And the winner is…
Tonight is the 87th Academy Awards in helL-A. That's right 87 years of glitz, glamour and the world's attention and envy. It's really something when you look at the tacky debacle and think that politicians have more integrity than 99% of people in Hollywood.
The celebrities
We're all slightly obsessed (me included) with celebrity culture. Who they're shagging, where they're going, what they've said and what they're wearing. It's mainly to find their faults; prove that the beautiful people are just as fallible as the rest of us. This morbid fascination was sparked by Rupert Murdoch and his contempt for the British establishment (ironic, huh?).
Just as the PR machine in politics spins everything so the bad appears good, the same goes for Hollywood. Behind the velvet curtain lays a hotbed of debauchery and lies. The vain, shallow and self-absorbed glitterati cover up mistakes by throwing money and NDAs at it. Easy to do in a secretive world.
In politics, there's the Freedom of Information Act. It's the reason we know about MPs expenses. Granted, it doesn't always work. And granted, celebrities don't have same level of responsibility to the populous - so why the need to lie and manipulate the public? In a world where money, premium consumerism and being beautiful rules all, is it so imperative that the image is squeaky clean? As long as actors are likable and make good movies, the public will still go to the cinema, buy the merchandise, click on the stories and show up to events in order to keep these people in champagne and Manolos. However, these people then treat the great unwashed with disdain, not realising that, like the taxpayer, they are where they are because of us. The people.
The industry
In 1783, William Wilberforce presented a petition to Parliament that was signed by thousands for the abolition of slavery. In 1913, Emily Davidson threw herself under a horse at the Grand National for women's suffrage. In 2015, AMPAS voters (the people who run the Oscars) are 94% white and 77% male. The UK government is 96% white and 77% male. However, if we're to get all Freakonomics about it, you need to look at how many people from ethnic minorities work in the movie industry compared to how many work in politics. I bet there's a huge difference there. And the government's embarrassing pink bus shows us they're trying to change. Unlike the Academy.
The entertainment industry is riddled with homosexuality. It's an industry that appeals the creativity, inhibition and flamboyance of being gay. It's not a secret that gay men or women don't win Oscars. Can you think of a gay Oscar winner? Jodie Foster was in the closest when she won, has she done anything even remotely Oscar worthy since? Many gay men are in the closet as they fear that coming out would harm their career. They can kiss leading man roles goodbye, as well as any opportunity to appear as anything other than a gay man. And not to mention award snubs galore.
Hollywood doesn't look like our society, although we bemoan the lack of black actors breaking through, where are the Asian, gay, under-privileged or disabled actors? Watch the Oscars tonight. Does the red carpet resemble a polished version of your neighbourhood?
The truth is, no one watches Prime Minister's questions with the same excitement as they do the Oscars. Little girls don't look at Harriet Harman or Diane Abbott thinking that they want to be just like them when they grow up. They look at the beautiful, glamorous faces of Keira Knightly and Julianne Moore, wanting to wear designer gowns and be fawned all over by the world's press.
Everyone wants to be told they're beautiful, talented and amazing. Politicians just get told how rubbish they are. Those little girls grow up in a world of self-loathing because of the media bombarding us with celebrity. They watch red carpets and think they're not as skinny, blond, flawless, etc. as the women we idolise and plaster across all the media. They're not even the right colour or gender to be successful. Girls are subliminally told that if you're beautiful and do whatever you're told, you'll be a non-royal princess. Men are told that if they're straight and white, they'll conquer the world. Is this a good message to send to society?
The movies
AMPAS voters had the opportunity to make history by awarding Best Director to Ava DuVernay for Martin Luther King biopic, Selma. She could've been the first black woman to win this award. Not given to her because of her looks (although she is beautiful), but because she made a bloody brilliant film in a male dominated profession. Not only this, but with #blacklivesmatter protests happening all over America, not just Ferguson, it would've been a coup for AMPAS to nail their (non-confederate) colours to the mast. The civil rights movement hasn't been committed to history, it's alive and well. It's a battle that's still raging. It's relevant to today's society.
Hollywood has run out of original ideas and is now incapable of creating stories that are poignant, relevant and inspiring, like Apocalypse Now (Vietnam War), Django Unchained (slavery) or Shawshank Redemption (injustice).
That's probably why biopics are dominating this year's nominations. A historically inaccurate movie about the godfather of computer programming, Alan Turing. Although he was an incredible man who was horribly mistreated, this wasn't what the movie was about. Apart from the failed gay rights campaign of the The Weinstein Company, the movie itself barely touched on it. Wild is a self-absorbed exploration of one woman who goes camping. Big whoop. Big Eyes is the extraordinary story of an artist being duped by her own husband. The Theory of Everything is about another genius and I won't be disparaging about this, as Stephen Hawking himself has given the nod of approval. Theoretical physics and existential questions will continue to fascinate and be a hotly debated topic.
