Readers React: Did politics ever cross the academy’s radar as a reason fewer people are watching the Oscars?

To the editor: While the Academy of Motion Arts and Sciences tries to understand the reasons behind the steady decline of TV ratings for the Oscars, nowhere did I read the most obvious cause: the political overtone of the event and the grandstanding by many of the participants.

With a mostly negative, 24-hour news cycle, many people look to award shows, sporting events and movies for some temporary relief. They don’t tune in to hear Robert De Niro drop the F-bomb (as he did at the Tonys).

While the (mostly one-sided) politics frequently voiced during the show may appeal to most of the few thousand people sitting inside Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre, many viewers want some escape time, and probably half of the country comes away offended by the comments they’ve heard.

Did the academy even consider this possibility, or is it intentionally avoiding it?

Jeff Pressman, Bell Canyon

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