American Sniper‘s haul at the Oscars on Sunday night was minimal, to say the least.
American Sniper has many a fan, including a lot of conservatives, but apparently it didn’t have what it takes to impress the academy.
If you ask conservative talk show hosts, what it takes is tons of misery and victimization.
The prod that got the ball rolling for conservative talk show hosts on Monday was the last minute change to the lyrics for the Oscars opening song. American Sniper‘s Oscars song lyrics were supposed to read, “A boy we watch become a man [of Boyhood] … a hero of Afghanistan [of American Sniper].”
Instead, the American Sniper Oscars song lyrics that were sung were, “A boy we watch until he’s grown … a sniper in a combat zone.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbYZmuYD-jQ
Yep, they went and omitted the word “hero” from the song.
Well, naturally, that had all of the conservative talk show hosts, obviously American Sniper fans, up in arms on Monday after the Oscars.
It could be suggested that perhaps the last minute change was due to an accuracy issue since Chris Kyle served in Iraq.
However, if that wasn’t the reason, the next best guess is that liberals in Hollywood object to Chris Kyle being referred to as a hero.
This was too much for conservative talk show hosts.
Add to that, the whole social issue agenda, as it was, and that makes a conservative political firestorm.
For instance, Patricia Arquette said during her acceptance speech, “The truth is, even though we sort of feel like we have equal rights in America, right under the surface, there are huge issues that are applied that really do affect women. And it’s time for all the women in America and all the men that love women, and all the gay people, and all the people of color that we’ve all fought for to fight for us now.”
Talk show host Glenn Beck insinuated that there were many issues much more critical than the ones that were bemoaned on Sunday.
He said, “The insanity of this hobnobbing and how grotesque it was … What about equal rights in the Middle East? What about what is happening right now to the Christians, to the Jews, to the Muslims, to the women and children who are being slaughtered, crucified, enslaved and sold as prostitutes? What about them?
He added, “Thanks a lot Hollywood. Go watch Birdman.”
Beck’s colleague Dennis Prager said of Arquette, “You had a chance to talk to hundreds of millions of people in over 100 countries. What did you decide to talk about? With women being traded as sex slaves in the tens of thousands under radical Islamic rule in the Middle East and Africa.”
He added, “And what did you decide to talk about? Wage inequality in America. You’re a fool. You’re a moral fool.”
Prager also laid into John Legend and Common’s speech, which, among other things, suggested that the black community is still fighting for their right to vote.
Because they might have to have an I.D.
He summed the night up this way, “It gives you an idea, among other things, of how provincial these people are. They have no sense of human suffering. None. They are spoiled brats. That’s what they are. That’s the disgusting report from last night at the Oscars.”
Hmm.
What do you think? Do you think Patricia Arquette, John Legend, Common, and others did a good job using their platform to bring attention to social issues or do you agree with Glenn Beck and Dennis Prager that those social issues are absolutely meaningless in the face of the bigger picture?