The stars got the message, at least for a while.
In recent years, awards shows haven’t been as overtly political as in the first Trump presidency. That four-year period found the Oscars, Grammys, Tonys and other awards galas doubling as DNC events.
The pins. The acceptance speeches. The lectures.
One embarrassing low point? Beyond Robert De Niro screaming “F— Trump” at the Tony Awards?
Brad Pitt accepted the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor (“Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood”) by including a John Bolton reference that aged badly … fast.
This brief snapshot shows just how far the program’s ratings have fallen over time with a mild recovery.
The Oscars:
- 1998: 55+ million viewers
- 2014: 40+ million viewers
- 2018: 26.5 million viewers
- 2021: 9+ million viewers
- 2023: 19+ million viewers
- 2025: 19+ million viewers
The constant messaging helped erode awards show ratings, although they weren’t the only factor. Blame media overexposure, the temptation of new leisure pursuits (doomscrolling, anyone) also played a role.
But a New York Times article once noted that Oscar producers could track the ratings minute by minute. And, when a star got political, the ratings took a hit.
Yet the powers that be refused to rein in their talent or suggest audiences might stick around longer if they kept to the business at hand.
Accept award. Thank God and/or your publicist. Smile and leave the stage.
The era of politicized awards galas has chased many center-Right to conservative viewers away, likely for good. In recent years, though, various shows have dialed down the political screeds.
Somewhat.
Sure, you’d hear an anti-Trump crack here or there, but the artists seemingly got the message that audiences want to see their gracious side, not their fangs.
Tell that to Legacy Media outlets. Mainstream reporters want more lectures, not less, and two new feature articles prove it.
The far-Left Hollywood Reporter cheered on recent, politically charged awards galas.
How Award Show Speeches Are Slowly Going Activist Again
The recent Grammys let star after star savage ICE agents and push absurd progressive messages, like the “stolen land” canard. Now, The Hollywood Reporter wants more, more … more.
That is, unless those evil Republicans scare them into silence. The article suggests that Sen. Ted Cruz’s condemnation of Billie Eilish’s “stolen land” idiocy could censor future lectures.
He knows that comments like his can have a chilling effect on future political statements.
Of course, if the stars assembled to promote ICE, suggest abortion is a crime against humanity or share a similar right-leaning message, that story would never get written.
USA Today just published a piece gently egging on Super Bowl performer Bad Bunny to get political on the world’s biggest stage Sunday. Spoiler alert – he stuck to the music and pro-Puerto Rican messaging.
There’s no voice in the article suggesting the Super Bowl is that rare cultural moment that unites us, and an artist could offer a patriotic moment by simply … singing.
We’ve seen this play out before.
Remember how the press badgered both Taylor Swift and Jimmy Fallon to get political? In both cases, the subjects relented. Swift is now an outspoken progressive, and Fallon turned “The Tonight Show” in a lite-version of what Colbert and co. offer.
And he consistently trails both “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and “The Late Show” in the ratings.
The latest example of the press bullying stars to get political, and by “political” we mean “progressive,” is Sydney Sweeney.
The beautiful actress got skewered in the press for her American Eagle ad last year tweaking the difference between “genes” and “jeans.” And, when she refused to apologize or say she’s an “ally” of any kind, the press doubled down.
She has been outspoken on politics – she doesn’t want to broach the subject. Period. Yet this Cosmopolitan feature story badgers her to speak out all the same.
Agree with us … or else. The message is not so subtle at this point. Here is part of the exchange:
There is a charged nickname that has stuck to you on social media: “MAGA Barbie.” I see it in Instagram comments constantly. How do you understand this label given that you’ve been private about your politics?
I’ve never been here to talk about politics. I’ve always been here to make art, so this is just not a conversation I want to be at the forefront of. And I think because of that, people want to take it even further and use me as their own pawn. But it’s somebody else assigning something to me, and I can’t control that.
The push to politicize every element of public life is hurting the country. Reporters don’t care.
They demand allegiance to their progressive cause, and if a star doesn’t fall in line, they’ll bully them until they do.
Staying neutral, or simply letting one’s talent speak the loudest, just won’t do.
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