Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Supplementary Post #6: Viola Davis's Oscar Speech

I've been thinking a lot about some of the speeches we heard at this year's Oscars - namely, Viola Davis's. Here it is if you haven't seen it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHTXbGG68T8

It's an emotional speech -- and I really do believe there aren't many better actresses out there today, but she propounded something quite problematic for me:

"I became an artistand thank God I did—because we are the only profession that celebrates what it means to live a life." 

To suggest that Hollywood storytellers are the only professionals capable of "celebrating" a life is plainly off-putting. It didn't help Davis that just a few speeches prior the directors of the short documentary winner "The White Helmets" said that White Helmet volunteers had rescued over 70,000 lives in the middle East. I would think those brave volunteers who risk their lives every day are just a bit more qualified to "celebrate" a life than even the most daring of thespians. 



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