Following Sunday night’s Academy Awards being filled with nasty left-wing political rhetoric, on NBC’s Megyn Kelly Today on Monday, anchor Megyn Kelly and her panel of guests absurdly praised the Oscars for being “pretty much free of partisan attacks.” Apparently they forgot how host Jimmy Kimmel set the tone of the night by declaring: “We make films to upset Mike Pence.”
The discussion began with fashion expert Melissa Rivers applauding Kimmel’s politically-charged opening monologue as one of her “favorite moments.” Though she did go on to tout Best Actor winner Gary Oldman thanking America in his acceptance speech as “a moment of positivity.” Kelly responded:
And it’s good, too. Because so often these awards shows are like, “This country sucks. It’s racist and it’s sexist and it sucks.” And that’s why I think a lot of the ratings have gone [down]. Because people are like, “I don’t want to sit at home at night and listen to that.”
As the host pointed out, the ratings decline for the awards show has been steep. Sunday night’s program saw a 15 percent plummet from 2017.
Rivers continued: “But also, everybody doesn’t want to be continuously preached to.” Kelly agreed: “Right. Especially by – especially by a bunch of people who have no right to be on the pulpit....I don’t need my lectures on morality from anybody in Hollywood – at all.”
While it seemed like the segment might be critical of the Oscars once again devolving into liberal politics, the pundits instead pretended that such politics were completely absent from the Hollywood gathering.
Amy Holmes, co-host of PBS’s new “conservative” talk show, In Principle, proclaimed that she was “so glad” she watched the Oscars because the evening “was mercifully, thankfully, pretty much free of partisan attacks.” Kelly chimed in: “Isn’t that nice?” Holmes gushed: “That was great, that was great. It was so nice.”
Which show were they watching?
Karamo Brown, co-host of Netflix’s Queer Eye, observed: “I still wanted to make sure that they were still addressing those culturally relevant moments, and they did. But they did it in a way that wasn’t going to pound it down everyone’s throat.” Kelly claimed: “Yeah. Right, it wasn’t like preachy.” Brown agreed: “It wasn’t, it wasn’t.”
The only complaint that Rivers had about Oscars was that the program wasn’t political enough: “But it did get a little overwhelming. It felt a little scatter-shot that there are so many issues and everybody’s talking about a bunch of different things. And yet, for me, what was missing, was gun control.”
“Nothing was said?,” Kelly asked. Brown explained: “Only one person talked about it.” Rivers whined: “There was one person. Lin-Manuel Miranda wore a little Orange flag.” Brown tried to assure her: “It was discussed on the red carpet, though.”
In fact, a musical performance by rapper Common did push gun control, along with numerous other left-wing agenda items.
If Kelly and her guests were really worried about the Oscars being too “preachy,” then perhaps they should have accurately described what happened at the awards show.
Here is a transcript of the March 5 panel segment:
9:13 AM ET
MEGYN KELLY: Now we’re on to Oscar with fashion expert Melissa Rivers, Amy Holmes, who’s co-host of PBS’s In Principle, and Karamo Brown, culture host for Queer Eye on Netflix. Okay, team, so, what do we think of last night? Melissa, let’s start with you and your favorite moments?
MELISSA RIVERS: Favorite moments, I loved Jimmy Kimmel’s open. I loved everyone – Francis McDormond having everyone stand up. I thought that was a lovely moment. I also loved Gary Oldman’s speech and Guillermo del Toro’s speech, in the sense of they reminded us it was also a night of celebration, a night of positivity. Because one of the things I thought –
KELLY: Gary Oldman won best actor for Darkest Hour, Winston Churchill.
RIVERS: And said, “Thank you to America, where I found love and work and friendship,” and all those things. Because one of the things that I think was lacking is no one is acknowledging, especially with the #MeToo movement, they’re just starting to acknowledge that we are moving the needle. And you do need a moment of positivity to say, “This is awesome, we actually are moving the needle.”
KELLY: And it’s good, too. Because so often these awards shows are like, “This country sucks. It’s racist and it’s sexist and it sucks.” And that’s why I think a lot of the ratings have gone [down]. Because people are like, “I don’t want to sit at home at night and listen to that.”
RIVERS: But also, everybody doesn’t want to be continuously preached to.
KELLY: Right. Especially by – especially by a bunch of people who have no right to be on the pulpit.
RIVERS: Well, yeah.
KELLY: I’m just saying, I don’t need my lectures on morality from anybody in Hollywood – at all.
AMY HOLMES: Certainly not at this moment, with the #MeToo moment.
KELLY: How about you? What did you like?
HOLMES: I have to congratulate you. You got me to do what no amount of hype could – watch the Oscars. [Laughter]
KELLY: If only I could have gotten myself.
HOLMES: Exactly. And I’m so glad I did, actually. And it was mercifully, thankfully, pretty much free of partisan attacks.
KELLY: Isn’t that nice?
HOLMES: That was great, that was great. It was so nice. I agree with you, it was so worthwhile to see Francis McDormand at the end. And Megyn, I’m not generally like into girl power moments. I don’t know, maybe I’m a little too cynical.
KELLY: You’re a conservative.
HOLMES: Yeah, that’s why.
RIVERS: I feel so cold all of a sudden. [Laughter] So cold and alone.
HOLMES: No, but with Francis McDormand, I – it actually brought tears to my eyes. It was so moving, so poignant. And to see those women standing up and being celebrated, I thought that was wonderful. Loved Gary Oldman thanking America for giving him so many opportunities, it was wonderful.
KELLY: By the way, I mean conservatives aren’t into identity politics, that was my clarification.
RIVERS: Thank you, I feel warmer.
KARAMO BROWN: You’re not alone here, I’m with you here. Yes, I’m with you. The entire night was special for me because I was excited to see the Oscars. This is a night where people can come together, can dress up, and can forget the worries of the world. But I still wanted to make sure that they were still addressing those culturally relevant moments, and they did. But they did it in a way that wasn’t going to pound it down everyone’s throat.
KELLY: Yeah. Right, it wasn’t like preachy.
BROWN: It wasn’t, it wasn’t.
(...)
RIVERS: But it did get a little overwhelming. It felt a little scatter-shot that there are so many issues and everybody’s talking about a bunch of different things. And yet, for me, what was missing, was gun control. Was all these kids –
KELLY: Nothing was said?
RIVERS: There was one person.
BROWN: Only one person talked about it.
RIVERS: Lin-Manuel Miranda wore a little Orange flag.
BROWN: Yeah.
RIVERS: And I am not –
BROWN: It was discussed on the red carpet, though.
RIVERS: Yes.
BROWN: So the red carpet did discuss it.
(...)
