Oscar Ratings Drop Sharply [record low viewership]

Zap2it.com ^ | Mon, Mar 24, 2003 05:12 PM PDT | anonymous

[jpthomas]

LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - With the U.S.-led war in Iraq dominating the news and people's thoughts, Sunday's (March 23) Academy Awards drew the smallest TV audience since Nielsen began tracking total viewers nearly 30 years ago.

The Oscar show, which was interrupted twice for brief ABC News updates on the war, averaged about 33.1 million viewers, according to preliminary figures (final ratings will be released Tuesday). It was the first time since 1974, when Nielsen began tracking total viewership, that the ceremony failed to average 35 million viewers.

The previous low was about 37.2 million viewers in 1987, when "Platoon" won the award for best picture. "Chicago" was the biggest winner Sunday, taking the best picture trophy and five others. "The Pianist" scored three Oscars, including surprise wins for best director (Roman Polanksi) and best actor (Adrien Brody).

For once, the show's often-bloated running time wasn't a factor. Even with a tribute to past acting winners, the 75th anniversary Oscars ended within a couple minutes of their target time of midnight ET. Host Steve Martin also did a good job of keeping the show moving.

Although the Oscar telecast will likely top the Nielsen rankings for the week, its total audience was more than 20 percent smaller than that of last year's show. About 41.8 million people watched the 2002 Oscars.

[jpthomas]

Hollywierd's gala event tanks big-time!

[Paul Atreides]

[Thebaddog]

They didn't get my eyeballs last night. Betcha that dope Moore is doing training videos this time next year.

[laz17]

The only bit of the Oscars I saw were the clips they showed on Fox. Moore is a degenerate, a reprobate. As for Susan Sarandon, did anyone see when she flashed the peace sign? The smile on her face was so condescending, I wanted to smack it right off her face. It was as if she was saying, "Look at me. Just because I flash a peace sign and repeat mindless mantra, I'm better than you. I'm more intelligent than you. I'm morally superior to you. I'm deeper than you." It was pathetic, as pathetic as Moore's disgusting tirade. These people are so pathetic they will never know how pathetic they are.

[barbarianbabs]

hehehe

[wildbill]

Americans voted on Hollywood with their remotes.

[johnfl61]

Boycott Hollyweird movies with French and German items too.

[potlatch]

LOL!!!

[Rocko]

The lowest-rated Oscars ever and Michael Mooron was booed; a dream come true.

MM is a BFI.

[potlatch]

Yes, Susan had a very 'SMIRKY' look on her face!!

[oyez]

If Moore is considered top of the heap in Hollywood, evolution is a flawed theroy. Does a species go backward in development?

Michael Moore is the futute of the Democratic Party of America. National Lampoon's Animal House is no longer fiction but a reality on a grand scale. What was the deans quote? "Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go though life."

[Jmouse007]

Who says boycotts don't work? I have never purposely missed an Oscar night in over 30 years unless I was out of the country. Even then I watched it once while teaching in the Ukraine. However, this year I determined that I would not watch based upon the un-American statements made by numerous so-called "actors." Neither will I support those who have taken this stand or their movies.

It is such a tragedy to see how far Hollywood has fallen when one thinks of all of the BRAVE Hollywood actors who gave so much of themselves and their support in WWII, even to the point in which many set aside their careers to join up and honorably serve.

The new Hollywood loves the money and fame America and it's citizens provide them but they HATE America. They hate it's people and despise the freedom they enjoy, paid with the blood of others.

Millions of patriotic Americans didn't watch the Oscars because Hollywood no longer represents America, it's people, or the values we hold near and dear. These values have made us great and provided Hollywood with the freedom to ply their acting trade. Instead, they spit on us and support the very people, philosophies and ideas that would result in the destruction of America and the continuing enslavement of people in Iraq and all over the world.

[CarmelValleyite]

Susan Sarandon is a face-lifted, frog-eyed, mental midget and a washed up has-been!

[potlatch]

LOL, maybe that's what 'caused' the SMIRK!

[Ronaldus Magnus Reagan]

The Hollywood leftists just don't understand demographics. The baby boomers are getting older. The boomers outnumber Gen X & Y 'ers by a wide margin. As people get older, they tend to be more conservative.

The democratic party and the Hollywood leftists will continue to slowly lose influence as the years go by.

They will increasingly be a source of amusement.

[jpthomas]

I don't know if you saw the just completed interview of former senator/actor Fred Thompson on Fox's Hannity & Colmes. I didn't watch the Oscars either, but Fox showed the clip of Michael Moore's "acceptance speech" attacking Bush. I was encouraged to note that the lardass was just about booed off the stage, and the faces in the audience showed just how pained and embarrassed the members and guests of the Academy were at his "performance". Senator Thompson also said he was "encouraged" by the reaction of the audience to Moore's boorishness.

[oyez]

Why is it that people that know nothing of politics and war are so full of opinions?

[oyez]

Moore has made a living off boorishness, anger and stupididy. From the looks of the audience in that clip Moore has joined the ranks of the unemployed.

[Hildy]

All Moore accomplished was to be remembered as the "fat guy who was booed off the stage at the Academy Awards."

[Great Dane]

Good to see, the ratings has been dropping for years, hopefully some day they will stop televising it.