Sunday, February 24, 2008

The Oscars -- who cares?

I think the Oscars are on tonight -- that's the one where they give out the big gold statue of a man.... for movies?? Right??

Am I the only one out there who doesn't care about award shows?

I'm not taking this as some sort of "I'm a smarty-pants intellectual who spends all of her time writing philosophy papers and reading obscure Nietzche passages in German" position. I'm not about to tell you that I don't watch TV and never go to movies, or that I only listen to classical music, jazz and NPR. That isn't it at all. In fact I probably love more bad TV than the average academic...

Really, though, I couldn't care less who wins awards for what... I know that I like some movies and don't like others. I know that I like some TV shows and don't like others. I know that I enjoy some music and don't enjoy other music... I just don't care what everyone ELSE thinks is good.

It is just entertainment, and I'll readily admit to being entertained. I'll even admit to liking to look at fashion and to being secretly happy when celebrities of all sorts don't look so good.... it is just that award shows leave me cold.

Maybe it is because we didn't watch them at home when I was a kid -- my mom really was the "I only listen to NPR and opera" type, so if it wasn't on PBS, she was pretty suspicious....

Maybe it is because I don't like my TV routines interrupted. I don't like it when some big sports event interrupts stuff and I don't like it when entertainment people stop to congratulate themselves in some endless orgy of self-serving speeches.

Maybe the best thing about the writer's strike was that some other awards show was canceled and replaced with a non-nonsense press conference announcing the winners. Really, couldn't they all be like that. Why not have some kind of web-event to announce the winners and let the rest of us continue to be entertained?

If you are an award show fan, please let me know why.... I'm really curious.

I also hope you have a fun time tonight, that the show gives you what you hope to get -- and that it is worth the time and fuss....

as for me, I'm editing a paper at Panera and then maybe going to the gym -- or going home to crochet and watch DVDs of NCIS.

7 comments:

Addy N. said...

I like to watch sometimes just to see all the people. I am less interested in the Oscars every year, because I never manage to see movies any more- at least not until they're on DVD. I may watch a bit later, but I'm not too terribly interested this year.

Christopias Spritopher said...

I'd like to see an awards show the awards shows. Who is doing the best one? Who gave the best speech? Who was best dressed?


I don't really mean that but since its coming I want it to be my idea. You heard it here first kids!

Weezy said...

amen sister--- I don't watch it them either. Right now I have the L Word on then then will switch over to Mark and Ollie--- Living with the Mek :)

Anita said...

I like the Grammys... But I haven't set foot inside a movie theater in 4 years... I really don't even know anything about the new movies...
I might see one or two once they come out on DVD... lol

Seeking Solace said...

I don't watch either. I just can't get into it. Plus, usually the movies or music I like do not get a nomination.

Bardiac said...

When I was a teen, I really liked the awards shows; I think because you got to see STARS! being "themselves." Except, of course, it's all marketing, and they're being STARS! (Or wannabe, hasbeens, whatevers.)

I pretty much lost interest as I got into my 20s, probably partly because I wasn't in the US for a while, and so got out of the habit of thinking about the US entertainment industry stuff.

They can't do just an announcement (if they have writers) because the shows are a marketing tool, a way to try to convince more people to consume more of whatever.

(Disclaimer: I tend to watch a fair bit of TV, but am often too lazy to go to the movies unless something sounds really good.)

Anonymous said...

i like to watch for the dresses the women make. and this year for jon stewart. but i basically surf the web and do stuff online while looking up at the female presenters' dresses. i too am not a big movie watcher, so i have seen nothing that was nominated this year. or last...