Let Oscar’s Be About Recognition Only

         Ok, I get it…the Oscar awards are supposed to be about recognizing the best in the film industry; however, over the years…the Oscars have turned into an industry unto itself.  There are Oscar parties, pre-Oscar and post-Oscar parties, the Barbara Walter’s pre-Oscar interviews, the morning shows that preview the menu’s and the decor of the dinning areas…come on!  Enough already. 

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Pat O’brien Is Leaving The Insider…What’s The Secret?

        I read that the host of a tabloid television show, The Insider, is leaving the show.  Pat O’brien has been on The Insider since 2004 he was the host until he had a couple of stints in rehab for addictions.  He made tabloid news himself when he left recorded messages sexually harrassing a female person on the phone.  Before he was the host of the Insider, he was on Access Hollywood for something like seven years.  Some people watch those shows regularily.

         So, he is leaving the show now.  It has been said that the decision to leave is a mutual one.  Yet, no real reason has been disclosed for the leave taking.  However, there has been speculation from; he slipped in his sobriety again, to, he is leaving because of an email that he sent to the staff at The Insider.  The email supposedly alledges that the staff of The Insider is out of touch with their real life viewers; who are struggling with day -to- day financial survival, and are not interested in the elite Hollywood fashions and over-indulgences of the stars. 

           If it is true that he was let go from the show for holding that opinion…i would tend to agree that the powers that be, are indeed out of touch.  However, I am sure that Mr. O’brien could have gotten that message across in a much more effective way than sending an email.  It is a valid point to say that mainstream America is struggling to maintain some semblance of financial stability…hearing about celebrities who toss away untold amounts of money on non-essentials is a bit of rubbing it (their wealth) in the viewer’s faces. 

           In general, i think the viewers would much rather hear about celebrities who are doing “good” in the world, with some of their “excess money”, than to hear about the latest mansion they bought or, how much money they spent on their last shopping spree!  In that, i agree in the theory behind the alleged email.

           I think that there will be a backlash in the sports world, the celebrity arena, the political figures, and other areas of our culture that continues to endorse reckless handling of money.    Reality for most people is not financial wealth; after the collapse of our banking systems, the mortgage crisis, the credit card crunch; and, the constant raising of prices of gasoline, home heating prices, and necessities such as groceries.  The American public is fighting to regain a financially secure life.  The impact of that is going to carry over into all areas of life including entertainment shows!

           If Mr. O’brien has had a change of heart over the types of stories that he felt his show should cover…he has to acknowledge that he also contributed to the environment of that show, for quite a period of time.  That however, doesn’t mean that a person can’t change their actions and raise awareness.  Good luck to everyone involved.  Let’s get real in our expectations and our actions…stop living in a fantasy world that very few people experience.  If the television executives cant do that…then, let those select few be their audience! 

           The Insider is supposed to be about the entertainment world…and it isn’t entertaining to their viewers to watch those who have been blessed financially live in ways that are wasteful when they are struggling to live above the poverty level.

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Dancing With the Stars-Could They, Would They, Should They?

        I read an article that I believe will bring the house down, if ABC chooses to push the envelope with Dances With The Stars this season on television.  The article had an alledged comment from Cheryl Burke that said something to the effect of; America wasn’t ready to see two men dancing together.  The comment was in reference to a question about a competitor in the upcoming season, Lance Bass.  The question alluded to the idea of whether Lance would have a male, or female dancing professional partner.  Cheryl apparently doesn’t think that would happen.  I agree, i think if it were to happen…ABC would see a huge backlash directed towards one of it’s most popular shows. 

          Lance Bass, a former singer in the boy band N’SYNC, announced that he is gay back in 2006, I believe.  I think that if ABC took a chance to shock viewers by allowing such a trouncing on the mainstream traditional family values they would stand to lose not only sponsors; but, ratings as well.  The sponsors themselves could potentially risk loosing lots of money.  Public opinion carrys alot of weight with television…and with the networks struggling and competing against cable programming…i wonder if they would truly risk such a decision.

        Also, it seems to me that there would also be a question of an unfair advantage of having two partners with the combined physical strength that two male dancers would have, over the traditional dancing partners of one male and one female.  I doubt that the other teams would feel that they were evenly matched in comparison.

          The new season will begin on September 22, 2008.  Who knows whether ABC even seriously considered this idea; or, whether it has been put into the media by the organizations that try to push the gay/lesbian agenda on television.  People are people no matter what and deserve respect, not hate; often these issues push hot buttons…however, i do think that Cheryl Burke was right…I don’t think America is ready, willing, or able to be participants in watching the show if it violates their personal beliefs.

          The question is, Dancing with the Stars…could they, would they, or should they, do something so contrary to traditional family values as to allow a gay man to compete with a dance professional of the same sex during a prime time television show that many families watch with their children? 

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