I wanted to open this thread based on what my Mom said about the Oscars this year. This is from her Facebook

"Do people at the Oscars do anything to help change the world, after they leave the show? I am hearing a lot of political speeches, but what are people doing other than talking? Why is this show a forum for political speeches? Lots of very talented people.. now do something, its called Action, in the real world. I'm disappointed..Gaga is singing Sound of Music.. I have to go now."

She thought the show was disgusting, and that all the political talk was B.S.

So I wanted to see what you guys thought. Was this year's show too political, or was is it always like that?

I mean, why would she be disgusted that these topics were brought to a more widely-observed dialogue? I mean, those people do the walk after they talk, that's for sure. The movies are already statements, the messages they carry challenge a lot of existing injustices. The songs as well, they spread the message even further. Of course they are not going to start picketing or start a riot. These issues do not demand a war to be started, they demand the dialogue and the appropriate education to be initiated, so that with time, people no longer are walking pieces of bigotry and they understand that equality excludes no one. I mean, maybe your mom does not agree with some of those issues being defended so openly, because to be disgusted because equality and its current lack in certain fields was addressed, is just stupid.

It did feel a bit gimicky to bring up a cause in almost every speech, it seems like now it's an unspoken rule to bring something up when you win to be seemed as more humble and philanthropic. With Julianne and Eddie it's totally understandable given their roles though. While they all are trying to raise "awareness" yeah I don't think they really do much afterwards.

The movies can be a statement already but it's mostly entrainment value. It would be nice if an actor/actress did donate their salary to a cause or if the film donated part of their earnings....

There's no money they can donate to make the congress realize that women are human beings just as worthy as men and if they do the same work as men, they deserve to be paid the exact same amount. No organization will change that, it's all about leading and encouraging a movement, of raising such awareness of an injustice that it no longer passes by unnoticed or forgiven. That's just an example. The same goes to black/lgbt rights, why should we pour money to fight for something that should be granted? I love the United States to death, and legit, they are one of my favourite contries in the world, but in equal rights matters they are so conservative and so in denial, still blinded by religion upbringings and two-century old social behaviour assumptions and gender roles.

And movies don't necessarily have entertainment as their primary value/intention. Selma is a great example of a movie that does not aim to entertain primarily, but to rather give insight on a very important and serious issue that has a ridiculously long staying power in American society.

She's not disgusted by equality. She's disgusted by the celebrities bringing it up but not doing anything about it afterwards. They go home at the end of the day and don't do ****.

Read my comment about talking the talk and walking the walk, and the more abstract concept of the "walk".

Besides, not every donation they make needs to be highly publicized to actually have an impact. She, you and me, know nothing of what they do, in monetary terms, to support such causes and organizations related to them. We're just assuming they don't do **** because after the Oscars, what they do is not as highly and massively watched. They ain't gonna televise a donation just to prove someone's point.

I didn't watch the Oscars this year other than a few parts, but I'm reading a bunch of tweets and articles about it right now, and it seems like it was. The GRAMMYs were definitely way too political this year.

I agree some of it feels forced but a lot of these people support the causes and movies help raise awareness of these things. I think to answer your question it all depends on whether the celebrity still remains active in supporting the cause after.

I did notice that there were a lot of Statements being made this year. I would just attribute it to all the films that were nominated since many seemed to be about political or politically relevant issues.

I don't know if I would say the show was too political though, since a lot of the statements being made were more general in nature (but to be fair, I was only half paying attention most of the time since it was a long and boring show). I think Hollywood sees itself, for better or worse, as an example to lead the rest of the country. They make movies that are designed to make you feel a certain way and I guess tonight, they were just explicitly stating the meaning behind most of the movies.