Time To Downsize The Increasingly Irrelevant Academy Awards

When I first started watching the Academy Awards the program was broadcast from both coasts with nominated New York actors accepting their awards at the Century Hotel in New York City. Bob Hope was the host in Los Angeles while Conrad Nagel hosted the event here. Stars were glamorous and classier and the awards were given based on the quality of the nominees' performances. In addition the program was much shorter than today's and more enjoyable. I stopped watching the show when my interest in Hollywood tanked and was replaced by disgust.

I'm well aware that there are different strokes for different folks and that things in society have changed since the 1960s but how really dumb have we become that we have to plop ourselves in front of the boob tube to watch three hours of self-congratulatory speeches and musical numbers that have little to do with movies and are just time fillers. As for the Red carpet interviews, what ever happened to good fashion sense and don't these actresses know that their hair stylists are in fact misogynists who are laughing behind their backs?

My, my, I do sound cranky, don't I, but the sad truth is that I have always been a film buff and it is painful to admit that I rarely go to a theatre anymore because there is just nothing to see that is worth the trip. Yet the awards shows have multiplied and even though the ratings show our disinterest they still manage to get air time.

The first time I boycotted the Oscars was in 2005 when we were a nation at war - when unlike the stars during WWII -this bunch exercised their freedom of speech bashing the war and our president. Hooray for them they are so peace-loving.

I and millions of other Americans no longer have to pay attention to them and while I try to separate these thespians from their anti-American liberal agenda campaigns and enjoy their artistic endeavors, I just can't do it. They have lost my respect and I find them in general to be whining bores living in the lap of luxury while condemning the country that gives them the freedom to do so.

Although I didn't start boycotting the telecast until 2005, I had already decided that the Academy of Arts and Sciences had lost all credibility as a judge of artistic merit in 1999 when it decided that "Shakespeare in Love" deserved the Best Picture award over "Saving Private Ryan", a brilliant portrayal of military sacrifice in WWII. "Shakespeare" had been heavily marketed by its producers, Bob and Harvey Weinstein and the following year the same poor judgment awarded the Best Picture Oscar to "American Beauty" an amoral film that glamorized underage sex. Personally I would have preferred it go to "The Sixth Sense" or "The Green Mile" both a unique audience pleasing experience but what do I know, right?

It's become evident that the Oscars reflect the personal agenda of the Hollywood community rather than an objective judgment on the Oscars which should be awarded for great feats of acting; for performing roles that are difficult yet successfully executed. How difficult was it for Kim Basinger to portray a hooker in "L.A. Confidential"? Hmmm? Eddie Murphy in "The Nutty Professor" on the other hand, played multiple roles so ingenuously that one could forget he was the man behind the disguise. No Oscar for him but at least he was nominated for a Golden Globe and he actually won Best Actor for the National Society of Film Critics Award. Maybe the NSFC should decide future awards because at least they can discern real talent.

So once again the Academy Awards have lost their appeal and have become so predictable that even I who have only seen a few of the nominated films can predict some winners: Colin Firth - Best Actor; Christian Bale - Best Supporting Actor; Annette Benning - Best Actress; Melissa Leo - Best Supporting Actress. Best Animated Feature - Toy Story 3. Best Picture is a toss-up between The Social Network and The King's Speech.

I was sorely tempted to waste my time watching the Oscars just to see a brilliant actor, Christian Bale, get his richly deserved award. Colin Firth used to be a favorite of mine ever since he played Darcy on Masterpiece Theatre's "Pride and Prejudice". Then I unfortunately read his statements on the environment, the tribal communities, and other liberal claptrap and had to relegate him to the talented useful idiot pile along with Sean Penn. When will they ever learn to just shut up and sing?

Curiosity seekers might tune in for the Sunday night show just to check the novel assignment of the emcees for the event. Best Actor Oscar nominee James Franco and actress Anne Hathaway, also a former Oscar nominee, will share the duties of hosting the Academy Awards. This is the first time co-presenters have done this on the same stage we're told by the new producers, Don Mischer and Bruce Cohen. The producers watched many hours of old telecasts and have promised that this casting will attract a younger audience so that leaves me and the other geezers at home watching Netflix streaming on our blue-rays, X-boxes and PS3s. Yes, believe it or not, we're technologically up to date and way cool with it.

I am the mother of six young adult children - 3 sons and 3 daughters - and for this column I've been asking them and their acquaintances their opinion on the Oscars. None so far have shown any interest in watching the show. They are totally disinterested in the current crop of stars and their work which many deem laughable.

They also have large flat screen TVs and home theaters to watch movies which they've downloaded from the Internet. Why go to a sticky floored theater selling overpriced refreshments and have to deal with rude moviegoers? By the way, they also prefer the alternative, innovative filmmakers cropping up on YouTube. They even prefer television stars like the oh-so-cool Timothy Olyphant to current film actors.

But according to the Moviefone website, there's reason to cheer. In an article, "Why the Oscars Aren't Dead Yet", Gary Sussman writes," The Oscars may never again be as huge as they once were, but they're still at the top of the mountain."

Keep dreaming. The times they are a changing. As long as Hollywood keeps blacklisting family values it will remain trapped in a bubble unable to realize its irrelevancy doesn't warrant three or more hours of our precious time. C

Alicia Colon resides in New York City and can be reached at aliciav.colon@gmail.com and at www.aliciacolon.com