That's optimistic. You don't think they'd fill those two hours with more useless bits and sketches? Okay well no one is asking for "empty platitudes" so, yeah, if that's all the men can offer then they're better off not doing it. I do think the writer of the article assumed they would be human enough to muster a sincere and substantive statement, though. Also, it's one thing to say men should take a backseat to organizing - which I generally agree with and which clearly happened here. It's another to say that men who are being given a platform regardless shouldn't acknowledge the problem when they're expected to speak anyway. A man taking his own moment of attention and glory or whatever and using that to turn the spotlight on the movement and express sincere support of it, isn't "swooping in." The guys who won these awards were going to speak anyway, they had their 30 seconds to use it however they wanted. It's ridiculous to say that taking a few of those seconds to acknowledge the movement would have been "insult to injury."
I think expecting more than empty platitudes from the privileged sex that will usually go through life not even once having to experience, much less put up with, anything even remotely approaching these kinds of abuses of power is optimistic. I hardly see what they could add of value to the conversation, except words of support to the victims and condemnation of the perpetrators, which, if sincere are really a no-brainer. I mean, wow, whoopdidoo, you're being a human being, want a pat on the back too? And if insincere are just, again, platitudes and insult to injury. No, I don't need to hear anything from men. They can sit this one out in the corner.
I can see it either way. But maybe a few quiet words of support would have been better than utter silence from most of the men speaking that night. I can see how the silence can be awkward and disappointing. It's non-participation. Imagine a party with a theme and none of the men are participating. It's...less of a party that way. I can see the non-participation being a downer. Hollywood award shows are terrible, btw.
The thing I like about Oprah's speech is that not only was it inspiration but it was inclusive of men rather than just a means of bashing them in general. There are good men that work in the industry. I thought Sterling K. Brown gave one of the more passionate speeches at the Golden Globes when he talked about a role/character that was written specifically for a Black man and its importance and value. Here's that excerpt from his speech:
Well call me cynical but anytime some Hollywood actor gets up and jumps on some bandwagon about equal pay , diversity , sexual harrasment etc. I just find it staggering . .
I think the men were between a rock & a hard place. I would venture to say that some of them, maybe a lot, wanted to say something about the issue, but they weren't sure what to say and were afraid of saying the wrong thing and detracting from all the powerful stuff women were saying and doing. As a man, I struggle with my role in this conversation myself. I want the people on the front lines that are most effected in the struggle to be able to take the agency and use the power that they so often haven't had; that said, I honestly believe allies are important in any struggle like this* and I don't want to be a spectator who sat on the sidelines and didn't say or do anything because I wasn't personally effected; that said, it feels really awkward and, in some ways, condescending and douchebaggy to say things like, "Oh, I'm a feminist" or things like that. I just try to navigate all those things as best I can moment to moment; I've made mistakes in these areas, but, you know, these struggles are messy. All we can do is come at things with genuine sincerity and make whatever mistakes we end up making in good faith. *For example, as a Native American, I have very much applauded the work of Native activists on environmental issues over the last couple of years; I've been proud and happy to see them speaking up and being heard in a way they traditionally haven't. And, also as a Native American, I've been really happy with all the support Shailene Woodley, who has no Native ancestry that I know of, has given the causes by being a very vocal activist herself (she was even arrested at a Native protest). I welcome allies like her into issues involving Native Americans when that alliance is genuinely coming from a sincere place, as it seems to be in her case. I don't know any Natives who see her as a "white" person trying to speak for us or take over one of our causes nor do I see her in those ways. Allies can be very good things.
I try to pay attention to the issues affecting people of color in the US and learn how I, as a white person, can be an ally. The two most important things I have learned are this: 1. Teach my sons to stand up for their friends of color if they are ever in a situation in which they are unfairly targeted by someone in authority. (One son’s best friend is black, another son’s best friend is Middle Eastern, so I found this important.) 2. Shut up and sit down. Let the people who are not white explain their experiences to me, rather than my doing all the talking in explaining how much I would like to help. So I can see both sides as well. Maybe the men were staying silent because they didn’t feel they could make things better and did not want to make things worse. Or not.
