For those of you who do not know, I get most of my news from the Drudge Report. Last night on his radio show, Drudge was discussing the latest comments made by Chris Rock. To quote:
" I never watched the Oscars. Come on, it's a fashion show.
What straight black man sits there and watches the Oscars? Show me one!"
When asked what he would be wearing to the Oscars, Rock commented:
"Nothing against people who aren't straight, but what straight guy that you know cares? Who gives a f---?"
Rock's comments come from an interview with Entertainment Weekly, as he is hosting the Oscars. In today's politically correct climate, comments against gays are a faux pas of the worst sorts. Yet, as it stands now, there has been no major backlash from the Academy. Why?
I hate to play the race card, but it's an indivisible element of this strange case. Perhaps Rock's comments aren't offensive to everyone, but Hollywood doesn't seem to be the crowd that would tolerate gay-bashing. Would they have taken the same intolerance from a right-wing right comic. The answer, is doubtful.
Rock was brought in to bring in the younger demographic, but it is hard to see how his latest comments will bring in a larger audience.
Hollywood is desperately out of touch with mainstream America. The reason no one watches the Oscars is not because "no straight... man watches". Once Hollywood produces a good product, the customers will buy.
This is the year in which two of the biggest blockbusters were made outside of the normal Hollywood sphere of influence. I am talking of course, of Michael Moore's Farenheit 9/11 and Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ.
No one would bankroll Gibson, so he paid for the movie himself. The results were astounding. There are a number of people--call them the Religious Right, the Evangelics, etc.--who still cling to traditional values. Yes, the culture war has been won by the left, but as evidenced by the last two elections, the right constitutes a silent majority of sorts.
Once Hollywood returns to traditional values, they will have more success drawing a larger audience to their Oscars. Until then, it doesn't matter if it's Chris Rock or Chris Matthews, there will be no improvement in Hollywood's esteemed ratings.
Of course I could be wrong. Maybe the best way to bring in the Evangelicals is by gay-bashing. Still, it doesn't seem like a good precedant to set. Then again, what do I know, I cling to traditional values.
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2 comments:
Hollywood returning to "traditional values"? Hollywood has always been predominantly concerned with making blockbuster films. Now and again they are dumbfounded by hits such as The Passion of the Christ or to a lesser extent, The Blair Witch Project, but aside from these two goofs, nothing has really changed.
And what are you talking about, "no one watching the Oscars"? It's watched by billions.
And personally, I dislike Chris Rock. His act is tired and boring. He just stands there, grinning like the Cheshire cat and screaming racist jokes towards white people. Give us something new, you fool.
Chris Rock was brought in for the purpose of improving ratings, which the academy has deemed too low. The fact is, it is the Academy who isn't happy with their audience of "billions". My point wasn't about a few points in the ratings, but about how, this time, Hollywood had made a terrible mistake.
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