The Academy Awards just can't seem to catch a break. After last year's #OscarsSoWhite boycott managed to dwindle some of the ceremony's viewers, some of Donald Trump's biggest supporters are saying they won't watch the 2017 Oscars. Let's break it down.
It's hard to forget how last year's event was marred by allegations that the Academy slighted people of color in the film industry by overlooking them for nominations in all four major categories. The ongoing issue prompted a highly-publicized protest against the 2016 ceremony, which proved to be a success, yielding a 6.3 percent decrease in viewership, making it the third-least viewed Oscars presentation in Nielsen rating history, according to The Wrap.
It's safe to say that the intense social pressure and negative press certainly got the attention of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, because 2017 would, in turn, become a record year for black Oscar nominations.
Now, with all of that drama seemingly behind them, the Oscars are facing a brand new threat to their viewership — Trump supporters. No, I'm not joking. And, yes, I'm just as confused as you are.
So, please bear with me as I try to sort this whole thing out along with you. Here's the story: It appears that Donald Trump supporters are angry. At what now, you ask? Celebrities. Celebrities like Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, Cher, Whoopi Goldberg, and Jennifer Lawrence — all of whom they refer to as "arrogant hypocrites" simply because they've been critical of the current president and some of his oppressive policies. I mean, there's actually a Facebook page ran by Tempe Republican Women, calling out the names of many celebs who have spoken out about Trump at one point or another, asking fellow conservatives to boycott the awards show in an effort to hit the entertainers where it hurts — Oscar ratings. Yep, this is seriously happening, people.
So just as a quick recap: This year, we're not boycotting the Oscars because they're discriminating against people of a certain race, creed or gender. Some people are boycotting the Oscars to protest against the celebrities in attendance who are trying to protect the rights of the people in this country who are being discriminated against.
Did you get all of that? Sounds kinda backwards, right? Yep, welcome to America in 2017.