However, what does this say anything about our society? Is it a movie about rape camps? Is it a movie about how the CIA armed and installed dictators across the Arab world which has caused the rise of Islamic extremism? Is it about greedy bankers bringing down the world's economy? Thank god for Still Alice, which talks about a real topic that affects real people. Although, it's had next to no publicity.
This year has been all about Eddie Redmayne and Michael Keaton. Although they've given the performance of their lives, I can't even tell you the women who've been nominated. They may as well not exist.
Add to this that the general public voted for Hunger Games, Guardians of The Galaxy and The Hobbit as their favourite movies. These weren't even released in the coveted end of year slot and its stars weren't put on a relentless campaign trail. You bet your arse that these movies will continue to make money, unlike other dull and terrible Oscar winners like Shakespeare In Love, Titanic and Hurt Locker.
The end
Actors may swan around like they've got a God-given right to be there and their art/life is theirs and only theirs. But this simply isn't true. Al Gore talks about climate change; the world goes 'meh'. Leonardo Dicaprio talks about climate change and it's tweeted, retweeted, viewed, followed and reported like a motherfucker. It's even in +Mirror, see.
Jennifer Aniston thinking that selling her life for an Oscar nomination hurts or benefits no one but herself is incredibly blinkered, as we the public increasingly lose faith in her, her decisions and any wrongs that have been done to her. She's also sending out a message that sheer talent, hard work and networking isn't enough. You need to sell your soul, contort yourself into something you're not in order to gain the favour of the powerful few.
Where's the integrity? Why is no one standing up to say, this is me so judge me on my movie, my talent and my work ethic. Not because I got down on my knees like a whore so you can treat me and my life like a commodity. Even politicians don't go that far.
I guess it's the vain hypocrisy that gets my goat. And I appreciate we want the glamour as aspirational escapism from our boring, mundane and poor lives. It's only the chosen few to get to live a life of such privilege, let alone the privilege of being both a member of a ruling elite and the glamour class.
I miss the good ole fashioned rags to riches stories, where people were plucked from obscurity to become Marilyn Monroe - Hollywood for a while offered that 'it could be me' opportunity. Now, it's become a victim of its own hype and closed the doors to truly talented and beautiful people from all walks of life.
I know that actors are deeply damaged people who assuage their insecurities with the adulation of the press and public. They're deeply self-obsessed, hence the aforementioned. Awards just validate that, you love me, you really do love me, mentality. It's not about anything else other than themselves. Regardless of the fact that millions of people all over the world are looking at them with the same disdain as politicians for being sold a lie or are fuelling a disillusioned youth who live in a world that doesn't represent them. Not even in the movies.
First published on 22/02/2015
The celebrities
We're all slightly obsessed (me included) with celebrity culture. Who they're shagging, where they're going, what they've said and what they're wearing. It's mainly to find their faults; prove that the beautiful people are just as fallible as the rest of us. This morbid fascination was sparked by Rupert Murdoch and his contempt for the British establishment (ironic, huh?).
Just as the PR machine in politics spins everything so the bad appears good, the same goes for Hollywood. Behind the velvet curtain lays a hotbed of debauchery and lies. The vain, shallow and self-absorbed glitterati cover up mistakes by throwing money and NDAs at it. Easy to do in a secretive world.
In politics, there's the Freedom of Information Act. It's the reason we know about MPs expenses. Granted, it doesn't always work. And granted, celebrities don't have same level of responsibility to the populous - so why the need to lie and manipulate the public? In a world where money, premium consumerism and being beautiful rules all, is it so imperative that the image is squeaky clean? As long as actors are likable and make good movies, the public will still go to the cinema, buy the merchandise, click on the stories and show up to events in order to keep these people in champagne and Manolos. However, these people then treat the great unwashed with disdain, not realising that, like the taxpayer, they are where they are because of us. The people.
The industry
In 1783, William Wilberforce presented a petition to Parliament that was signed by thousands for the abolition of slavery. In 1913, Emily Davidson threw herself under a horse at the Grand National for women's suffrage. In 2015, AMPAS voters (the people who run the Oscars) are 94% white and 77% male. The UK government is 96% white and 77% male. However, if we're to get all Freakonomics about it, you need to look at how many people from ethnic minorities work in the movie industry compared to how many work in politics. I bet there's a huge difference there. And the government's embarrassing pink bus shows us they're trying to change. Unlike the Academy.
The entertainment industry is riddled with homosexuality. It's an industry that appeals the creativity, inhibition and flamboyance of being gay. It's not a secret that gay men or women don't win Oscars. Can you think of a gay Oscar winner? Jodie Foster was in the closest when she won, has she done anything even remotely Oscar worthy since? Many gay men are in the closet as they fear that coming out would harm their career. They can kiss leading man roles goodbye, as well as any opportunity to appear as anything other than a gay man. And not to mention award snubs galore.
Hollywood doesn't look like our society, although we bemoan the lack of black actors breaking through, where are the Asian, gay, under-privileged or disabled actors? Watch the Oscars tonight. Does the red carpet resemble a polished version of your neighbourhood?
