But the Oscar party invites all over town were part of this contentious business. Studios and sponsors seemed to forget that all year they’d been bothering the press for mentions and plugs. Now they were afraid that we’d report on the stars whooping it up while soldiers died in Iraq. Unbelievable.
Of course, the stars were whooping it up. Don’t think for a moment they weren’t. Just because Vanity Fair didn’t have a red carpet with paparazzi doesn’t mean their guests weren’t boozing it up and sloshing around Mortons just as they do every year.
Barbra Streisand, who criticizes the war and President Bush, was among the revelers.
Still, the one image I won’t be able to forget is the line of celebs holding their silver mylar shopping bags full of new expensive Reebok sneakers while they waited for their limos on Saturday night at the Beverly Hills Hotel. They’d just been at a $2,500 a plate dinner for the Motion Picture Fund, the group that runs what used to be called the Actors Old Age Home in Woodland Hills.
Oscar Coverage: Plenty of Vanity
Due to the lack of ‘red carpet treatment’ for the stars on Sunday Night, we’re supposed to take that a sign of their respect for our troops, sensitivity to this country at war and believe that the celebs were reserved in their vanity and fan fare. At least they recognize the fact that it lacks tact to be as self-absorbed, self-congratulatory and vain during a time when our men and women are fighting for this country that made their fame possible. However, as this article points out – - the celebrations just weren’t publicized. The Oscars and organizers of the After-Oscar parties were very picky and choosey about which reporters and television networks would be invited to the parties. They were a bit concerned that the media would report the truth – - the truth they wanted hidden. The truth that there is no rest for the vain and shallow and the courageous sentiment that the glitz and glamour will go on, even in the face of war. Poor taste abounds, folks – as much as they try to hide it.
Isn’t Hollywood the big spin machine that makes guns and violence glamorous. So it was really funny to see Michael Moore up there talking about gun control when there wasn’t one celebrity in that audience that hasn’t been in a movie WITHOUT a gun in it. And what about actors like George Clooney, Woody Harrelson and Sean Pean weren’t they in a war movie called A Thin Red Line. And also Martin Sheen, it seems to me he was in one called Apocaulypse Now. Are they really ticked off about the war or are they just pissed THEY can’t make a few million off it themselves.