Five Reasons Why I Don’t Watch Award Shows
I don’t watch award shows. Haven’t watched them for a few years and I don’t regret it. There are several reasons why I don’t watch award shows, and since you’re reading this, I suspect you don’t either. Or are no longer going to!
That time of the year has come: when celebrities don their best, get together to fake air kiss on the red carpet and then pontificate on political, environmental and social issues of the day.
I have better things to do with my time. And now with X or Youtube providing me with recaps of intros, like the one by Ricky Gervais at the 2020 Golden Globe Awards, I can skip the crap and go to the best.
Before we go further… watch this… (Ricky was the most entertaining host in recent history – but they will never bring him back, unfortunately).
If only all shows were this entertaining!
Most aren’t. The 2020 Oscars won’t have any host. Who’s going to steer that ship?
Welcome to Award Show Season. Heaven for some and hell for others.
Increasingly, more people don’t watch award shows. Ratings are falling year-over-year, and there are many reasons why.
A few years ago after watching the Golden Globes, I thought about why I don’t watch award shows. I came up with several good reasons which I’m sharing in this post. Some of these points will apply to you other non-viewers as well.
1. I Have Better Things To Do
I have a kid. Tucking him into bed takes precedence over watching the parade on the red carpet.
After getting him to sleep, I need to unwind after the ordeal. Because after all, getting a little kid to sleep is sometimes like wrangling cats.
When I finally can settle down for a bit of “me time’ it’s late and all I want to do is read or do a bit of writing. As mundane as that sounds, it’s actually more relaxing and enjoyable than the fake sh*t show.
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2. Award Shows Are Long And Go Over Time
The format of some award shows makes them prone to going over their scheduled time.
The musical or other “entertaining” segments, long speeches and of course, the obligatory breaks for advertising, can stretch what should be a two-hour show to at least three-plus hours.
Then there’s sometimes a long wait for winners to get around their tables to the stage (usually with the Golden Globes).
I suspect it’s due to the somewhat poorly planned placement of table settings for nominees and winners.
Lastly, speeches tend to be long… but we’ll go into that in just a moment.
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3. Award Speeches Are Long, Off-Topic And Boring
When a nominee has not prepared and practiced a short acceptance speech, the inevitable happens.
They ramble – sometimes in excitement, or go off-topic because they know they have millions watching them (e.g. Michael Moore bashing President George Bush).
Or they get political… and frankly, that’s just a big turn-off. Tweets reacting to Ricky Gervais skewering stars on their hypocrisy proved that the rest of us find celebs insufferable when they pontificate.
Some are simply boring, naming off everybody and anybody who participated in the making of the film (e.g. Daniel Day-Lewis for winning the Oscar for Best Actor for There Will Be Blood).
I can forgive the long but entertaining speech, like this one by Adrian Brody, who passionately kissed Halle Berry when he won the Oscar for The Pianist).
The ones I can’t forgive are like this overly slow and monotone one by Greer Garson in 1942 – and I’m only giving you a snippet of her acceptance which was 5-1/2 minutes long:
4. Undeserving Nominees Often Get The Award
Another reason why I don’t watch award shows is that there’s too much BS going on behind the scenes. It’s no secret that lobbying for a win, as well as a predetermined agenda for certain types of films/shows is in full effect when it comes to these awards.
Why? The consumer public – you and me – will more likely go see a movie or watch a show if it’s been awarded.
Films with revisionist history (to fit a specific narrative) or those with an obvious message and ideology behind them, are a great way to brainwash the masses that don’t look a bit deeper to understand the real story. The “it must be good since the critics chose to award it” mentality comes into full effect to drive movie tickets and subsequent rental sales.
Hollywood is very good at pushing social agendas, and winning films are the best way to get any particular narrative across to the masses.
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5. Award Shows Are Often Not Entertaining
The final reason why I don’t watch award shows is that they just don’t entertain me.
If you can’t tell already, I LOVED Ricky Gervais as the host. His controversial intro and jokes were entertaining.
Amy Poehler and Tina Fey have also managed to accomplish something that many awards show hosts dream about – delivering jokes that entertain. However, this is not enough to maintain my interest for an extended period of time.
Not to mention, X post activity around awards shows is often funnier than the show itself.
How Award Shows Can Be Better
Choose truly quality films and actors for nominations. No quotas. No agendas. Audiences are catching on and becoming smarter.
Entertain us during award shows. Don’t talk down to us and alienate us.
Celebrating success is not the time to whine and complain about politics. It’s time to celebrate talent. Enjoy your wins with a positive attitude that’s truly celebratory.
Keep it short, keep it fun and keep it spectacular.
Perhaps there need to be new etiquette rules surrounding awards put in place.
If actors want to be leaders and influencers, start by setting the new standard for grace and style. It’s so missing from Hollywood these days.
Until then, I plan to not watch award shows. I’m sure there are millions out there who think the same.
Evidence comes in the form of falling ratings. The entertainment industry will come up with numerous excuses.
However, the truth is this: the general public, no matter what their political/ideological leanings are, would like to be entertained and join in on a CELEBRATION. Make it so, and we’ll come back.
And if you want to create controversy, drop the PC crap. Shock us with good comedy that makes people laugh, even if it makes some cringe. Ricky Gervais has proven this very well when views of the video clip pass the number of live viewers of the TV show.
Until then, I’d rather be doing something more exciting like planning out a dream travel itinerary.
QUESTION: Why do you watch or don’t watch award shows?
Photo credit for Pinterest pin photo: ITU Pictures via flickr
This post was originally published in 2011 and has been updated with recent award show information.
Feature photo by Engin Akyurt from Pexels
I don’t get why Sunday nights are the big TV night. I’m thinking too much of the coming Monday morning work day. I’d rather read a book and wind down. The Jacqueline Bisset acceptance speech at the Golden Globes was fun though. As for Sunday nights though, that’s what a PVR is for.
agreed!! who cares now a days? if anything really superb happens it’ll be on twitter in the morning and I can still keep up with convo around the water cooler
I never watch award shows … zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
I heard she was really out there – entertaining, I’m sure. Yes to the PVR!
I have to side with Ricky Gervais here. Most award shows exist so celebrities can blow sunshine up each other’s bums and so they can get up and give their utterly valueless political opinions to show everyone how liberal and forward thinking they are. In the words of Mr. Gervais–“I don’t care”
Agree 100%.
Unless it’s something/someone I’m invested in, and I want to see if that person or their work or the works they are involved in wins then I’ll tune in. But most times, I won’t watch. Usually, I’ll catch the recap on either the news or the internet the next morning and that’s enough for me. Like you and most of us, we don’t have the time to sit and watch these shows that usually go over most times.
The funny thing now, is that there may not even be an awards season this year because of the writers/actors strike going on at the moment.
I believe it’s because Sunday night is primetime television. That’s the big time slot for most things, including the Super Bowl.
Yes – to all. Since I wrote this originally, we’ve also seen the rise of TikTok/Instagram Reels, and frankly, they can be more entertaining than anything on TV. The whole industry is struggling for people’s attention.