Hearne: Why The Oscars No Longer Matter

Sometimes I feel like I’m trapped on some sort of death watch…

So many things are going south these days it’s hard to keep track. Sears, the Kansas City Star and Pitch, network television, shopping malls – civility in politics – the list is endless.

And while it’s not like that’s not a normal aspect of life, it can be a little disconcerting.

Take Jack Poessiger‘s column about how little regard the general public – and even he – has for the Academy Awards anymore.

Not that it’s any secret as to who’s to blame for killing them off…the same folks who lust for the chance to stand up there and win one of the little statuettes.

For years actors have used the awards presentations to shove their politics and values down the throats of a public that probably half or more of which disagrees with them.

Not to mention that most of the winning movies these days seem fairly far removed from what one might call mainstream.

That’s always been somewhat the case, but with some of the best viewing options available today going down on Netflix, Amazon Prime and the like, the choices at movieplexes seem so limited – teen and slasher flicks alongside artsy and superhero fare.

The bottom line: in terms of both content and value theaters can’t compete.

In days gone by, the actors people respected and were awed by appeared in mainstream movies people actually wanted to see…those were the ones on the stage at the Oscars.

That’s why the entertainment section of the Kansas City Star went live with Academy Awards coverage – including red carpet fashions – with an all hands on deck, pizza party that went on until the last awards were handed out, so when people got their newspapers the next morning the coverage was complete.

Now there is no entertainment section to muster, and even sea dogs like Poessiger have written the night off.

So yeah, times have kinda changed…