Politics At The Oscars

Seriously, did you really doubt that Sean Penn was going to win the Oscar. I was pulling for Mickey Rourke, so much so that I picked him in the office pool . . . OMG (as the kids would say) have office pools sunk to this? Ah, but in my heart I just knew Penn was going to walk away with another golden naked man. And why wouldn't he, this guy is everything current Hollywood celebrates.

Movie Quiz:

1. How many Hollywood productions in the last few years have portrayed America as that shining city on a hill?
2. Name a recent Oscar nominated film that portrayed the U.S. military and/or intelligence agencies in a positive light?
3. Why doesn't Natalie Portman win the friggin' Oscar every year???

You can guess the answers to #1 & #2 (#3 I fear is destined to be an eternal mystery). When it comes to passing out Oscars, Hollywood is more concerned with making a statement than honoring the best. How else can you explain the fact that they gave Michael Moore an Oscar despite the fact that he's never actually made a documentary?

And this year Penn was perfectly positioned to win the statue, having giddily completed Hollywood's hate America checklist.

• Called for the impeachment of George W. Bush: [X]
• Praised the humanity of an international butcher like Hugo Chávez: [X]
• Applauded a socialist dictator like Fidel Castro: [X]
• Play a gay activist after the passage of Prop 8: [X]
• Talk about defacing the flag (thought he prefers "cum stains" to burning): [X]
• Criticize the war in Iraq using bogus data: [X]
• Attack Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly: [X]
• Lay some smack on Christianity: [X]
• Have a frequent flyer drug rehab card: [X]
• Photographed partying with a fellow loser like Lindsey Lohan: [X]
• Take credit for electing Barack Obama: [X]

The bottom line is that this guy couldn't lose. And a tip for next year: anybody who hates the American way this much had better have their speech prepared.