To make sure no one could accuse me of stealing anyone else’s material, I always wrote the reviews right after the show and posted them immediately. That generally meant pulling an all-nighter.
The reviews certainly resulted in increased traffic. I transferred them to my podcast its first few years to help build an audience there. So now we’re talking over twenty years of Oscar reviews. (The feature became so popular that for a long while I expanded to Emmys and Golden Globes.)
I am officially now discontinuing my Oscar reviews.
There are a lot of reasons for it. A big one is that no one gives a shit about the Oscars anymore. (More on that topic tomorrow.)
But the major reason is the current woke culture. God forbid I offend anybody. What good is being snarky if you’re not allowed to criticize? And it goes beyond possibly being insensitive. Now you’re branded as a racist.
In the privacy of our homes, part of the attraction of watching the Oscars (and especially at Oscar parties) is taking shots at the horrible gowns and stupid tuxedos and ridiculous hairdos. What makes them so funny is how those offenders thought they were looking so glamorous and elegant. Bringing down people who take themselves too seriously is a comedy staple. And you may not be proud of yourself for making fun of these entitled people, but you do.
However, if I say one despairing thing about Viola Davis’ dress I’m loudly pegged a racist. If Penelope Cruz mangles her turn announcing the nominees and I point it out, I’m a racist. If I’m happy for a deserving winner who happens to be white I’m a racist.
So who needs that? Who needs to put a target on their chest? It’s a shame because comedy suffers. And as a society we need comedy. Now more than ever. But if those who provide it have to walk on eggshells, then what’s the point?
And that’s where we are today. So no snarky review on Monday. And forced apology on Tuesday.
43 comments :
I'll miss the reviews - I've always enjoyed them.
But if you're not enjoying them anymore, then you're making the right decision. And who knows - perhaps in a couple of years you'll change your mind. In the meantime, thanks for all of the Oscar-related laughs over the years.
Very interesting topic Ken, looking forward to tomorrow's as well. Look, to be fair this works both ways. If someone writes a snarky comment about Joe Biden, perhaps about his age or how he "mangles names", you delete it. Poking fun at Biden's age or verbal fumbling around a microphone in your comment section is just like you said in your post, "walking on eggshells."
I think some of the people who criticize your snarky jokes about Viola Davis or Cruz are wondering why you don't do the same about Biden's hair plugs. Even you would admit there are jokes there and who better to write them than someone with an Emmy award.
So how did we get to this point?
I also miss the funny reviews. I do notice that the Oscar are back in mid-Spring where I remember them taking place as a youth.
I’ve know you for longer than I care to admit, and knowing you so well, I suggest you preemptively apologize today even if you don’t do an Oscar review.
Perhaps if enough people attempted to push the envelope the "everything offends me contingent" would see the ridiculousness of their extreme views and just lighten up, seeing satire and comedy purely as entertainment, a means by which we can all laugh about ourselves and the absurdities of life. If that's not done, the Oscars and Emmys shows might as well become straight recitations of nominees and winner's "soapbox" acceptance speeches (though the Oscars would have the "best song" performances). Who would want to watch two-three hours of this? Not me.
Maybe it's time to step on at least a few "eggshells."
Semi-Irrelevant Anecdote # 1:
Johnny Mercer, a generally beloved figure in Hollywood, had a somewhat caustic sense of humor, which (under the influence of spirits) could edge into seeming nastiness.
Mercer's many friends knew this, and made allowances for it; Johnny always felt morning-after remorse, and would send flowers to whoever his target had been, and all was well.
I did read of one occasion when Mercer started in on Jo Stafford, one of his oldest friends.
Jo (aka Darlene Edwards) stopped him cold:
"No, John, I don't want your fucking roses in the morning."
As you can see, it was handled personally, as it always should be - but that was before Social Media (an oxymoron if ever there was).
Semi-Irrelevant Anecdote # 2:
Once on a talk show, Tony Randall was asked the old chestnut question about if you were going to be stuck in a hospital room for six months, who would you prefer as a roommate.
Tony's answer (approximately):
"Jack Klugman. He's as close to a brother as I've ever had - and I can promise you that we would not say one civil word to each other for the whole six months."
Back to what I said above about Social Media; these days, we all know too Goddamned much about each other, except the concept of sarcasm ...
You want to make fun of entitled people but don't want to hear about it when someone else thinks you're entitled. Fair enough (who likes being made fun of??) but don't call it "cancel culture" when you just don't want to be criticized.
