Gadgetory

all I'm sorry I you know we're more than two hours into the show and Donald Trump hasn't tweeted at us once and I'm starting to get worried about him well the Oscars podium is intended to be a place to accept an award it's become less about thanking the Academy and more about raising awareness with protest building over a tense political climate the question was never will there be a political statement but how many political statements will be made with an average of nearly 40 million viewers tuning in it's definitely a powerful platform award season in Hollywood opens the floodgates to some pretty hefty controversy we need the principled press to hold power to account to to call them on the carpet for every outrage climate change is real that is happening right now let us not take this planet for granted I do not take tonight for granted thank you so very much but the Academy wasn't always quite so accepting of a politicized stage one of the most explicit memorable moments is when marlon brando openly boycotted the Oscars in 1973 he sent Native American activists Sacheen Littlefeather in his place the audience was split she was met with some applause and a few boos and the Academy responded by banning recipients from sending proxies of the microphone ban that's since been lifted as proven by Asghar Farhadi I'm sorry I'm not with you tonight my absence is out of respect for the people of my country and those of other six nations whom have been disrespected by the inhumane law that bans entry of immigrants to the US by 1978 paddy Chayefsky called for nominees and winners stop politicizing Hollywood opinion of course that I'm sick and tired of people exploiting the occasion of the Academy Awards but 15 years later presenter Richard Gere openly criticized Chinese leader dung shellping while presenting an award for the best art direction then shortly after Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins open with another relative Pryor governing officials in Washington to admit that HIV is not a crime yo Cates was furious and called all three presenters distasteful and dishonest from their presenters quieted down but by 2002 when Halle Berry became the first woman of color to win the Best Actress Oscar she wasted no time pointing out the historical significance of the moment open the list goes on you have a man sending us the war landing on one of the most politicized Academy Award shows of all time Academy Award otherwise known as the People's Choice Awards there was once a time where we look to Hollywood for pristine entertainment it was a place to live fictitiously even now we see politicians and personalities crying out for Hollywood to shut up and dance claiming they shouldn't get involved in politics slowly have the tendency to disconnect ourselves from stars they're still citizens this goes out to all those black and brown boys and girls and non gender conforming who don't see themselves we're trying to show you you and us so thank you thank you this is for you citizens with a really large microphone if everyone could just stand up and remind them that we all care that this war ends as quickly as possible you you