Oh, I actually got side-tracked with that post. I actually came to this thread to make a correction to what I said yesterday about The Florida Project; I was just working on my official review of it and I remembered that there actually is a trans character in the film. Very small role, maybe in the movie five minutes, but yesterday I said there were none, so I just thought I'd correct that.
Yesterday, I was watching one of my favorite YouTube movie pundit, Jon Campea, and he mentioned that his twitter account blew up during the Golden Globes award show, and no, it wasn't about Oprah's speech and any of the big awards being announced but rather that Ewan McGregor has a beard! Many speculated this was some sort of confirmation that a stand alone Obi Wan film is in the works. To be honest, that thought did run to my head, but it was no where near a confirmation of a Kenobi flick.
A recurring theme I find in activism on the internet is that valid concepts that make sense get twisted around in ways that don't. I really don't think "shut up and sit down" applies here. The men are getting awards, they're talking anyway. Delivering an acceptance speech for an award you won isn't taking away airtime or a platform from someone else, which is what "shut up and sit down" is really getting at. As with the "empty platitudes" comment, no one is asking the men to pretend to understand the experiences of women (and, this is a good time to note, the men who have been victimized and spoken out like Terry Crews and Anthony Rapp are also important parts of the movement who have my deepest respect for their bravery) or speak over women who are doing the same work. But the silence becomes pretty notably deafening when the men are talking anyway and ignoring the elephant in the room. There are sincere, constructive ways to voice support for the Time's Up movement - and honestly any of the nominated guys could have reached out to the women who were spearheading the organizing to ask for tips. Some of the actresses held an open house training for how to deliver talking points on Time's Up in red carpet interviews. There were resources available to these guys to make sure their speeches supported the movement in a constructive way. The fact that none of the winning men did that is not good allyship.
This sounds close enough to empty platitudes to me, have talking points put into your mouth by someone else. It doesn't strike me as sincere when it doesn't come from them. I won't argue against the idea that this wasn't good allyship, though.
I am super hyped for The Favourite. I'm kind of surprised to see Bohemian Rhapsody get a Drama nomination. Critical response when it came out was lukewarm at best. Also . . . isn't it a musical? Same with A Star is Born.
I was thinking of catch The Favourite during my lunch today since is playing pretty much across the street from my office at one of those art house only theaters since it's been getting alot of buzz.
THey're dramas about musicians, not musicals in the same way you think about them. Also, HFP (foreign) wasn't not going to nominate the Freddie Mercury biopic... I doubt it'll get an Oscar nod, except maybe for Malek...
Well, Walk the Line won Best Musical or Comedy and they surely didn't think it was a comedy . . . Though I guess there's really no need to hold your feet to the fire on this.
From what I understand, the studios behind both movies figured they had a better chance at nominations if they submitted in the drama categories, rather than the musical/comedy category. True. Very true.
I mean my last caring was when TDK was up and should of been nominated but got screwed over. Anything left was shredded with Hailee Steinfeld was put as "supporting" actress instead of main to give her a shot at winning instead of losing to Portman...should of been up for it anyway..
i've never actually watched the golden globes and don't really care (even though i'm weirdly into the oscars), but i'm glad to see alison brie nominated for the second year in a row and i hope she wins this time.
Well, the Golden Globes has been losing its prestige over the years as more people are becoming more aware of the Hollywood Foreign Press organization that nominates and votes on their awards. The Hollywood Foreign Press has only about 80 something members and are often smoozed (aka bribed) by the studios for their consideration and votes since it's such a small organization. Moreover, the Hollywood Foreign Press stretches the definition of their awards categories to cast a wider net to bait the stars of the films in coming to their event.