HOW DARE YOU not write a review just because you're worried that you might offend me. I am very offended.
Wow, I'll miss your snarky takes, but I have to admit that before reading this I had no idea the Oscars were this weekend. I guess I really don't give a damn anymore. Feels pretty good, I must admit.
You have said this before (maybe about other awards shows?) and it always makes me sad. I will miss your reviews.
We who read your blog know who you are, and who you are not.
You cannot let them get away with those outfits, those speeches and, after the year we;e been through, the sanctimonious "we, the latte-fed are the ones who are ordained to think and speak for you, for we read words someone else wrote and get to do more than one take but we got the role and no longer are waiting tables and care about the oppressed--more than you ever will because we can act it."
This is your blog, not theirs, not the people who call you names. They are bullies and can't be accurate unless you make them so.
The word "racist" has only one use -- to make the person using the term feel superior to the one they are trying to label.
Craig Ferguson on his former late night talk show tried to show everyone the lunacy of the word in a humorous way. Anytime his producer would shake his head at a risque joke or would not play a musical or sound effect cue at the proper time, Ferguson would point at him and tell him he was a racist. The audience laughed, the producer laughed and more often than not Ferguson would laugh.
And honestly that may be the best approach to this lame word. Someone calls you a racist -- laugh in their face. You take away their power.
Ken - I expect that you know of Gary Sassaman's excellent blog "Innocent Bystander," and that
Gary used to "live blog" the Oscar telecast. It was always a lot of fun, but he stopped doing it ages ago. I stopped watching the Oscar broadcast a few years back. Too much self-congratulatory nonsense is like masturbation: it makes your palms hairy. Or something like that.
There's an app for that.
"Nextdoor is introducing a new anti-racism notification, which asks users to reconsider posting content if the app thinks it may be offensive."
https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/19/22392304/nextdoor-anti-racism-notification-community-moderation
Do what you want, obviously, it's your blog, but... you've probably always offended people and done things they consider racist or sexist or whatever else. They just now have the ability to tell you when you do. So from a certain perspective, this post is complaining that you can't hurt people's feelings and remain blissfully ignorant anymore.
Wow. I've really been enjoying this blog, but this took such a turn. Racism is real, and it's a scar on this country that may never heal. Successful white older men (including me) aren't the victims here.
I wonder how stand-up comedians survive? What's "fair game" for comedy these days?
Ken, So sorry to hear this. Your Oscar reviews have always been a bright spot. It's truly a shame that legitimate satire and wit are being chased into the darkness because too many folks just have no sense of humor!
Not even the pre-show with Sam Rubin? Say it ain't so!! Your snark was the best snark! How about you just let Annie do it instead. Come on. You're going to be changing channels, you'll come across the awards, and see something so stupid you'll have to blog about it. Hopefully.
This is very sad news because obviously you're not a racist. You're the successor to Mr. Blackwell, who once called Barbra Streisand "a masculine Bride of Frankenstein" and even had the temerity to criticize Princess Diana's clothes. I was actually planning to watch the Oscars this year to see Viola Davis win for MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM. Now...why bother? Helena Bonham Carter will show up looking like she put her head in a Cuisinart, and it won't be any fun.
Before we know it, all the Oscar nominees will get an Award just for trying. We live in the stupidest of times.
Sounds like the fun has gone out of it for you in any case, Ken.
What makes it sad is that there is real racism and people who truly are being racist. But it is a word that gets thrown around too loosely, so it loses it's punch and all its real meaning. This happens with many perfectly good words, it isn't a woke thing. More like a trendy buzz word problem.
People who call out everything as racism in an attempt at faux indignation dilute what is a very real issue.
if everyone is truly equal, then they need to be treated as truly equal, and that includes criticism and snarky comments.
But all that said. its hard to know sometimes when someone is being truly racist and when they are just being a jerk. Sometimes I don't think they know themselves.
Finally, being "woke" is not a bad thing. Do people take it to extremes, especially in a certain age group? Yes, absolutely. But I was that age group once and I cringe to think how sanctimonious I was about some things. So it's not a particular generation, but rather a particular stage that most generations go through. But, and this is something we really do need to remember, there is generally a kernel of truth in there, even if they have blown it out of proportion. So, while they might annoy us at times, perhaps that says more about us than it does them.
I too wrote snarky award show reviews, all the way back to 1972 on radio. I stopped because I got tired of writing variations of the same jokes every year, as the shows don't change much.
