Star Wars and Muppets legend Frank Oz is not happy with the Oscars and what it has evolved into. In fact, in a recent statement, he expresses his embarrassment to be associated with it because of how phony it has become. He also makes sure to point out that this has nothing to do with Will Smith hitting Chris Rock. He’s just frustrated with the Academy in general.
Here’s the statement that was made by Oz on Twitter:
“After being a member for 30 years I’m embarrassed to be associated with the Oscars telecast. Not because of “The Slap” but because of the phoniness of the show. All I sense is a desperate attempt to get more viewers by any means possible, not a show about the love of making movies.”
Yeah, I can see how they are putting the art of filmmaking in the back seat. The Academy did draw a lot of criticism for its decision to remove a number of categories from the telecast. Another silly thing they did this year was offer a pair of special awards to be voted on by fans on Twitter. This lead to Zack Snyder’s Justice League and Army of the Dead winning the awards, which was hilarious as it left a lot of people confused.
The Academy has certainly made some interesting decisions and there’s no doubt that it will continue to evolve or devolve depending on your personal opinion. I just miss the days of Billy Crystal hosting.
After being a member for 30 years I’m embarrassed to be associated with the Oscars telecast.Not because of “The Slap” but because of the phoniness of the show. All I sense is a desperate attempt to get more viewers by any means possible, not a show about the love of making movies
— Frank Oz (@TheFrankOzJam) March 29, 2022