have meetings. The movies are made everywhere by everybody.


Its not set up to "sell you stuff". Everybody in the industry has the same heirarchy of needs, get work, get more work then get better work. Movies are of the same high quality as enything else. Almost everything made is crap. Most books suck. Every once in awhile ther is a Moby Dick but more often it is Tom Clancy. It doesn't mean that writing isn't art. It means that most writing is bad art.

Actually I think movies tend to be of a higher quality, at least in the US, than almost any other art. Just because movies aren't purposely arcane and indecipherable like fine art doesn't make it less artistic, it makes it more so. Most everyone involved in movies is there because they love making movies. Most of them could make more money doing straight jobs and there are hardly any celebrities at all, which is of course what makes them celebrities.

So don't be a hater...unless your experience in the movie indusrty is so much different than everyone elses. If thats so then Im all ears.

[DarkSim]

24. I resent you calling anything "bad art" there is no such term n/t

[Fight_n_back]

35. There obviously is such a term

or I wouldn't have been able to use it.

[info being]

36. There were a lot of stiff old white men on stage last night

Maybe "artist" is a reletave term.

[sandnsea]

4. Bob Hope on Reagan

They showed an old clip, "if you don't win an Oscar, you can always become a governor", or something close to that. (hey, that one still works too, I missed it the first time around, hahaha) Political jokes used to be considered normal. These right wingers have screwed up everything.

[Tiger Tank II]

5. Yes

I believe that if an actor wishes to speak his mind has a right to do so, and the Oscars is always been influenced by the world in which it resides it might as well reflect it.

[gottaB]

6. Ask Sean Penn

He seems pretty knowledgable on the subject--

Did everybody catch that wmd crack, or did it get redacted in the broadcast you saw?

[pinniped]

7. Missed it, what did he say?

n/t

[bcoble]

23. What he said was...

He was saying how he felt that the rest of the nominees for his award should have been up there on stage with him. From memory (heard it on the radio in Australia) he said something like:
There's some people missing up here tonight, a bit like the weapons of mass destruction, who are as deserving as me of this award, blah blah.... It was really quite a throwaway line - that just happened to be factually correct - so I don't see any basis for complaint!

So there you go. It was nothing we didn't already know. It was just something that some would rather we didn't dwell on...especially in election year in your country...
:shrug:

[shance]

If the truth isnt stated by mainstream media, it needs to come out somewhe

somewhere....

If we had fair coverage, there wouldnt be individuals feeling compelled to speak at other opportunities.

Since the dissolution of the Fairness Doctrine, individuals have to take every opportunity they can.

[aquart]

8. Stupid question of the day.

Belong? It's there.

Movies have to strike a note in the hearts of the people. Movies that are unaware of the politics of the time, don't sell.

[montana_hazeleyes]

9. I wonder if these same

people who question now,questioned when Clinton was the butt of the jokes?

[Piperay]

20. Oh no they feel that was

different because that was pre-911, it was all right to spew all that hate and contempt toward President Clinton. :argh: :mad:

[uhhuh]

10. I think AP is really asking the question

Don't you think our glorius leader and master should be immune to criticism any time a lot of people can see and hear it?

That's about the size of it.

[Protagoras]

30. That sums it up in my mind as well.

Artists have lampooned the wealthy and the powerful throughout time. From the jester and clown to the songwriter or stage actor...art is and always has been full of political satire and commentary. This most recent series of attacks on hollywood as "liberal elite" or whatever is an attempt by one party to undercut the normal process of political criticism. Notice you never hear the Right ask these questions of Chartlton Heston, or Arney...they don't mind "artists" questioning politics...they just don't think they should question THEIR politics.

[JohnOneillsMemory]

12. Yes. Art is about humanity, real life. Very important to keep it real. n/t

[TreasonousBastard]

15. Sure. Why not?

All award shows are self-promoting entertainment.

Why should they be any more immune from politics, religion, or even favorite recipes than any other entertainment?

It should be noted, of course, that heavy-handed, long-winded moralizing is usually frowned upon on such occasions. It's the quick jabe that gets the points.

[roguevalley]

19. Sure. Sean Penn got a standing O for more than his ability.

[slor]

21. Darn it!

I did not watch because I thought they would be in full self-censorship mode regarding politics. Glad I was wrong, but sorry I missed it.

[Protagoras]

31. On the whole it was kind of a boring Oscar Show imho

There were a couple brief moments that sparked my interest...really liked the "Kiss at the end of the rainbow" and Billy...but the show overall seemed rather subdued to me.

[Festivito]

22. All of America is a free speech zone. nt.

[Mr.Green93]

25. yes, the people need to be educated

[MrPrax]

26. What 's considered political?

I mean Errol Morris's thoughtful reflection that Iraq might be a 'hole' like Vietnam...?
Tim Robbins encouraging abuse victims to come forward?

I don't think anyone, save a few misguided souls, wants us to go back to telling golf jokes about Ike...

If anything the Oscar show was enjoyable this year and the 'so-called' politics were 'classy' as was the group shot of the winners at the end...

Kudos to the producers to make the show interesting even though one picture won everything with boring regularity...

[Mari333]

27. Crystal is wrong..the occupation of Iraq is NOT over

and if he and his friends had any balls to speak of, they would have boycotted the whole Oscars in lieu of the fact it was censored. a massive walk out, and a boycott .
But the egos being assauged took precedence over any real action on their part.

[rocktivity]

28. If Shill O'Reilly can routinely lambast "Hollywood liberals"

five days a week, why should they be begrudged two hours a YEAR in which to retailliate?

:headbang:
rocknation

[NashVegas]

29. Who Remembers Vanessa Redgrave's Acceptance Speech?

She stunned everyone so much that her moment is considered too hot for the perennial "Oscar's most memorable moments" specials.

Everyone else looks wimpy in comparison.

[gemini62167]

32. I've not been able to separate living from politics myself....

I've always wondered about those who've said "oh, I'm not a political person" or my favorite "I don't' do politics".

I've come to lose respect from public figures or celebrities who don't wish to stand up and use their "power" to foster awareness. It's as if they have nothing to say about anything important.

Life is politics. If people find it to tiresome and boring to be informed and passionate about how their leaders (self-appointed or elected) will effect theirs and their children's lives, they deserve to be taken advantage of. The avoidance of "politics" seems to be just lazy and escapist. I wish I could be so unaware. I want to spend fanciful afternoons on the lawn sippin' tea and only giving serious thought on were perhaps would be the best location for my gladiolas next year. . . ho hum.


Oh well... this is all pre-coffee and I apologize if it seems as shaky as caffeine withdrawal makes me feel LOL.

[donsu]

33. yes, of course it does - the personal is political

politics belongs everywhere

[Robb]

34. Of course not.

Politics should only be discussed on major TV networks, where they can control the message. Preferably at times of the day when no one is watching. :eyes:

/weak attempt at sarcasm

[duhneece]

37. At this critical time, is there anyplace where politics does NOT belong?

I can't think of any.