The truth is, no one watches Prime Minister's questions with the same excitement as they do the Oscars. Little girls don't look at Harriet Harman or Diane Abbott thinking that they want to be just like them when they grow up. They look at the beautiful, glamorous faces of Keira Knightly and Julianne Moore, wanting to wear designer gowns and be fawned all over by the world's press.
Everyone wants to be told they're beautiful, talented and amazing. Politicians just get told how rubbish they are. Those little girls grow up in a world of self-loathing because of the media bombarding us with celebrity. They watch red carpets and think they're not as skinny, blond, flawless, etc. as the women we idolise and plaster across all the media. They're not even the right colour or gender to be successful. Girls are subliminally told that if you're beautiful and do whatever you're told, you'll be a non-royal princess. Men are told that if they're straight and white, they'll conquer the world. Is this a good message to send to society?
The movies
AMPAS voters had the opportunity to make history by awarding Best Director to Ava DuVernay for Martin Luther King biopic, Selma. She could've been the first black woman to win this award. Not given to her because of her looks (although she is beautiful), but because she made a bloody brilliant film in a male dominated profession. Not only this, but with #blacklivesmatter protests happening all over America, not just Ferguson, it would've been a coup for AMPAS to nail their (non-confederate) colours to the mast. The civil rights movement hasn't been committed to history, it's alive and well. It's a battle that's still raging. It's relevant to today's society.
Hollywood has run out of original ideas and is now incapable of creating stories that are poignant, relevant and inspiring, like Apocalypse Now (Vietnam War), Django Unchained (slavery) or Shawshank Redemption (injustice).
That's probably why biopics are dominating this year's nominations. A historically inaccurate movie about the godfather of computer programming, Alan Turing. Although he was an incredible man who was horribly mistreated, this wasn't what the movie was about. Apart from the failed gay rights campaign of the The Weinstein Company, the movie itself barely touched on it. Wild is a self-absorbed exploration of one woman who goes camping. Big whoop. Big Eyes is the extraordinary story of an artist being duped by her own husband. The Theory of Everything is about another genius and I won't be disparaging about this, as Stephen Hawking himself has given the nod of approval. Theoretical physics and existential questions will continue to fascinate and be a hotly debated topic.
However, what does this say anything about our society? Is it a movie about rape camps? Is it a movie about how the CIA armed and installed dictators across the Arab world which has caused the rise of Islamic extremism? Is it about greedy bankers bringing down the world's economy? Thank god for Still Alice, which talks about a real topic that affects real people. Although, it's had next to no publicity.
This year has been all about Eddie Redmayne and Michael Keaton. Although they've given the performance of their lives, I can't even tell you the women who've been nominated. They may as well not exist.
Add to this that the general public voted for Hunger Games, Guardians of The Galaxy and The Hobbit as their favourite movies. These weren't even released in the coveted end of year slot and its stars weren't put on a relentless campaign trail. You bet your arse that these movies will continue to make money, unlike other dull and terrible Oscar winners like Shakespeare In Love, Titanic and Hurt Locker.
The end
Actors may swan around like they've got a God-given right to be there and their art/life is theirs and only theirs. But this simply isn't true. Al Gore talks about climate change; the world goes 'meh'. Leonardo Dicaprio talks about climate change and it's tweeted, retweeted, viewed, followed and reported like a motherfucker. It's even in +Mirror, see.
Jennifer Aniston thinking that selling her life for an Oscar nomination hurts or benefits no one but herself is incredibly blinkered, as we the public increasingly lose faith in her, her decisions and any wrongs that have been done to her. She's also sending out a message that sheer talent, hard work and networking isn't enough. You need to sell your soul, contort yourself into something you're not in order to gain the favour of the powerful few.
Where's the integrity? Why is no one standing up to say, this is me so judge me on my movie, my talent and my work ethic. Not because I got down on my knees like a whore so you can treat me and my life like a commodity. Even politicians don't go that far.
I guess it's the vain hypocrisy that gets my goat. And I appreciate we want the glamour as aspirational escapism from our boring, mundane and poor lives. It's only the chosen few to get to live a life of such privilege, let alone the privilege of being both a member of a ruling elite and the glamour class.
I miss the good ole fashioned rags to riches stories, where people were plucked from obscurity to become Marilyn Monroe - Hollywood for a while offered that 'it could be me' opportunity. Now, it's become a victim of its own hype and closed the doors to truly talented and beautiful people from all walks of life.
I know that actors are deeply damaged people who assuage their insecurities with the adulation of the press and public. They're deeply self-obsessed, hence the aforementioned. Awards just validate that, you love me, you really do love me, mentality. It's not about anything else other than themselves. Regardless of the fact that millions of people all over the world are looking at them with the same disdain as politicians for being sold a lie or are fuelling a disillusioned youth who live in a world that doesn't represent them. Not even in the movies.First published on 22/02/2015
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