Does Hollywood Walk the Talk? Rick Gervais Says No.
By Catherine Horner '22
Right between the drama of Hannah B.’s return on The Bachelor and the Titans’ upset over the Patriots during Wild Card week, Hollywood’s finest gathered for the 77th Golden Globes Awards. Upon the stage of film and television stardom, many spoke about the honorable experience of receiving a Golden Globe and the strenuous journey each underwent to stand on that idealized platform. Others touched on political messages, such as abortion and climate change, urging for progress and for the audience and viewers to vote in coming elections.
However, the most deliciously inflammatory speech came from the Golden Globes’ host, Ricky Gervais. He spoke directly to Hollywood’s most vehemently political actors and actresses and told them they had no right to preach to the American audience about political causes. With comedic flair and abandon, he ousted Hollywood as a whole for not walking its talk. In his opening monologue, he told the audience: “So if you do win an award tonight, don't use it as a platform to make a political speech. You're in no position to lecture the public about anything. You know nothing about the real world. Most of you spent less time in school than Greta Thunberg.” Mr. Gervais is not wrong. Attending a three-day climate change summit ran by Google, celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, Katy Perry, Stella McCartney, and Prince Harry flew to the conference on 114 private jets, using about 24 metric tons of fuel and emitting about 784,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide. The ironic luxuries did not end with the planes. The nature-adoring celebrities then relaxed in multimillion dollar yachts, which were ran by diesel fueled engines. While discussing the importance of conserving and protecting the planet, the same celebrities contributed to their nightmare, one metric ton at a time. Whether they understood the quantity of carbon emissions as a result of the conference or not, I do not know. But no matter, these ministers of social and political change must abide by the guidelines that they set for others. I do not diminish the overall validity of the climate change movement, as any efforts to preserve and replenish the environment are worthy of support. Quite simply, Mr. Gervais’ comment speaks to how the hypocrisy of figures like the Google-pampered celebrities does not reflect the true mission of their movement, and they lose their titles as true, experienced progressives.
Mr. Gervais also exposed the hypocrisy of Hollywood’s business, really the business of all the high- falutin companies of modern America. Speaking to these globally influential executives, Mr. Gervais went on: “Apple roared into the TV game with The Morning Show, a superb drama about the importance of dignity and doing the right thing, made by a company that runs sweatshops in China. Well, you say you're woke but the companies you work for in China — unbelievable. Apple, Amazon, Disney. If ISIS started a streaming service you'd call your agent, wouldn't you?” He delivered a gut punch to the preening sanctimoniousness of these executives for claims about being woke -- that is, being alert to societal injustices. Also occurring at Apple, Denise Young Smith, Apple’s past diversity chief, stepped down this past November. Ms. Young Smith made a controversial comment, saying that the criteria for diversity extends beyond that in race or gender and can be applied to human experience. From the New York Post website, Ms. Young Smith is quoted: “There can be 12 white, blue-eyed, blond men in a room and they’re going to be diverse too because they’re going to bring a different life experience and life perspective to the conversation.” Ms. Young Smith’s comment does not fall within the conventional definition of “diversity,” but this should not upset Apple so greatly. Apple has always been known for pushing boundaries; they shrink a computer to the size of a hand, but they do not accept Ms. Young Smith’s creative interpretation of diversity. Besides, her remark extends the definition, not detracting from other elements of diversity. Apple must fuse its innovation with its inclusivity, not just playing along with the typical meaning of woke.
So, take the influence Hollywood, Apple, Amazon, or Disney, with a grain of salt, with the knowledge that the script of a movie, TV episode, or commercial may be just that, a script. Actors and actresses may be acting off the stage as well as on. We live in an age where the media does not just entice us with the convenience and utilitarianism of a product; those are infomercials. Instead, these companies sell us a message, a feeling, or an experience. The advertised morality of companies is infused in every movie, TV episode, or commercial. But as educated people, we must search for the truth behind these giants, to discern if they truly walk the talk or if they should get a talking-to from Ricky Gervais.
References
https://nypost.com/2017/11/17/apples-diversity-chief-lasts-just-six-months/