Airheads are allowed to voice their political views. My favorite was Jim Carrey’s. He stood aside, raised both arms straight into a ‘V’ and shouted “VIVA EL SALVADOR!”
I think the OP’s premise is mistaken. The ratings for this year’s show, even with the #Oscarsowhite controversy and the prospect of Chris Rock’s riffs on the subject, were the lowest rated in eight years. According to an article I saw earlier today, few people under 30 are even aware of the show, much less watch it.
So: It’s a big party. For years, it played on one of the only three or four networks that existed, so people watched. Now? Not so much.
But that’s just this year. If you look further back, it’s not as much of a downward trend as you imply.
As Wikipedia points out, viewership for the Oscars telecast tends to correlate with how many people saw the Best Picture nominees that year.
And the award for best reply goes to…
Excellent.
Here’s the answer the OP wants to hear: because obviously most people are tasteless morons, and not discerning, intelligent, serious people like you.
Next question?
I don’t give a fuck about the Super Bowl or the Academy Awards and none of you should, either, because you should be striving to be perfect like me.
However, I would watch the SHIT out of the Annual Fattest Cat Awards.
People love spectacles, especially self-congratulatory spectacles. What better self-congratulatory spectacle is there than a Hollywood hall of mirrors (except perhaps the general election)?
Because Americans, like all other nations, get a certain psychological satisfaction out of watching television shows they can be certain most others of their nation are watching.
Fuck the Academy Awards. Real Americans watch the Emmys to see if the Academy Awards won an Emmy.
And she’s certainly no lady!
Personally I think of the Academy Awards as something that was a big deal in previous years of my life but whose importance has since waned. I remember in decades past watching the Oscars was a big deal, and we made a point of doing it as a family. Certain favorite sitcoms on broadcast television (in my case, typically American programs syndicated to local South African stations) were similar, in that we made an effort to watch them at the dictated time slot.
I haven’t watched the Oscars in years, and I haven’t watched a traditional sitcom in years either. Honestly, thinking about them, they seem a little musty, and have a slight air of being from a different era. It’s subtle, since that era isn’t too long ago, but it feels like they’ve just started a long journey down the path to being a historic anachronism, like travelling carnivals or court jesters.
That said, my view absolutely might not be the mainstream, and the viewership figures posted earlier suggest that I may be out of touch. But I do wonder what the average age of the viewership is, and if that is trending upwards.
Also, I did indirectly add films to my Netflix queue because they were Oscar nominated. Not because I watched the show, but because a bunch of guys from Wisconsin put together an internet series discussing movies, and happened to talk about the Oscar nominations. So it still exists in my cultural peripheral vision, but its certainly no longer a focus item.
Needed to be said, though.
I did used to enjoy the Oscars back in that period where they had gotten completely ridiculous and ran 8 hours.* But then they cleaned it all up and Billy Crystal came in and ruined everything.
*Remember Lily Tomlin (dressed as Snow White) and Rob Lowe singing Proud Mary? Good Times.
Irregardless, this happens alot. My advise to both of you is to just let it go, per say.
mmm
I used to enjoy awards shows when there were only one or two per year. These days you can’t turn on the tv without some award show being touted. Critic’s choice, People’s choice, Golden Globes, Oscars, SAG awards, etc. etc. I’ve never seen any group of people who are so relentlessly self-congratulatory (except for Country Music, which has really jumped the shark in terms of annual awards programs).
At least (for now) there is only one Super Bowl, one Stanley Cup, one World Series, for each sport. That’s why they remain special (and watchable) while the awards shows are not.
WE NEED AN AWARDS SHOW HERE on SDMB !!!
Think of it:
–> Best thread
–> Best supporting post
–> Best lexicography
–> Worstest Pitting
–> Best use of leastest material
–> Best production with a limited budget
–> Best use of ampersigns
–> Least effective argument in the best way possible
–> Best distortion of The Truth
… the list goes on …
We used to do those. Before Pay2Post ruined everything
Probably true if you mean way, way under 30 – as in, still in diapers. Otherwise I’d like to know who these under-30s are who have never heard of the Academy Awards. Are they the folks I hear about who can’t find the United States on a map? The ones still in 3rd grade at the age of 29 because they’re, you know, a little slow? Or are they the ones who write with crayons because they’re not allowed to have anything sharp?
Back to the topic. I suspect part of the reason that a lot of people watch the Academy Awards is related to the phenomenon of being famous for being famous – i.e.- a lot of people historically watch it, so it’s a lavish production, and becomes a self-perpetuating spectacle. But it’s also a mildly entertaining blend of standup, music, and movie clips, and interests film buffs like me in seeing who won and who didn’t and how badly the Academy screwed up this time (it’s been worse, and congrats Brie Larson – one of the good calls). I hardly ever watch TV except for news – the TV is mostly for movies – but the Academy Awards is the sort of thing that I always have on in the background so I can catch the highlights, usually while doing something else. It’s not something I get worked up about one way or the other. I suspect most folks are much the same.