It was March 2, 2014 and I was asked the inevitable question. “Are you going to watch the Oscars??!”. My answer is the same every year, a resounding “No!”. Don’t get me wrong, I love movies. I love everything the movies have to offer. I love the fantasy, the adventure, the comedy and most of all, the escape it gives to us. However, spending four hours or more of my already scarce time to watch very wealthy stars pat themselves on the back, is not how I choose to spend my evening. I find it harder and harder to watch the very wealthy burn money on the most unimportant things, while I look at my budget to see what is left for groceries.
I tried to watch our local morning “news” the other day and the headline was Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis’ engagement. The reporter was so excited and blabbering on about it, as if the cure for cancer had finally arrived. I saw posts on Facebook about it, as if people knew them. And then the Oscar “news” started. Did I know that the stars would receive a gift bag with $80,000 worth of merchandise? Yes, I said $80,000. The reality that many of these stars spend between $75,000 and up to $1 million from beginning to end, to look good and arrive at the Oscars is not a secret. Yet, people devour this news like crazy.
All of this non-news, got me thinking. I keep hearing that things are getting better and the economy is on its way to recovery. I guess I should believe this, because the media tells me it is true. Could the media really be wrong? Yes, I am being sarcastic. For my family, it has gotten slightly better, but not much better. We still work full time jobs and part time jobs. We will struggle to pay our bills, buy groceries, keep incurring thousands of dollars in medical expenses and maybe if we are lucky, take a camping trip in the summer. I still shop at thrift stores for clothes and if I am lucky, get a haircut every 6 months. Do I deserve more? According to many people, no.
These people that can’t get enough of the celebrity news are the same people that look at me and tell me to stop complaining. If only I worked harder and were more positive, then I would be more successful. If only I just thanked God for everything I had, I would be happier. So, let me get this straight. Julia Roberts (for example), can spend $500,000 on a dress, jewels, transportation, makeup, etc. for one night and the world loves it. She deserves it! Good for her! Or as Hollywood publicist Jack Ketsoyan said to a reporter, “You can’t put a value on the Oscars. It’s the biggest night in the world.” The biggest night? Really? Certainly it wasn’t for my family. I still had to worry about my family’s future, my job and the unexpected emergencies we can’t afford. But, at least Julia Roberts looked good. Thank God for that.
All of this ridiculous spending for one night. According to some reports, last year’s Oscars cost $38.3 million dollars to stage the event. However, if the people speak out about the minimum wage being raised, the need for adequate healthcare, better jobs or the banks to be regulated, we are whining and unappreciative. How dare we want so much and not just be grateful for what we have.
All of this reminds me of a zombie movie. Yes, I love a good or bad, zombie movie. The great George Romero’s Land of the Dead was showing recently. It depicts the humans in the film, distracting the zombies from them, by shooting up fireworks into the sky. The sound and lights, mesmerize the zombies to stop and just stare. They literally are unable to move, attack or do anything. That is what we have become, paralyzed zombies. We need more, but we literally can’t move. As long as the people are focused on something else, anything else, except what is important we are controlled.
I am a proud American, but I am angrier every day. I don’t want to look at the fireworks in the sky anymore. Something has to change.
