Last night I watched a re-run of the 80th Academy Awards. The event was hosted by Jon Stewart. This is his second time to host the Oscars but I found his hosting quite stiff. I’ve never been really a fan of his, actually. Has Conan O’Brian hosted the Academy Awards yet?Anyway, the red carpet is an important aspect of the Academy awards. This is where superstars, mediocre stars and wannabe stars strut for the press. This is the event where designers fall all over nominees to wear their creations. I love Helen Miren’s gown best.
There was a flashback of all the films that won the best picture award. Out of the 79 films that won I saw about 35. From these awardees, my favorites are: Gone with the Wind (1939, no! I wasn’t alive back then), West Side Story (1961), My Fair Lady (1964), The Sound of Music (1965, I can sing all the songs from this movie), The Sting (1973, this was when my secret love affair with Robert Redford begun, which Robert still doesn't know), One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975), Kramer VS Kramer (1979), Terms of Endearment (1983) , Rain Man ( 1988, Dustin Hoffman was brilliant!), Dances With Wolves (1990), Silence of the Lamb (1991, Clarisse!), Forrest Gump (1994, run Forrest run), Braveheart ( 1995), and Gladiator (2003).
As each winner’s name was called, the statuette presented, acceptance speech uttered, I noticed one thing; no one thank God (in whatever form of religion or faith). All the awardees’ gratitude was directed to mere mortals. Where is God to these Hollywood people? It astounded me that the best script writer award was given to a woman named Diablo! Are these people Godless? Are these superstars so blasé that God has no more space in their ultra-hectic-luxurious-chic-lives?
I was sent an email petitioning the boycott of all Kathy Griffin shows. Why? It happened that Griffin got an award at the Creative Arts Emmy and her acceptance speech was: "A lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus. Suck it, Jesus. This award is my god now." Heaven forgive for that blasphemy.
Let's say Kathy is an atheist, or a Buddhist, or a Moslem or a Jew. Her religious or non-religious affiliation does not give her right to mock Jesus Christ. Whether Kathy believes or not, there is a supreme being forgiving her right now.
Was the Kathy-incident a precedent to the Oscar winners? Was the idea of being ridiculed so daunting to the Academy winners that they opted not to thank God? Were the Academy winners just a bunch of talented-Godless-Faithless-people?
I sincerely hope not.
