# Razzie Awards face sharp criticism for nominating ‘Firestarter’ child star:... called an outdated relic by hollywood **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 24, 2023, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razzie-awards-face-sharp-criticism-for-nominating-firestarter-child-star-called-an-outdated-relic-by-hollywood/978726 "2023-01-24T13:18:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2023, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razzie-awards-face-sharp-criticism-for-nominating-firestarter-child-star-called-an-outdated-relic-by-hollywood/978726/1 "2023-01-24T13:18:14Z")
did they go too far this time? i don’t think so but are they an outdated relic as people in the article claim ? > **[Razzie Awards face sharp criticism for nominating ‘Firestarter’ child star:...](https://www.aol.com/razzie-awards-face-sharp-criticism-004349755.html)** > > A year after rescinding award for an ailing Bruce Willis, the "anti-Oscars" endure harsh backlash for targeting 12-year-old. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2023, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razzie-awards-face-sharp-criticism-for-nominating-firestarter-child-star-called-an-outdated-relic-by-hollywood/978726/2 "2023-01-24T14:10:15Z")
Mocking child actors may not be the best look. But I suspect most of the blowback is from people who take themselves far too seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2023, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razzie-awards-face-sharp-criticism-for-nominating-firestarter-child-star-called-an-outdated-relic-by-hollywood/978726/3 "2023-01-24T14:16:40Z")
I am reminded of [The Onion’s article about Quvenzhané Wallis](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/feb/26/onion-c-word-tweet-quvenzhane-wallis) that turned out to be a few steps too far even for satire. Like many people I got the intended joke, but sometimes it’s better to be kind than to be funny. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2023, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razzie-awards-face-sharp-criticism-for-nominating-firestarter-child-star-called-an-outdated-relic-by-hollywood/978726/4 "2023-01-24T14:29:20Z")
If it is well-deserved, then I have no problem with nominating a child actor for a Razzie, specifically Jake Lloyd for _The Phantom Menace_. That being said, there are many fine child actors so maybe we should call out the casting director for not finding kids that can act. The real social question is should we give children a pass for not being good at something? Maddox [doesn’t seem to think so](http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=irule). Warning NSFW language. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2023, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razzie-awards-face-sharp-criticism-for-nominating-firestarter-child-star-called-an-outdated-relic-by-hollywood/978726/5 "2023-01-24T14:38:22Z")
I’d be fine with the Razzies going away…as long as they take the Oscars with them. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2023, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razzie-awards-face-sharp-criticism-for-nominating-firestarter-child-star-called-an-outdated-relic-by-hollywood/978726/6 "2023-01-24T15:46:42Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > If it is well-deserved, then I have no problem with nominating a child actor for a Razzie, specifically Jake Lloyd for _The Phantom Menace_. I think Jake Lloyd did a perfectly fine job with the role presented to him. Then he was bullied and harassed so relentlessly that he quit acting. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2023, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razzie-awards-face-sharp-criticism-for-nominating-firestarter-child-star-called-an-outdated-relic-by-hollywood/978726/7 "2023-01-24T15:56:15Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > I think Jake Lloyd did a perfectly fine job with the role presented to him. Agreed. He was in a highly-anticipated film, for which fans had ridiculously high expectations. But, the film had a mediocre script, and Lloyd, as a child actor, was directed by a filmmaker who is notorious for being not particularly good at directing even adult actors, much less kids. > [@](#): > > Then he was bullied and harassed so relentlessly that he quit acting. And wound up having to change his name, had several run-ins with the law, and developed schizophrenia. It’s a sad story, and driven by people who felt they had the right to publicly ridicule and bully a kid. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2023, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razzie-awards-face-sharp-criticism-for-nominating-firestarter-child-star-called-an-outdated-relic-by-hollywood/978726/8 "2023-01-24T16:48:03Z")
Something like the Razzies only exists to make fun of things. Which is fine, and can be very funny and entertaining. But there really is no other value in recognizing the “worst”. As humor, it fails when it “punches down” which will always be the case with children and other newcomers to the business. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2023, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razzie-awards-face-sharp-criticism-for-nominating-firestarter-child-star-called-an-outdated-relic-by-hollywood/978726/9 "2023-01-24T16:49:29Z")
> **[The man behind the Razzies: 'Brian de Palma had no talent'](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/jan/13/razzies-golden-raspberry-film-awards-brian-de-palma)** > > For 35 years, the Golden Raspberry awards have existed to annoy filmmakers – but do they really recognize the year’s worst movies or simply follow the herd? The Raspberries suck and the man who runs them should be thrown into a volcano. They are the definition of punching down. ---
**Author:** ![tullsterx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tullsterx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tullsterx)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2023, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razzie-awards-face-sharp-criticism-for-nominating-firestarter-child-star-called-an-outdated-relic-by-hollywood/978726/10 "2023-01-24T18:03:11Z")
[AOL - News, Politics, Sports, Mail & Latest Headlines - AOL.com](http://aol.com?!?!)? WTF. That still a thing? Frankly, I don’t think many care what they think. Plus, it’s kinda ridiculous to criticize the Razzie Awards. I really don’t see the Razzie awards as legitimate criticism, and there’s plenty of that, so what’s the point in judging the Razzie Awards? They’re a joke really. By intention. