Hollywood Weenies
Soooo...what did I miss? HA! Just kidding. First off, for all those wondering, I will not be offering my thoughts on "The Slap." I think it has been subjected to more takes than Kim Kardashian trying to act in a Scorsese picture. Thus, I don't feel inclined to add to the laundry list of pieces that have since been written about that ugly incident. However, there is something that I found quite striking about the immediate aftermath. I've read a couple of pieces and heard interviews where folks have been shocked at the behavior of those at the actual show who did nothing and those who gave Will a standing ovation when he won his Oscar.
Fear has become the dominant emotion in the upper echelon of the leadership class of Hollywood: Fear of the Twitterati, Fear of being canceled, Fear of Job Loss. It seems surprising that anyone is shocked that Will got a standing O and was feted at after-parties as if nothing ever happened. I can only imagine the thoughts swirling around those seated in the front row, calculating their response once the initial shock wore off. Everyone knew Will would win the Oscar, so we can surmise that they were all calculating their emotion. And they all decided that the standing ovation was the best response. That became the dominant narrative hence the party where Smith was feted like a returning conquerer. Until the morning, when it became apparent that the overwhelming opinion was against Smith, everyone, including Smith, realized that it would only worsen.
Fear created the response that we witnessed during the telecast, but the aftermath has shown that there is no leadership left in Hollywood. No one to stand up and say that Smith was wrong. No one to say that that isn't what our industry is about, and Smith should face the consequences. After the tide turned dramatically against him, Smith released his Instagram apology. The Academy then released their statement forcibly condemning his actions. Once again, the industry leaders prove themselves a part of an over-bloated bureaucracy that refuses to contribute to the future of the business beyond protecting their jobs. Will Smith shouldn't have his career taken away but let's not pretend that the post-reaction has been one of attrition and bravery. Everyone is now in full CYA mode. So what to do? Keep forming new production companies, like the Daily Wire, to break the stranglehold that the anemic leadership in Hollywood has on our entertainment choices. Look for ways to smash the dominance of New York and LA as the only place for entertainment. The only way to break feckless leadership is to challenge them to the point where they start to lose their foothold. Many of the issues in Hollywood are beyond saving, so let's find new talent and ways to entertain. I'm game. Who's with me?
Is CODA a hit?
Full confession: I still haven't seen CODA, but from what I've heard, it is a fantastic movie and is now an Oscar-winning fantastic movie. It seemed to be a movie that took blood, sweat, and tears to get off the ground. Kudos to all, but is it a hit? Apple is cagey with its numbers, so we may never know officially. It most assuredly will get a bump in views post-Oscars. Still, from my standpoint, outside the bubble of the coastal nexis, no one has heard of the movie. One would think, downloads aside, that if it were a hit, everyone would be blasting about everywhere and all the time. So again, I ask, is it a hit? Given the anecdotal evidence before us, I'd have to say no.
This again goes to Apple's challenge in becoming a successful streamer. They don't have any popular shows other than Ted Lasso, and movies are a mixed bag. I still have numerous conversations with people who can't figure out where Apple TV+ is or what exactly it is. Post Oscars, Apple has positioned itself as the streamer of quality, not quantity (a position Peacock has recently started to take under new chief, Kelly Campbell.) That's all fine, but what good is it if you can't point to subsequent cultural hits that inspire people to subscribe and seek your service versus.CODA has provided excellent press for AppleTV+, but now the spotlight is on them to deliver some content worthy of being called a hit.
Pages from the Commonplace Book
This week, we continue with a Founder whom John Adams called "The bastard brat of a Scottish Peddler" and the star of a hit Broadway musical, Alexander Hamilton.
"There is a certain enthusiasm in liberty that makes human nature rise about itself in acts of bravery and herorism."
I can't help but read this quote and think of the people of Ukraine finding their freedom and embodying the acts of bravery and heroism that Hamilton references above. Always remember our liberty is precious. Be sure to cherish and protect it.
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