For days, I have been wracking my brain for something, anything to write about this year’s Oscars. I kept finding myself staring off into space, thinking about my grocery list, how I need to make the bed, or wondering if the laundry is dry.
In my haze, I kept forgetting about my coffee. I trudged back to the kitchen to microwave it a few times, and finally gave up on the third try when the cream curdled and it turned to sludge. I dumped the coffee down the drain and resolved to give up writing about the stinking Oscars.
I marched from room to room doing housework, and started getting mad.
“For heaven’s sake, there is so much going on in this world right now ÔÇô Libya, Egypt, China, Iran, and even Wisconsin ÔÇô but I have to write something clever about a bunch of actors getting dressed up in Hollywood. Well, forget about it. I’ve got more important things to do,” I thought as I scrubbed a Kool-Aid stain out of my daughter’s shirt
Yes, more important things to do. Plenty more things.
While those actors call their chauffeurs, rehearse their acceptance speeches, and wave good-by to their nannies and butlers so they can go off to some big party they throw for themselves every year; I will be scrubbing my toilets.
While they pose for the cameras and talk about “who” they’re “wearing” as if they’ve got some live fashion designer strapped to their backs, I will be ironing my husband’s uniform.
While they jingle the diamonds that some jeweler gladly loaned them for the advertising, and show off the sleek figures that their chefs and personal trainers created, I will be cooking and crumbling ground beef for my lasagna.
As they applaud each other and shed tears for their outstanding achievements in their “craft,” I will be loading the dishwasher.
While they give their stirring acceptance speeches holding their precious awards, or fake the unaffected expressions they rehearsed in their heads in the event that they didn’t win, I will be telling my kids for the second time to get to bed.
As they party all night and sleep all day while their maids clean their houses, their managers make sure their bills get paid, and their nannies raise their children, I will be trying to get a good night’s sleep so I can wake up in the morning and do it all over again.
Those of us who paid for the movie tickets that made those actors rich are out here doing all the working, paying and living that goes on in this world. We go to the movies for entertainment. Period.
Watching the films in which rich actors star is merely what the regular people of the world do to occupythemselves after all the real work is done.Hollywoodfilm makersbelieve that we are the lowly masses begging for them to grace us with their talents and beauty, when in reality, we are the kings and they, our court jesters.
But the players in Hollywood don’t understand this. Perhaps too many camera flashes have blinded them to the reality that they are only rich and famous because we allow them to be.
Sure, acting is an art, but how many Hollywood actors would continue their “craft” if there was no fame and fortune in it? I think we all know the answer to that. In fact, actors who fall from the limelight tend to do whatever they can to get back in the camera’s lens, be it good or bad. Ever seen “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew?”
I’ve gone on long enough. Like I said before, I’ve got more important things to do than write about the Oscars. I have laundry that needs folding.
Maybe I’ll watch the Red Carpet coverage to keep me entertained while I sort through the socks. And then again, maybe I won’t.
It doesn’t really matter.
You are so right. I never watch awards shows, though I kept my fingers crossed for The King’s Speech, the best film for some time. I was sad that it was rated R because of the F-word. Kids hear that word everywhere and there was no violence and no sex.
Do we really know the movies to rent this weekend? There’s a lot of money that goes into deciding which movies and actors are picked. If you’re looking for movie recommends, go with the Screen Actor’s Guild awards.
Great thoughts, Lisa. I’ve been pondering a lot recently about celebrity and our sweetly sick obsession with it.
I am glad I was in my pre-mob training during the awards. I totally agree with you. On an ironic note, I found it interesting that in the photo there is an arm in Class “A’s” and it is a Staff Sergeant sticking a microphone in Miley Cyrus’s face.
Holy cow, I never saw that! Why on earth was a Staff Sergeant assigned to cover the Oscars???
I think I can back you up on this. It saddens me to think of how poorly informed so many people are about the world but know so much about celebrity life. The oscars and major sporting events are fine to watch but it sort of confuses me why they are placed given such high regard.
I never watch the oscars but am a bit saddened to that I’m missing it this year. I’ve been informed that it’s a train-wreck.
Amen, brother. The only relevance the Oscars has in our life is that, after we know who/what won, we know what movies we should rent on the weekend. All that waste of money, all those inflated egos, all the hubub, just so we can get a movie recommendation.
Perhaps this is all part of a much larger problem with people needing to absorb culture instead of creating it.
We need to empower people to make things, enjoy themselves and be something more. If we were sharing with each other and sharing more of ourselves, maybe we wouldn’t be so apt to let things like this take a front seat in our lives.
Although that’s only a theory and one I’ve created without a legitimate solution.
Interesting theory, Posky…. I’ll throw out some solution ideas: watch less TV, read more, travel more, have hobbies, write letters to friends often. Anything else?