Why the Academy Awards don't matter

I used to enjoy watching the Academy Awards show because there was actual competition between actually good movies for best picture, actor, etc. Now, the whole process had devolved into a deranged orgy of political correctness and irritating grandstanding by vapid, half-witted actors who think people other than Entertainment Tonight hosts care what they think about anything.

This year, predictably, an ingratiating, fawning account of slain San Francisco gay-rights advocate Harvey Milk, got 8 nominations. It's not because it was a particularly good movie, it's because it's a movie about a favorite Hollywood soapbox topic, homosexuality, and stars Hollywood's most vocal and annoyingly left personality, Sean Penn. If they had time, Sean Penn would have painted his face black and made an ingratiating, fawning account of a young, inexperienced, Chicago rabble-rouser who got himself installed into the presidency by the cult-like media....and that would have gotten 8 nominations.

So, if you watch the Oscars later this month, enjoy poking fun of what actresses wear on the red carpet but, don't believe that they are picking the best movies of last year. They're picking the most politically correct ones.