HOLLYWOOD — It feels like each year, a ceremony for what’s good about the movies becomes a cultural battleground. This year in particular with nonstop White House drama, TV viewers might prefer a little break from politics. However, that seems unlikely.
Last year’s protest hashtag was “Oscarssowhite” and a call by actress Jada Pinkett Smith to punish the Academy for not acknowledging the works of black actors.
It seemed to have some effect. Viewership of the Oscars last year on ABC hit an 8-year low, with host Chris Rock drawing 37.26 million viewers.
This year comes a smaller but no less vocal movement to #boycottoscars in anticipation that winners will use the international TV platform to bash President Trump.
One commenter, @killerkellyReno, shared the famous Ellen selfie, writing: “Oscars we don’t need you! Oscars don’t help us feed & clothe kids, pay bills or get good jobs. Hollywood elitists live in LaLaLand.”
One anti-Oscars movement was promoted by a Facebook post by the group Tempe Republican Women, which called on the public to turn off the show.
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