I believe I used "Best Direction went to the Exit signs at all theaters playing [that year's biggest bomb]. Other nominees for Best Direction were West, North and Up," over 40 times.
The only thing I liked about the Oscar ceremony was your review of it.
We need more award shows.....
You need at least one joke to post on Monday.
@John
Wow. I've really been enjoying this blog, but this took such a turn. Racism is real, and it's a scar on this country that may never heal. Successful white older men (including me) aren't the victims here.
You don't realize it, John, but everyone is the victim here.
Welcome to my world. Every mild joke or common sense opinion is greeted with terms like racist, sexist, fascist, or something unwoke. Bur you, Ken, have your bona fide liberal club card and there's no reason you can't be critical of the excesses of your colleagues, however many degrees removed.
Remembering the following exchange from an episode of the original Magnum P.I. (you know, the good one):
I forget the exact situation but this actually got on to CBS's air uncensored:
Magnum: "Higgins, you're a racist!"
Higgins: "Of course I'm a racist! Who in bloody Hell isn't?"
Anybody who recalls the context of this exchange, please advise ...
... and anyone with any ideas about how we handle this, we need to hear from you ...
I haven't watched the Oscars in years But I always enjoyed your snaky reviews.
With the guilty verdict of Derek Chauvin, I'm guessing the Oscars will go out of the way of avoiding any mention of that...
@mike doran - And of course, one of the best known songs from Book of Mormon is about this universal truth. Could that song (only about a decade old) make it into that show today?
So how did we get to this point?
Twitter
Ken, not writing an Oscars review because they're irrelevant makes perfect sense. Not writing one because you fear "cancellation" is less sensible. You know very well as a comedy writer whether you're punching up or down. Are you making fun of Viola Davis' dress BECAUSE she's black? If the answer is no (which I suspect is the case), you have nothing to worry about.
Tl;dr -- the Oscars' crapulence is a fine reason not to write a review; fear of the "woke mob" is not.
@Jim, Cheers Fan said...
So how did we get to this point?
Twitter
Don't think so. Twitter was the vehicle, not the destination.
cf. Everyone's a little bit racist from Avenue Q!
Thank you!
--Orleanas
Personally, I would never utter an unkind remark about Penelope Cruz, as I've been in a deep, committed relationship with her in my imagination for close to twenty years (sorry Javier).
I am looking forward to tomorrow's blog. I teach college and realized 15 years ago that my students didn't know what the Oscars were, much less knowing the nominees, much less having seen any of the nominees in Best Picture, Best Actor male and female, Best Director. They probably had seen the entries in special effects. It used to be fun handicapping the races before the awards and then tuning in for some of the interminable show.
When are you going to reveal the circumstances where you have been unjustly cancelled? Why are you cancelling my legitimate questions by not including them in your comments? Are you offended by my questions? Talk about "cancel culture". Seriously, when will people like you realize that if your comedy is offensive to large segments of the population it will not make it to the screen.
Ken
Spot on. I'm just about as liberal/progressive as they come -- in fact, I'm now writing about racism (real racism) since the Civil War, up to the Capitol insurrection -- but a lot of this shit that SOME on the left are doing now is destructive.
You're right, Ken, comedy serves an important function in a functioning society. It plays a role. It causes introspection. And shutting it down the way some are, can narrow the scope of an ultimately positive perspective. It limits where that society, any society, can look. It limits the growth of that society. And, often, these comedy police are only trying to be seen as “warriors for a noble cause.” Even though, in many cases, they're damaging the very cause they hope to be revered by.
And I'm NOT talking about, say, a joke told by a Klan member. Right away you gotta consider INTENT, and I doubt anything a KKK guy might say would be funny. Because of his intent. (Though, if he trips on the way to the mic, that might be funny.)
The Smothers Brothers (anyone remember) often addressed the racial issue by pointing it out, head on. The way All In The Family did. They held a mirror up to society so it, we, could see ourselves. THAT'S what comedy is supposed to do. That's why comedy SHOULD be irreverent/snarky!
All in love and good comedic humor,
Russ
THIS!!! And there is a scale to sexist and racist acts and being called out rightfully for an act that you might not view as racist doesn't make you a Trump level racist. Someone saying "that's racist" isn't quite the same as them saying "you're a raging racist." Strongly encourage folks to read White Fragility by Robin Diangelo.
Well said.
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