The Oscar Speech Impediment

For a unique critique of the political rantings we often hear from Oscar winners, check out this essay from Joe Lindsey, a right-leaning actor, screenwriter, and author of Life to the Right of Hollywood.  Lindsey's main beef: the lack of self-awareness that liberal celebs exhibit in their acceptance speeches.

I have yet to see a show business person give the acceptance speech they should at the Oscars. Instead, some turn the moment into a narcissistic stunt of protest, global outrage or badge of honor for whatever social injustice they have chosen that year. Rarely do they get it right.

Peachiness is nothing new to Oscar; it has been going on as far back as when those in Tinseltown hid in a Red closet while whispering “Government borscht for all.” The only thing that’s changed is the lack of awareness the winners have to the people who pay for their product, the product being they and their films, and the level of daftness that some accepting the award go to in an effort to feel more powerful than the money and fame they already have. Speaking out can be a good thing, especially when the speakers motive is to lift the awareness of all. Yet in Hollywood, a self-important attitude is hard for most to drop, as is the party line.

We thinks Lindsey doth protest a little too much, but there's more than a nugget of truth to what he says.  And his main point seems dead on: there's room for modest cause marketing at the Oscars, but it has to be done right (no political pun intended).  With all due respect to James Cameron, in this case, context is king.