I'm dreading the Oscars.

When all you ever do is reflexively bash liberals using statements that are utterly unsupported by evidence? I wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest by that reaction to your posts.

So let’s see your studies. You know. Data. Evidence. Anything to counter your obviously warped and fact-free world view.

Sorry, that doesn’t qualify. Show me studies done by unbiased authorities that specifically claim that turnout is reduced by liberal activism. Or tell me that the moon is made of green cheese, both have the same amount of scientific truth behind them.

It worked for Cato the Elder: “Carthaga dalenda est.”

'Cept the Latin sounds a bit more elegant.

This. The only reason to watch the Oscars in the past was the entertainment value of someone like Billy Crystal.

I’m certainly not interested in watching people pat themselves on the back over a bunch of mediocre movies.

And for those who don’t care about the Oscars, or watching the broadcast, okay, you don’t. But it’s something I enjoy a lot. No matter how much you denigrate it, I’d no more miss it than I’d miss the Super Bowl.

Now that you bring it up, when is the Super Bowl, btw? Not that I intend to watch it.

Last night. Patriots won, Tom Brady is the winningest QB in history, Lady Gaga put on an awesome halftime show, and George Bush the Elder did the coin toss, in what may very well be his last public appearance.

I don’t disagree with your sentiment but I couldn’t help reading it in my Don LaFontaine voice.

I appreciate your optimism.

That is the correct voice for reading it.

Hollywood: We hate Trump.

Everybody else: Yes, we know.

Hollywood: But we really, really hate Trump.

Everybody else: Yes, we know - you hate Trump.

Hollywood: But you don’t understand! We really, really hate Trump.

Everybody else: All right already. We get it. You hate Trump.

Hollywood: But we really, really, REALLY hate him.

Everybody else: Fine. You hate Trump. Can you talk about anything else?

Hollywood: But did we mention how much we hate Trump?

Regards,
Shodan

Gosh, Everybody Else. Is it tough for you to hear that people dislike Trump? Because, All the Feels.

I don’t know about “tough” but it’s certainly repetitive.

Sure. A lot of politics is. Convince Trump to stop harping on dishonest media and on made-up accusations of criminal/terrorist activity, maybe the complaints about him will become a little less repetitive too.

The appropriate time to speak out against Trump is any time there is a live mike and a camera. Or just a mike. Or an audience, particularly an international audience. Or merely a domestic audience. Or a few people. Or an ear or two. Sign language is appropriate, as well.

Or maybe - just maybe - the folks who hate him could STFU about it for five minutes so the saturation effect doesn’t turn their views into background noise in the form of a humming, angry buzzing of malconents. Make your displeasure known in moderation.

He’s a polarising figure and has done some extremely unpopular and potentially ill-advised things. Certain segments of US society are (varying degrees of) understandably extremely unhappy about this.

Everyone on the planet knows most liberal-minded folks in the US really, REALLY hate your new president. Mongolian yak herders living in yurts on the steppes and getting their news from a Soviet-era shortwave radio know it. Cargo Cults on isolated South Pacific islands who think members of the British Royal Family are deities know it. Japanese soldiers hiding in Indonesian caves refusing to surrender because they think World War II is still going know it.

Banging on about (generic) your dislike of the US President - one who was, like it or not, elected in a properly democratic manner - isn’t going to convince anyone to change how they think. Everyone who agrees already agrees, so you’re preaching to the choir and engaging in a country-sized mutual masturbation excercise or game of I Am More Outraged Than You And Also Come And Laugh At My Meme Lololol isn’t a productive approach to things.

Sorry, but I’m not buying any of that.

Mr Trump announced he was ushering in the end of political correctness. Unapologetically calling people racists and throwing around F bombs. All to the thunderous applause of his followers.

Welcome to the new order. If your guy gets to swear and call people racists then there is no grounds for complaint when Oscar speeches or Broadway stars sound off as they see fit. Or is straight talk only okay when you agree with the sentiment?

I would point out that Hollywood presenters have been unfailingly respectful compared to Mr Trump’s open attacks on Mexicans, Muslims, etc. I haven’t heard a single one of them drop an F bomb yet either.

Just goes to show how much people enjoy living in an echo chamber. Research does show that pleasure centers in the brain are activated when you hear an opinion that you agree with, so it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. Never mind that one of the main reasons so many people are attracted to Trump is that the elites don’t like him, so the most likely effect of this will be to make him even more popular. Neve mind that; just give me my cheese!

I’m sorry - I didn’t understand what you were saying the last 562,388 times. How do you feel about Trump?

Regards,
Shodan

I think the Oscars have been tainted anyway by the oscarssowhite controversy last year. Many will constantly have the thought in the back of their heads that the members are voting with racial issues in mind. Does such and such an actor deserve an Oscar for this performance? Well, yes, but he’s white and there are too many whites this year.

What about this Chinese guy? Not the greatest performance of the year but hey we haven’t had a Chinese guy for a while, if ever. He’s in!

The sad thing is that even had there been no controversy Denzel Washington would have been deservedly nominated this year (and will hopefully win) for his fantastic performance in Fences. Minority actors don’t need pressure groups fighting for them, their talent alone will get them there anyway.

I won’t be watching this year, though admittedly not solely for the reasons above. The stars just don’t seem to have the same magnetism that they had years ago. I guess it’s my age showing!

I’m sorry, but I read that a few times and I can’t help to notice how contradictory that post is.