HOLLYWOOD’S BIGLY NIGHT
Trump will likely skip live-tweeting Academy Awards this year. Glad!
In February 2015, Donald Trump had an idea.
“The Academy Awards last night were absolutely terrible,” he said in an Instagram video.
“Terrible, boring, ugly sets, everything. I have the perfect host for next year: me.”
Trump announced his candidacy for president just four months later, and Chris Rock hosted the awards show instead.
Before his presidential campaign, the former reality TV show host often aired awards-show commentary on social media, with tweets foreshadowing the speak-his-mind persona he sought to exhibit to voters just a couple of years later.
“By popular (extremely) demand, I will be live tweeting the #Oscars2014 on Sunday night. Tell all your friends I will not be pulling punches!”
His Oscars’ takes included talk of a future presidential run.
In 2014, Trump retweeted someone who wrote, “@realDonaldTrump is really not liking the Oscars. He tells it the way it is, which would be a nice in a president. #trump2016.”
Trump has continued his TV criticism, tweeting about ratings and Saturday Night Live sketches. He sent a trio of tweets about Meryl Streep after the actress delivered a Golden Globes speech critical of the president.
As for whether Trump will watch the Oscars this year, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the president and first lady will be hosting the Governors’ Ball that night.
“I have a feeling that’s where the president and first lady will be focused on Sunday night.”
Like other awards shows since Trump’s election, the Oscars will likely have some high-profile political moments.
Show producer Michael De Luca told the Hollywood Reporter he welcomes Streep-like speeches.
“These forums are rare. Spontaneity helps all these shows,” he told the outlet.
“I don’t like this attitude that just because someone’s a celebrity, their right of free speech is taken away.”
During the 2015 Oscars, Trump was a celebrity who had plenty to say about the show: “The Oscars are a sad joke, very much like our President. So many things are wrong!”
“What ever happened to the good old days of The Academy Awards. This show is an insult to the past, just plain bad!”
Birdman won best picture, and director Alejandro Iñárritu cracked a joke about future rules preventing Mexican immigration.
“It was a great night for Mexico,” Trump also said on Fox. “This guy kept getting up and up and up.
“What’s he doing? He’s walking away with all the gold? Was it that good? I don’t hear that. It was a big night for them.”
The previous year, in 2014, Trump first expressed an inkling of his hosting idea: “I should host the #Oscars just to shake things up — this is not good!”
His most-discussed comment of the night referenced Kim Novak’s appearance; the actress later publicly spoke against “bullies” who attacked her appearance. Trump’s contribution? “I’m having a real hard time watching the Academy Awards (so far). The last song was terrible! Kim should sue her plastic surgeon!”
What ever happened to the good old days of The Academy Awards. This show is an insult to the past, just plain bad!