Don’t be surprised by the low Oscar ratings.
The show offered no glitz or glamour. There was nothing outrageous or spontaneous.
Remember the days of Cher coming out in a wild outfit? Now the dresses are so sublime, they’re sleep inducing.
I said last week when the presenters were announced that the show seemed pedestrian. Instead of drawing on the living legends who could spice things up, the producers went for safe people all under the age of 50. Where was Jack Palance doing a one armed push up?
And on that subject: Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell were sitting in the audience to root for daughter Kate Hudson. Why weren’t they presenters? That was a waste of talent. Others were wasted, too. So many stars — like Annette Bening — came for the Rob Reiner tribute? Why didn’t they present?
Also, it was obvious that the Academy and ABC advised winners against making political statements. The only person who didn’t listen was Javier Bardem, who offensively yelled “Free Palestine!” before the censors could bleep it.
But we’re in an undeclared war with Iran. No one said a word about it. I wish when Sean Penn won, someone read a statement that he was in Ukraine. That would have been a jolt.
The complaints could go on and on. The only thing we know is that next year, we will have BIG Movies in the running, hopefully. “Disclosure Day,” “Dune 3,” “The Odyssey,” a new Joel Coen movie. We’ll cross our fingers that the telecast is in February, and that the producers will look for some pizzazz.
One last thing: there’s no sense of occasion or grandeur when you’re told “an episode of The Bachelorette” will follow the Oscars. No! The Oscars are supposed to run late, keep you up, make you late in the morning. ABC has diminished the importance as if the Oscars are a lead-in to their insipid dating show
