ABC NOW FEARING A MASS TUNEOUT (The Brokeback Oscars Effect)

NY Post ^ | 2/1/06 | DON KAPLAN

[jimbo123]

"Brokeback Mountain" and a slew of other arty, less-widely seen Oscar-nominated flicks are expected to take the polish off ABC's ratings for the Academy Awards this year.

With no big-budget films like "Titanic," "Gladiator" or "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King" in this season's crop of nominees, ABC may be staring down the barrel of one of the lowest-rated Oscar telecasts in recent memory when it airs on March 5, say TV-industry analysts.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

There's a short wait for the DVD, so I should have it within a week or so. Thanks again! :)

[Libertina]

It is despicable - this newest trend of Hollywood to show trailers of movies without disclosure of the true story ie assisted suicide, homosexuality... You can hardly turn on the TV without yet another lesbian presentation. Kids see this all the time.

[Deb]

Oh, dear.

[Ghengis]

So we can only assume that their Nominations are a shot across the bow to America -- Pay attention to my perverse lifestyle!

I think this is the obvious reason for this year's nominations. Its a simultaneous flipping of the bird to Red State America while engaging in mutual masturbation with their like kind over these film subjects.

They accuse President Bush of operating in a bubble. Go figure.

[durasell]

You can hardly turn on the TV without yet another lesbian presentation.


I gotta watch more TV...

[Libertina]

Well, you are an adult I suppose...

[Heyworth]

Actors do nothing but play pretend and every time you turn on the TV there they are marching down the carpet acting like they've saved the world. Why do we constantly have to go through all this hype over nothing?

Therein lies the real question. Why does anyone care? Why are so many people all in a tizzy over an industry awards ceremony that really means nothing more than an episode of "Survivor"? ("We're voting "Cinderella Man" off the island.") By being outraged at Hollywood's celebration of movies you don't like, you're still buying into the notion that the Oscars are in some way, shape or form important. They're not. What they are is a TV show.

The fact is that people like watching celebrities. Award shows aren't expensive to produce and they garner pretty good ratings. Even with viewers down this year, the Oscar broadcast will easily win the timeslot. Advertisers will buy expensive time. The network will make money, even if it's not as much as they dreamed of. Some of the movies will get a modest bump from the PR. The sun will rise in the east.

[durasell]

Actually, there's not much on TV to watch,lesbians or no lesbians.

[GOPJ]

Notice how the money makers like Narnia don't even make THEIR radar screen. It's the depraved that turns liberals on and wins awards.

If a movie doesn't give the finger to conservative Americans, it doesn't stand a chance.

[demkicker]

There's a Timecop festival on Sci Fi today you might want to Tivo for the really lean times.

J Thanks!

[Heyworth]

I vote for "The Real Oscar Awards By Real People not Wackos "

That would be the People's Choice Awards.

[durasell]

And the fashion commentary on the People's Choice is much more interesting.

"She's wearing a bold choice, if I do say so. It's a blue, polyester track suit accessorized with, yes, it looks like confectionary sugar and pizza grease..."

[JoeSixPack1]

Oh my,, an entire industry of know nothing crap eating impersonators are once again slapping themselves on the back for being completely void of any artistic talent over which they claim sovereignty. Nomination for an award is based solely on the producers of the products ability to fill out a form. The ability to read is unneccessary. Voting is controlled and hidden behind closed doors by the very people that produce the crap they themselves nominate.

Popularity displayed by their paying audience has nothing to do with the accolades accompaning the nominations.

Should we watch? No way! Screw Hollyweird.

[linda_22003]

I'm just bursting bubbles all over the place this afternoon. :)

[durasell]

Whatever you do, don't mention that CS Lewis was into S&M...

[linda_22003]

That's news to me. Giving or receiving? ;)

[durasell]

I think giving, but I haven't researched it. Mentioned in several of his letters. You know, he was British...

[Deb]

Fortunately I had no bubble for Chad Allen, but someone will be in tears during TCM next showing of "Raintree County".

[linda_22003]

I looked up the New Yorker piece about him when you said that; I vaguely remembered hearing something about him being a spanker. That probably has more to do with early boarding schools for boys in England, than anything else. ;)

[Czar]

"Gay indoctrination and terror apologism. This will most likely be the lowest-rated Oscars of all time."

Couldn't happen to a more deserving group.