Are the Oscars still relevant? No.
Consider the demographics of the academy membership which is mostly white male and over 50. You know, like the GOP party but not as angry. The Oscars represent just a small microscopic view of the planet. You either choose to accept it or move on.
Chris Rock must be accepting of it since he is more than willing to continue as host and collect a paycheck. If anything, the upcoming show will prove to embolden the brilliant comic's satirical wit. Change starts from the inside and Rock has an opportunity to provide that.
This is the time of year we are inundated with awards show. Every weekend some type of artistic genre is being honored. From the buffet of media hype viewers pick, choose and digest what is palpable to them.
The Oscars are no different. Artists bemoan the fact that the Oscars represent the milestone of achievement. Really? How many "artists" have gone on to win and then quickly fade away. Given the choice would they rather have not won and in return be a continuos working paid artist?
I can hear it now, within the conference room of a network's weekly marketing meeting, a young marketing wunderkind is spewing the latest and greatest idea to create a new awards program "One that will be bigger than the Oscars that celebrates diversity in film!" You know, The Blockbuster Awards.
Yup, this is what we are headed towards, the addition of yet another brand new awards show. Dick Clark was brilliant at creating award shows.
The golden age of the Oscars died years ago except no one bothered to tell them. For the past couple of decades it has only served as a glossy marketing tool to wring more movie dollars from the public. Can anyone name Oscar recipients from two years ago?
The legalization of marijuana will evolve quicker than the changing of the guards at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science. Then everyone can chill.