The Academy Awards kick off tonight in Los Angeles. This annual event, infused with the glitz and glamour that only Hollywood can deliever, is beloved by millions around the world. What will the leading stars be wearing on the red carpet? Will anyone deliver a blistering political diatribe as an award acceptance speech? What role will racial tension and diversity play in the ceremony?
These are just some of the plot lines that will surround the Oscars this year, giving the whole event a veneer of importance that is perhaps a little overplayed. At the end of the day, Hollywood is an entertainment industry. Yes, the industry can address social and political issues but it is all show business at the end of the day. The Oscar ceremony is no different. We tend to forget that this is a ceremony in which the industry essentially congratulates itself for its own success. So let’s enjoy the event as what it is: a guilty pleasure that will not change the course of human history.
