I just read the article today. Anyone else do so? If you haven't you migth be better off not doing so. Seriously, could this guy be a bigger idiot? It's almost infuriating to read such crap. Read at your own discretion.

Oscar Without Glamour
by Scott Holleran
March 1, 2005


Show business glamour is gone, long gone. That was clear from the moment crude Chris Rock stepped on stage to host the 77th annual Academy Awards and received a standing ovation—for just being there. By contrast, one of the show's classiest hosts, the late Johnny Carson, received a polite round of applause after a taped tribute. Thirty years of a top-rated show and several Oscar telecasts, no ovation—one minute of one show hosted by a foul-mouthed cable comedian, instant ovation. Is it any wonder more people don't watch?

Not that it matters; Hollywood's elite is too busy inflating their own importance, that is, among those who attended (and most stars—Hanks, Cruise, Gibson—did not). Sunday's awards were dominated by a gaggle of shrill, red carpet mongers, twittering about something called swag (free stuff), bling (flashy clothes and jewelry) and the Academy's stupid new rules. Presenters were relegated to the aisles and nominees were herded on stage as if they were being lined up for a firing squad, not an Academy Award.

At times, the show reflected the drift from director Martin Scorsese's Hollywood—where ability can be measured by how deeply one cares about making movies—to actor and director Clint Eastwood's Hollywood, where you get noticed with a slew of squints, sneers and gimmicks in pictures that are typically tragic and really about nothing at all.


Yet another promising actor reminded us that, in the new Hollywood, one's value is based, at least partly, on one's race—not solely on one's ability to act. Best Actor winner Jamie Foxx, like Halle Berry before him (and many before her), transformed an award granted for an individual's performance into a statement of allegiance to his race, which is racism. This attitude is exacerbated by people like Oprah Winfrey, whose quasi-Black Panther salute from the audience is rock bottom for a guilt-ridden billionaire with more power than practically everyone in Hollywood. What a fraud. Cheering a winner for a characteristic beyond his control—race, sex, nationality—is among the ceremony's worst traditions—it is an insult to every actor.

Racism's corollary, multiculturalism—the idea that all cultures are equal—had time in Oscar's spotlight, too, with Salma Hayek, Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas celebrating a folk song sung in Spanish that was awarded Oscar's Best Song over superior work by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Glen Ballard among others. Million Dollar Baby's toothy Hilary Swank chimed in, citing her own subculture—trailer trash—as a claim on the Best Actress award. Someday, sometime, some lone actor will have the self-confidence to rise and say, simply, "thank you." And walk away.

Of course, there were the movies. Mr. Scorsese's The Aviator, whatever its flaws, was lavish, grand moviemaking about a larger than life subject—and that, apparently, was its downfall. Too little death, gloom and doom and not nearly unremarkable enough—the new Hollywood regards high aspirations, Mr. Scorsese's trademark, as showy and arrogant. There is no place for the exalted—only the downtrodden, preferably done with mediocrity.


Mr. Eastwood, like other conservatives, appeared content to have gained the approval of others, especially liberals. His Best Picture winner, Million Dollar Baby, seems to have dragged even producer Albert S. Ruddy—who produced Mario Puzo's The Godfather and once sought to make Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged—into what Miss Rand called "the cult of moral grayness," which in Mr. Eastwood's case means a bleak world drained of color, purpose and life.

We watch the Oscars for a sight of Hollywood at its best. While it hasn't been pretty for years, we keep looking, hungry for a glimpse of someone who sparkles with the confidence of having achieved something—something good. We look for our favorite movie stars, we root for our favorite movie, we wait to be moved, touched, humored—and, in that rare instance, enlightened. But, year after year, it does not happen. That's why Hollywood is losing its luster, in television ratings, in theatrical attendance and in general.

The glow of Hollywood's Golden Age stems from splendor on the screen, and that was replaced by unending assaults on both sense and sensibility long ago. Real glamour is gone. Increasingly, and encouragingly, so is the audience, which may cause Hollywood to give them a reason to return.
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/commentary/?id=1738&p=.htm

What a politically obsessed loser. I've no doubt Hollaren even sleeps with his pillow turned a certain way because if it was at any other angle it would be a sign of moral decay and liberalness.

Is it just me or do I sense a lot of racial overtones in there? He seems overly bothered that Rock got an ovation, Foxx mentioned he was black, and Oprah gave a "black power" salute. Oh, no!!! The blacks are getting uppity!!!

I think he'd be happier watching a lilly white Oscar telecast from the 1930's. His overtly racist overtones and political bias erases any good points (if any) he may have had.

Scott Holleran is a jerk. But all others in charge at BOM have to be blamed as well. If you don't do anything against it you're resposible as well. I can't believe how racist and biased all contributions on that website are

I KNEW Jamie Foxx was racist!!

I think I first started to get suspicious when I noticed that he would only portray characters in movies who were the same color of skin that he was...

Wow, wtf? ...bling (flashy clothes and jewelry)...his attitude is exacerbated by people like Oprah Winfrey, whose quasi-Black Panther salute from the audience is.... What the hell is wrong with him? Does he honestly think it's as easy for a young aspiring African American actor like Jamie Foxx that started with nearly nothing to win an Oscar as easily as some rich white guy whose been in the business for years? His attitude makes me think that he assumes anyone black should be relegated to the glory days of the Oscar, and do the entire Gone with the Wind, "Can I fetch ya some tee massa?" bullshit. Ugh.

I think you guys are missing the point. I don't like Scott any more than the next guy here, but I happen to agree with much of his article. Chris Rock gets a standing ovation? For what? And really, seeing Oprah and all of her cronies get all proud of him winning is not because they have a personal connection with him, it is simply because of the colour of his skin. Morgan's win this year was silly, and really, haven't we all gotten past this black white bullshit? I'd like to see someone win because they deserved it, not because they are black white, purple or green. May the best person win, may the best person host, may the best person with the best perfomrance come out on top. That is much of what Scott was getting at.

You can fetch me that speech you're supposed to be writing. :razz:

Can't stand Scott Holleran. What an a-hole.

I totaly agree :wink:

take care Baumer :wink:

Yeah, I'm not saying they should win because they're black, but he's acting like that was the reason they did, when in fact they were both the frontrunners in there categories and in mine and most people's opinions both deserved to win.

I don't think that either of them won because of their race, but I have a slight suspicion that Freeman got his as a life achievement award. I have no doubts about Foxx as his performance was by far and away the best I saw last year, but it's really hard to imagine that Freeman's performance in Million Dollar Baby could top Clive Owen's in Closer and Thomas Haden Church's in Sideways who were both absolutely excellent.

Well I think that his having never won before certainly helped, but not only did the film he was a part of win three of the four biggest awards of the night, but he really WAS superb in there, believe me. It may not be a career best (I'd still give that to The Shawshank Redemption) but it's one of his best.