Hollywood Onanism
Why do you care?
Who is it that watches Hollywood award shows such as the Golden Globes and the Oscars? And the more important question: why? I know of absolutely no reason why anyone would waste their time watching the smug congratulate themselves over and over while trying to convince everyone not in the room just how important they are. And to top it off, you then have to sit through speeches that half the time turn into lectures on just how bad things are in a country that allows individuals with severe psychological issues or drug problems make millions of dollars a year.
And further, is there any group out there that does more self-congratulatory back-patting than the entertainment industry? I found this website which keeps track of the results of the award shows. By my count, there are about thirty different organizations that feel the need to heap praise on an industry that at its very core is all about people who seek the praise of their respective audiences. Unbelievable.
Just say no to awards shows, people.
*** *** ***
And now a response from FlashCap:
While I agree with many of the above points about award shows, particularly the sense that they’re self-congratulatory and often reflect an overinflated sense of importance in both actors and the films themselves, I do believe award shows (and for convenience’s sake I’m going to reference the Oscars exclusively here) are not the bane of existence Juggernaut makes them out to be.
All areas of society attempt to recognize the best in their respective field of endeavor, whether it’s awarding “Most Valuable Player” awards to athletes from little league on up to the professional leagues, teachers being recognized by their peers, business chains recognizing their top-performing stores. Hell, I bet even law firms have end-of-the-year parties celebrating who billed the most hours.
Of course, these examples are not advertised or celebrated as much as the Oscars, but the Academy Awards are recognizing a particular aspect of the public domain, film, and thus there is a larger public interest in them than other awards. Yes, portions of the ceremony can be aggravating, particularly those award recipients who use their time at the podium to express views that 1) have nothing to do with the award won and 2) express some sentiment we disagree with, but such moments are not the focus of events. It is the recognition of excellence.
Except of course when the Academy is wrong. Best Picture my ass.
