![](\"https:\/\/fromabirdseyeview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Patting-300x200.jpg\")
<\/a>Indeed, there is no business like show business when it comes to spending time, energy and money patting themself on the back\u00a0\u00a0 We have now just concluded what I call the \u2018Actors’ Aggrandizement Season\u2019<\/strong>; there\u2019s been the Golden Globe Awards<\/strong>, the People\u2019s Choice Awards<\/strong>, the Screen Actors Guild Awards<\/strong> and new to the party is the Made in Hollywood Honor Awards<\/strong>, because apparently Hollywood felt we were one awards show short of genuinely honoring actors and actresses. And now finally (I think!) we\u2019ve endured the just-concluded Oscars<\/strong> \u2013 excuse me, the Academy Awards ceremony presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences<\/strong>, where winning an Oscar means . . . “I can ask for more money for my next movie”.<\/p>\nWatchers of the Oscars<\/strong> were subjected, ad nauseam, to the emotional thank yous from the beautiful people, to their agent, their psychiatrist, their current spouse and of course, us, the fans who they believe, wish we were them. We heard how wonderful the acting \u2018craft\u2019 is and of course we heard not what<\/em> they were wearing, but who<\/em>! Really?! Most of all, these thespians wanted to make sure they used their celluloid platform to express their banal opinions on domestic and world affairs \u2013 forget that most of them couldn\u2019t find Syria<\/strong> on a map if they were adopting a baby in Damascus<\/strong>, much less understand the intricacies of our foreign and domestic policies. Yet, they have opinions and they are free to express them \u2013 unfortunately they all have the very same opinions. Where\u2019s the diversity they so cherish?<\/p>\n Aside from similar opinions, one of the other things they have in common is a large, fragile ego. Do you remember when they used to open \u2018The Envelope\u2019 (which now cost $200 each! \u00a0Yes, just the envelope!) and say, \u201cAnd the winner is . . .\u201d<\/em>? They don\u2019t say that anymore, because saying ‘winner’<\/strong> would imply that there are \u2018losers\u2019<\/strong>, so the presenters were asked a few years ago to change the phrase to say, \u201cAnd the award goes to . . .\u201d. \u00a0Now that is standard phraseology for ALL the award shows.<\/p>\n Koloa Landing Resort at Poipu Beach, Kauai<\/p><\/div>\n And under the heading of \u2018all participants should get a trophy\u2019,<\/strong> gift bags or \u2018swag bags\u2019<\/strong> as those on the inside call them, are given to all of the nominees in the actor, actress and director categories. The bags include such things as a 5-night stay on the island of Kauai<\/strong>, a full wardrobe of women\u2019s clothes from Belldini<\/strong>, a stay at an Italian hotel overlooking Lake Como<\/strong>, and while they\u2019re in Italy<\/strong> they have a three-night stay at the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria<\/strong> which overlooks Sorrento<\/strong> on the Amalfi Coast<\/strong>, the cost of a suite there is $1,800<\/strong> a night. They\u2019ll get another week at an exclusive spa, a Casper mattress for each nominee AND THEIR DOG, and many, many more items. The value of the swag bags last year was approximately $230,000<\/strong> . . . that\u2019s not for all the bags, that\u2019s EACH! There is <\/em>no business like show business! \u00a0Maybe it’s just me, but it seems that $3.4 million could go to a better cause than 15 wealthy movie people.<\/p>\n Oh, I almost forgot, under the category of \u2018any publicity is good publicity\u2019<\/strong>, the Razzies,<\/strong> or more formally, The Golden Raspberry Awards<\/strong>, were handed out last week recognizing the worst picture and actors of the year. I didn\u2019t watched them, but I wonder if they said, \u201cand the loser is . . .\u201d<\/em> Nah!<\/p>\n My sense is that actors and actresses are generally not people that I would want to spend a lot of time with or have my children emulate. Their morals are questionable, they spend money foolishly, certainly too much on houses, cars, psychiatric help, and ex-spouses and wherever they are, it is always all about them. Going on location to shoot a movie always takes precedent over going to their kid\u2019s soccer game. Generalizations I know, some do get it, but most don\u2019t. Contrast these statements from two famous actors:<\/p>\n When is Robert Redford really acting?<\/p><\/div>\n Robert Redford<\/strong> said of the recent passing of Mary Tyler Moore<\/strong>, \u201cThe courage she displayed in the movie Ordinary People<\/strong>, taking on a role darker than anything she had ever done was brave and enormously powerful\u201d<\/em>. Really?? OK, I liked the character The Sundance Kid<\/strong> and I thoroughly enjoyed watching Mary Tyler Moore<\/strong> in her own show as well as The Dick Van Dyke Show<\/em> <\/strong>and was saddened to hear of her recent passing, but I felt that Redford must have been acting <\/em>when he said that, or does he really believe that playing a character in a movie is \u201cbrave and enormously powerful\u201d?<\/p>\n Contrast that with what Denzel Washington<\/strong>\u00a0said when he was sitting around the table with a group of fellow movie people and was asked how tough it was to make his latest movie, Fences<\/em><\/strong>. He said, \u201cMaking a movie isn\u2019t tough, sending your kid to Iraq is tough! Making a movie is a luxury; it\u2019s just a movie!\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Thank you!<\/p>\n Hidden Figures<\/p><\/div>\n As unimpressed as I seem with the acting profession, I have watched most of the aforementioned award shows. Why? The truth is, I love movies, I love a great story well told. I don\u2019t know the political leanings of the three women who were in Hidden Figures<\/em><\/strong>, nor do I care, but the movie, told a great, true story of three incredibly smart and courageous women who succeeded in spite of having to overcome significant obstacles (There, Mr. Redford<\/strong> is bravery and courage . . . in real life). You don\u2019t have to like<\/em> Mel Gibson<\/strong> to recognize his performance as William Wallace<\/strong> in Braveheart<\/em><\/strong>, <\/em>another great story based on historical events.<\/p>\n Good actors make good movies, and I love them.<\/p>\n But they\u2019re just movies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Bob Sparrow Indeed, there is no business like show business when it comes to spending time, energy and money patting themself on the back\u00a0\u00a0 We have now just concluded what I call the \u2018Actors’ Aggrandizement Season\u2019; there\u2019s been the … read more![](\"https:\/\/fromabirdseyeview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/koloa-300x168.jpeg\")
<\/a>![](\"https:\/\/fromabirdseyeview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/sundance.jpeg\")
<\/a>![](\"https:\/\/fromabirdseyeview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/hidden-300x150.jpeg\")
<\/a>