If you did not see the live Academy Award show Sunday night, you didn't really miss much. I mean, do we ever really miss much when we don't watch these shows, except maybe for some common conversation at work or with friends on Facebook? But I was very glad I did, for one reason - Seth MacFarlane.
Like the past few years, I have been anticipating the chosen hosts (Ricky Gervais who also killed it despite Hollywood's dislike for him) with glee because i appreciate their particular intelligent sense of humor. I can't stand the catering silliness of Billy Crystal, the wacky zaniness of Hugh Jackman and those types. They carefully tip'toe around the egos of Hollywood - the directors and actors who act like kids not chosen to be on a side in "Red Rover" when picked on in any way.
Seth has been somewhat picked on the past few days but thankfully the sensible people who have no dog in the fight are standing up and saying 'Chill the heck out, and get your sense of humor back America." He was witty and sharp. He made a joke about boobs being shown in film and I got what he meant. Despite being put in the framework of a silly song, the song "We saw your boobs" was a very sharp point about the fact that actresses willingly put their tatas on for everyone to see, get paid millions for it, and then cry for women's equality in their industry. I get it- people get naked for film/art and I appreciate that, but the hypocrisy of humans in Hollywoodville is astounding - and they don't like it pointed out to them.
The jokes kept coming, about Chris Brown, Mel Gibson, etc and I was delighted at the way MacFarlane poked fun at his peers without that tinge of bitterness that Gervais seemed to enjoy. MacFarlane came to fling poo at his peers, taunting them while they squirmed in their satin covered seats, but he did it like the nerdy kid in the room of cool people, throwing antics around to see what would fly and what wouldn't.
I was very glad to see that Charlize Theron openly supported MacFarlane's hosting act, laughing with him afterwards and it seems from interviews that she likes that type of dry humor. I am glad he has some people in his corner - the job of Oscar host these days is more like a witch burning trial. People are so sensitive, looking for that next homophobic slip, that bigoted slur and sometimes, I have a feeling - finding outrage when there is none to be found. I think this is definitely the case with MacFarlane. His show The Family Guy, while obviously inspired by The Simpsons, is always peeling back the layers of human stupidity, especially among the very rich, the famous and the supposedly educated elite in our country. The tons of anti- MacFarlane articles following the show reveal another important reality- our writers (Salon, Slate, etc) seem to care more about calling a comedian "tasteless" (like Carson was so angelic) and less about writing about real stories (like the supposed journalists they are).
MacFarlane has said he would never do that show again. too bad. It got great ratings and at least some of us GOT what he was saying, the rest need to be led by the hand, cradled in organic down and fed little silly lies that life is great, we should all feel important, and that directors need not have a sense of humor because they are making movies that twist the truth to win Gold (Affleck, I'm talking to you.)
Good times, and great show - the fashions were all boring as everyone is too scared to take chances anymore. "How to Survive a Plague" about the emergence of AIDS and the San Fran's community's fight during the 80's and 90's did not win for best doc, and it should have. That's all.
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