Give up the glam to help the glum
Liz Scott
Issue date: 3/11/10 Section: Opinion
The lights, the glitter, the glam-the Academy Awards were quite spectacular this year, as usual.
Besides the awkward red carpet interviews, Cameron Diaz calling Steve Carell "Jude" because they didn't fix the teleprompter and Barbara Streisand's dress, I rather enjoyed the Oscar broadcast.
Millions of dollars were spent on the elaborate stage sets, the edited film features, the dance team entertainment, the banquets and most of all, the gifts given to award nominees and other stars.
41.3 million Americans tuned in to watch the rich and famous congratulate themselves.
How many of those Americans can't even afford to pay their own bills?
It seems backwards to me how human beings live. The species is not able to feed itself, cloth itself or survive on its own. And yet, it spends its money on extravagancies.
It's a natural inclination to sometimes ignore our problems and do what's fun instead.
Wouldn't it have been awesome if all those celebrities had worn jeans and only those who won got a prize? What a revolution!
It would also be awesome if they take all the money that would have been used for the ceremony and gave it to people who need it. But that's never going to happen!
It's also ironic that independent documentary films want a place in the awards ceremony. All those dolphins are dying while the producers and writers are lavished with thousands of dollars worth of stuff in their gift baskets.
I don't blame them though-I'm not sure if I would feel guilty in their situation. I'd be a famous actress and would feel I deserve all the diva treatment.
I'm not suggesting redistribution of wealth and I know many celebrities and other wealthy people give to charities and have even founded some. But where is the limit in keeping too much for ourselves?
By Liz Scott
contributor
escott@capital.edu
Oscars by the Numbers
$500 = Cost to create one 13.5" Oscar statuette
$45,000 = Cost of this year's gift bag given to non-winners
$91,000 = Cost of previous years' gift bag
$1,500,000 = Cost to run a commercial during the broadcast
$5,000,000 = Cost of campaign to convince voters to back a film for Oscar consideration
Compiled from businesspundit.com and sevensidedcube.net by Liz Scott
Besides the awkward red carpet interviews, Cameron Diaz calling Steve Carell "Jude" because they didn't fix the teleprompter and Barbara Streisand's dress, I rather enjoyed the Oscar broadcast.
Millions of dollars were spent on the elaborate stage sets, the edited film features, the dance team entertainment, the banquets and most of all, the gifts given to award nominees and other stars.
41.3 million Americans tuned in to watch the rich and famous congratulate themselves.
How many of those Americans can't even afford to pay their own bills?
It seems backwards to me how human beings live. The species is not able to feed itself, cloth itself or survive on its own. And yet, it spends its money on extravagancies.
It's a natural inclination to sometimes ignore our problems and do what's fun instead.
Wouldn't it have been awesome if all those celebrities had worn jeans and only those who won got a prize? What a revolution!
It would also be awesome if they take all the money that would have been used for the ceremony and gave it to people who need it. But that's never going to happen!
It's also ironic that independent documentary films want a place in the awards ceremony. All those dolphins are dying while the producers and writers are lavished with thousands of dollars worth of stuff in their gift baskets.
I don't blame them though-I'm not sure if I would feel guilty in their situation. I'd be a famous actress and would feel I deserve all the diva treatment.
I'm not suggesting redistribution of wealth and I know many celebrities and other wealthy people give to charities and have even founded some. But where is the limit in keeping too much for ourselves?
By Liz Scott
contributor
escott@capital.edu
Oscars by the Numbers
$500 = Cost to create one 13.5" Oscar statuette
$45,000 = Cost of this year's gift bag given to non-winners
$91,000 = Cost of previous years' gift bag
$1,500,000 = Cost to run a commercial during the broadcast
$5,000,000 = Cost of campaign to convince voters to back a film for Oscar consideration
Compiled from businesspundit.com and sevensidedcube.net by Liz Scott
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
vince
posted 3/11/10 @ 4:23 PM EST
Barbra looked just fine. Understated and elegant. Get a life.
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