I’m going to say it. Some of you won’t agree.
But, Hollywood has totally lost it.
To plan such an extravaganza as the Academy Awards is nothing but a self-aggrandizement celeb-fest by their own industry. It’s a chance to admire and praise each other.
Don’t misunderstand me. I watched part of the award ceremony. Fred sat in his chair and read his book.
I enjoy the beautiful dresses, the pre-game interviews, and the sometimes interesting glimpses of the audience. Watching the earlier presenters, I concluded that Eva Marie Saint and Rita Moreno look great.
However, my opinion rests. Any industry that considers itself so important, so adored, and so idolized that it needs to idolize itself in an awards program is suspect.
This is an industry that aggrandizes the bad guy and makes the police look like dopes. This is the industry that demeans the American male as weak and often, helpless. These are the same people who have no remote clue what the American society is thinking, but consider their opinions as truth and enlightenment.
How on earth a group of people who are morally bankrupt and surrounded by overpaid jobs and self-gratification can be so adored is beyond me. They talk about the rights of women; then produce a movie like “50 Shades of Grey” that promotes extreme sexual exploitation of a woman.
Or how about movies that show maniacs and mentally deranged (I call it demon possessed) people shooting and killing innocents, then screams bloody murder to eliminate guns among the sane population? Keep in mind that many of them have armed bodyguards.
Let’s not forget their use of profanity; the worse being the curses using the name of Jesus Christ, and the ever present “f” word.
The group as a whole is perhaps one of the most decadent parts of any society. The industry is full of corruption, hedonism, hypocrisy, deviancy, and self-love.
And the national syndicated media just laps it up.
Let’s not forget that world opinions of us rests greatly on the American movies that we export to the world. It’s a pity.
The industry needs to clean up its act. But, this is how it goes. The actors are pawns, and the entertainment system dictates to them how they should think. Their political comments and humanitarian opinions on the left, receive accolades and approving winks from that left.
The actors should concentrate on one thing, to do what they do well. Act. The need to orate from their soapboxes, to criticize a multitude of subjects of which they know nothing is paramount to them.
They just can’t help it.
The mistake of us all in society is taking them seriously. And hopefully, society might eventually catch on that being good at acting/sports/pop music does not mean believing their opinions on world peace, global warming, animal rights, homosexuality, or religion as gospel.
In the earlier motion picture era, the public recognized that the actors and actresses comprised an “underclass” group of people who had been suddenly elevated to think they can knowledgeably discuss anything of which they know nothing. The problem is that this yakking devalues real expertise and public discourse.
But, as I commented to Fred, “My. Such adoration and admiration ... for one another.” He didn’t look up from the book. He didn’t hear me. Oh well.
Somehow, I feel like a curmudgeon. You know, Scrooge. Bah humbug.
But I love good movies. There’s nothing like a good movie and popcorn. I have seen several lately that were excellent.
“Phantom Thread” with Daniel Day Lewis, and Clint Eastwood’s production “The 15:17 to Paris” were very good. Let the industry continue. Let the actors act. Let us enjoy going to the movie theaters.
But how do we clean up this mess? I don’t know if we can.
Follow the money. That’s where the roads lead.

Judi Tabler lives in Pawnee County and is a guest columnist for the Great Bend Tribune. She can be reached at bluegrasses@gmail.com. Visit her website juditabler.com.