I refuse to watch any awards shows at all; I haven’t for years now. And I don’t because it is an insult to my intelligence. I’m not there to hear some actor’s political views, but to see excellence in the arts rewarded. I already know 98% of ’em are liberal clones and groupthinkers. I don’t need to be lectured like a snot-nosed kid about it.
As for the Emmys in particular, I don’t watch network TV, anyway. I haven’t done that for many years, either. The closest I get to it are “classic” Canadian shows like Murdoch Mysteries and English ones like Downton Abbey.
And the thing is, even if I were politically liberal (as I used to be in my earlier days), I would feel exactly the same way: I would say: “I’m not here to hear about politics. Just shut up and exercise the talents that God gave you.”
It’s not a political decision to not watch these lamebrains (because I’m a conservative); it’s a principled decision made by a thinking [Catholic] person, who refuses to be treated by these artists like an imbecile or ignoramus. I’ll watch the brilliant liberal actor act or the marvelous liberal musician sing or play, but I won’t listen to either preaching about politics.
Michael Jordan wisely said, “Republicans buy sneakers, too.”
I am by no means alone in my opinion. Emily Jashinsky at the Washington Examiner (3-21-18) noted:
Asked to react to the statement, “When I watch live sports or entertainment shows on television I am trying to get away from politics and do not want to be bombarded with partisan political messages,” 75 percent agreed, with 52 percent agreeing strongly.
Informed this year’s Academy Awards ratings were “historically low,” respondents were asked whether they watched the broadcast. Twenty-seven percent said they never watch the Oscars, and 23 percent said they did watch. Among those who did not watch, 19 percent said it was at least in part because, “I’m tired of these shows being full of political statements” and 11 percent said, “I would have watched but knew some of the presenters and winners would use the time to share their political agenda.”
Another poll question and response to it was also highlighted in the article:
[Question] Thinking about your own TV watching habits over the past year, have you been a lot less likely or somewhat less likely to watch live sports and entertainment shows, because they have become too political? If it has made no difference, or made you more likely to watch these broadcast, just say so.
. . . Forty-six percent of respondents said sports and entertainment shows becoming “too political” has made no difference to them, while 44 percent said it’s made them less likely to watch.
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(originally 9-20-17 on Facebook; expanded with quotations on 2-19-19)
Photo credit: David Shankbone (b. 1974). Friday, Day 14 of w:Occupy Wall Street – photos from the camp in Zuccotti Park and the march against police brutality, walking to One Police Plaza, headquarters of the NYPD (9-30-11) [Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license]
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