Nobody Cares

 

I certainly don't.  And it's sad because I used to.

Since I was in the third grade and my teacher, Mrs. Popper, told us to stay up late and watch the telecast, I was hooked.  I planned my life around the event.  Years later in Los Angeles, this would be the attraction for my annual chili party.

I also used to participate in an Oscar pool with two good friends.   On this blog, I annually would post my picks so everybody could win their office pool.   Well, COVID took care of that unless you want to do it on an office Zoom.  But, looking back at it all, the Oscars were such fun.

The point being is I, in 2025, didn't realize the Oscars were this Sunday until I was driving home from Arizona last week and some satellite radio DJ mentioned it.   That's just how irrelevant the Oscars have become to me.   And I am guessing most people.

In past years, I would have pretty much seen all the nominees in most categories.  Now there are up to ten movies up for Best Picture and I have seen only a few.   And the ones I did screen were lousy or overrated at best.

Looking at the names of the actors up, I see that diversity is alive and well in Hollywood with nominees nobody has heard of.   Or, in one, a transgender is up for Best Actress but used to identify as a....you finish the sentence.  

Nobody cares.

If you thought the Oscars were irrelevant, no better proof is in the choice of this year's host.  Conan O'Brien.   Yes, the guy who used to have a TV show.   The guy who used to have a following.  Yep, that guy.

And nobody cares.

Of course, the broadcast itself will be a tough watch.  Every single acceptance speech will include barbs thrown at Trump, Musk, and, for good measure, Dwight Eisenhower.   When not waxing hate at Washington, each winner will take time to salute the LA firefighters who battled the January blazes.   It's all so predictable that it's nauseating.

And nobody cares.   I am estimating this will be the lowest rated Oscar ceremony ever.   For all of the reasons above.

Frankly, I started to turn away from it all several years ago when I was talking to a guy in my church who helped to create the voting software used by the Academy.  He told me there was a three person panel who had the power to overturn the winner if they wanted something else to be the victor.  The very next year was the fiasco where the award for Best Picture was allegedly going to the crowd-pleasing "La La Land" but instead went to the dreary but diverse "Moonlight."  I asked my contact if that was evidence of a panel getting involved to reverse the vote.

"No comment."

That was when I stopped caring.

And now nobody does.

So, if you're one of the three people in this country still participating in an office pool...um, you're on your own.

Dinner last night:   Went to the theater for a show so not much.