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Oscar season has come and gone yet again. What started as an industry award show has grown into a global phenomenon. This year’s event had twenty-six million eyes glued to their screens in hopes that their favorite person in the movie industry would get the recognition they believe they deserve. I’m left to ask myself, what is the purpose of this event? What value does this occasion have for an outsider looking into the movie industry? How has Hollywood managed to get twenty-six million people to watch a self-indulgent award show?
As with every academy award celebration, this one began with the famous red-carpet walk. This aspect of the event is probably the most perplexing part for me. This event lasted from 5:30 to 7: p.m. That’s an hour-and-a-half of celebrities walking down a carpet then being asked “Who are you wearing?” I suppose this event is enjoyable for all those fashionistas out there, but I know for a fact that this was not for me. While I can see that this is a big part of celebrities’ lives and it’s a goal that all actors aspire to, why should I care? This is a running theme of the Oscars for me, why do people outside the movie industry or people who don’t enjoy fashion watch this event?
After the celebrity catwalk finally ends, the real meat and potatoes begins. The main host of that year’s show will speak, present an award, another speech, then a performance or a skit, and then repeat this cycle for four hours. Why in the world does giving out 24 awards take four hours. The event started around 7:00 and then ended at 11:30 p.m. When the award show is almost twice as long as some of the films receiving the award, that’s when I tune out. At this point, I’d rather watch the Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice Awards. At least that award show is only 90 minutes long, and last year it was hosted by John Cena of whom Jimmy Fallon couldn’t hold a candle to.
While again, I recognize that receiving an Oscar is a monumental moment in these peoples’ lives and it shows that their hard work wasn’t for naught, I find myself feeling apathetic to it all because it’s just another industry award show.
Another thing that probably influences my view of the Oscars is all the recent sexual assault and sexual harassment allegations that seems to be exploding out of the film industry. In past years it seemed like movie stars had been placed on some sort of societal pedestal above us “mere commoners” and that they could do no wrong. Well, with all these allegations coming forth over the past year the magic has faded for this reporter. For me, I now see the man behind the curtain and the Great and Powerful Oz is anything but.
In the end, for me the Oscars has lost all of it’s appeal. If you want to watch the Oscars to wait with bated breath and hope your favorite actor/film gets the recognition you feel it deserves, great! More power to you. The Oscars is important for everyone involved in the film industry, it gives them something to strive for and a sense of accomplishment if they achieve it. Though, for us common folk, I really don’t see the appeal.