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2023, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razzie-awards-face-sharp-criticism-for-nominating-firestarter-child-star-called-an-outdated-relic-by-hollywood/978726/11 "2023-01-25T19:59:12Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > As humor, it fails when it “punches down” which will always be the case with children and other newcomers True. Razzies work for example when roasting Academy Award Winner Halle Berry for _Catwoman_ — she’s an Oscar winner, at the time a top line star, and then she goes on to headline a stinkbomb. And she was a good sport about it and leaned into it by showing up and giving an acceptance speech. So good fun for everyone. So yeah, it is something that really needs to focus on picking on someone who can give and take. Which is not to say an ocassional nomination straight out in the spirit of “damn, did this ever really suck, not joking, this was terrible” would be out of line (call it the Ebert-Schneider Deuce Bigalow Achievement Award) but again, keep it to “someone your own size”. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2023, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razzie-awards-face-sharp-criticism-for-nominating-firestarter-child-star-called-an-outdated-relic-by-hollywood/978726/12 "2023-01-25T20:18:06Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Razzies work for example when roasting Academy Award Winner Halle Berry for _Catwoman_ — she’s an Oscar winner, at the time a top line star, and then she goes on to headline a stinkbomb. And she was a good sport about it and leaned into it by showing up and giving an acceptance speech. So good fun for everyone. And, frankly, even A-list actors make movies that they know are going to be dogs (or, at least, come to realize that they are going to be dogs), often because the money’s good, and generally speaking, all but the very top end of the acting profession would likely tell you that working is always better than not working. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2023, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razzie-awards-face-sharp-criticism-for-nominating-firestarter-child-star-called-an-outdated-relic-by-hollywood/978726/13 "2023-01-25T20:25:13Z")
They definitely follow the herd, infamously when they gave The Thing multiple razzies nominations and have given Sly Stallone 10 different worst actor awards. Also lately when they decided to just start giving awards to non-movie people, such as when they gave the 2020 Worst Actor Award to Mike Lindell (The My pillow Guy) over his bad documentary, or when they gave Donald Trump 2 seperate Worst Actor Awards for just being in documentary footage. It’s obvious they’re just doing this for clicks and buzz, because it worked since I remembered them. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2023, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razzie-awards-face-sharp-criticism-for-nominating-firestarter-child-star-called-an-outdated-relic-by-hollywood/978726/14 "2023-01-25T20:30:32Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > And, frankly, even A-list actors make movies that they know are going to be dogs (or, at least, come to realize that they are going to be dogs), often because the money’s good, and generally speaking, all but the very top end of the acting profession would likely tell you that working is always better than not working. - Classic example. > **[Michael Caine Quote](https://www.azquotes.com/quote/1127911)** > > I have never seen it (Jaws 4) but by all accounts it is terrible. However, I have seen the house that it built and it is terrific. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2023, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razzie-awards-face-sharp-criticism-for-nominating-firestarter-child-star-called-an-outdated-relic-by-hollywood/978726/15 "2023-01-25T20:40:39Z")
So, they’ve withdrawn the nomination and added an age limit after the backlash > **[Razzies Apologize for Nominating 12-Year-Old Actor, Introduce Age Limit for...](https://variety.com/2023/awards/news/razzies-apologize-age-limit-ryan-kiera-armstrong-1235502000/)** > > The Razzie Awards have introduced an age limit for nominations following blowback after 12-year-old Ryan Kiera Armstrong (pictured above) was nominated for Worst Actress. In a statement, Razzies fo… ---
**Author:** ![Mr.E](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.e/32/8932_2.png) [@Mr.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.E)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2023, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razzie-awards-face-sharp-criticism-for-nominating-firestarter-child-star-called-an-outdated-relic-by-hollywood/978726/16 "2023-01-25T20:55:49Z")
Back in the early days of Social Media, John Scalzi wrote [a blog post titled “The failure mode of Clever”](https://whatever.scalzi.com/2010/06/16/the-failure-state-of-clever/). The article speaks about strangers being overly snarky and familiar with people they look up to, but I find the principle covers a lot of social interactions in life. The folks running the Razzies have been pretty clever for a long time, but they tripped up and sure enough they failed right into being assholes. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2023, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razzie-awards-face-sharp-criticism-for-nominating-firestarter-child-star-called-an-outdated-relic-by-hollywood/978726/17 "2023-01-26T00:06:13Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > They…have given Sly Stallone 10 different worst actor awards. Stallone has been in something like 77 movies, so they were being positively generous. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2023, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razzie-awards-face-sharp-criticism-for-nominating-firestarter-child-star-called-an-outdated-relic-by-hollywood/978726/18 "2023-01-26T00:34:18Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > I think Jake Lloyd did a perfectly fine job with the role presented to him. Then he was bullied and harassed so relentlessly that he quit acting. He was a normal child actor who was not directed in Star Wars by anyone who knows how to direct actors. Lucas is a nice enough guy and likes kids well enough, but he really should have had someone like a Spielberg be on set for the kid-acting scenes to help. Or possibly cast someone else. It’s not Jake Lloyd’s fault. He’s just some kid delivering lines the way the director said to. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2023, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razzie-awards-face-sharp-criticism-for-nominating-firestarter-child-star-called-an-outdated-relic-by-hollywood/978726/19 "2023-01-26T00:38:18Z")
He was also given the “Worst Actor of the Century” award in 2000 claiming “99.5% of his films were bad” ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2023, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razzie-awards-face-sharp-criticism-for-nominating-firestarter-child-star-called-an-outdated-relic-by-hollywood/978726/20 "2023-01-26T09:50:09Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Or possibly cast someone else. It’s not Jake Lloyd’s fault. He’s just some kid delivering lines the way the director said to. Too bad there weren’t any critically acclaimed actors around to give him some tips, like, I don’t know, Llam Nesson, Natalie Portman, or Ewan McGregor. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razzie-awards-face-sharp-criticism-for-nominating-firestarter-child-star-called-an-outdated-relic-by-hollywood/978726.md?page=2)