Oscars open thread: one man’s lonely crusade against wome…I mean wokeness, yes that’s it

I assume some of you will wish to discuss the Oscars — I will be watching later on DVR because of NHL-related responsibilities. I do wish, however, to share this classic of anti-WOKE whining from an anonymous actor who is definitely a huge liberal and absolutely not any kind of misogynist or racist:

“I think the Academy is making an effort to please everybody, and it’s reflective of the state of the world, but I feel like they’re being held hostage — somewhat unfairly — by the wokeness,” the actor later adds, taking issue with the group’s “increasingly political and increasingly commercial” tastes.

This year, he criticizes media blowback over Best Actress snubs for Viola Davis (The Woman King) and Danielle Deadwyler (Till) as going one step too far, when, despite this year’s crop of nominees still being overwhelmingly white, he feels the Academy is doing its part to champion diversity in the industry.

“When they get in trouble for not giving Viola Davis an award, it’s like, no, sweetheart, you didn’t deserve it. We voted, and we voted for the five we thought were best,” he finishes. “It’s not fair for you to start suddenly beating a frying pan and say [they’re] ignoring Black people. They’re really not, they’re making an effort. Maybe there was a time 10 years ago when they were, but they have, of all the high-profile things, been in the forefront of wanting to be inclusive. Viola Davis and the lady director need to sit down, shut up, and relax. You didn’t get a nomination — a lot of movies don’t get nominations. Viola, you have one or two Oscars, you’re doing fine.”

I assume the “lady director” in question is the immensely gifted Sarah Polley, whose excellent movie the old man found “ham-fisted” and inauthentic, a judgment I’m sure had nothing to do with his discomfort over the fact that they allow women to direct movies nowadays.

Cate Blanchett’s extraordinary performance (whatever you think of the movie as a whole) is actually evidence that she’s kinda uppity and cold:

I said a little prayer during TÁR that I would never have to watch Cate Blanchett act again. I thought, this has got to be the end of this, this can’t go on. I think she’s a talented woman, but she’s so technical, she’s ice cold, and I always see her acting.

Might he add, “no fat chicks”:

Angela Bassett, you know, it’s a comic book, and she was a comic book character. She sort of over-articulates everything in this weird, fake English way. I didn’t buy it. Jamie Lee Curtis just seemed like a stunt. Like, here, I’m not going to wear a girdle, you’re going to see how fat I am, I’m Hollywood royalty and I’m putting on glasses and a funny wig and we’ll all have a good laugh at it.

And now, the punchline:

I think Viola Davis is talented, I didn’t see Woman King, but I’m a little tired of Viola Davis and her snotty crying.

Reactionary old fart: “Sorry, sweetheart, but giving Viola Davis a nomination would objectively be surrendering the Sacred Principles of Meritocracy to the WOKE MOB!”

“Have you seen her movie?”

“No.”

I can’t imagine why Davis and Polley might think reactionary prejudices might have played a role in them not being nominated!