It all started with the Golden Globes when the entertainment industry, fueled by the Me Too and TIME’S UP movements, wore black. It was an evening full of declarations for an end to sexual harassment culture across all workplaces and, as Oprah put it, statements that “a new day is on the horizon.” Then it was the Grammys, where white roses were the accessory of choice but the message remained the same. And now, the 2018 Oscars are here.
Even though the nationwide broadcast on March 4 will most likely pay tribute to the movements in some way, host Jimmy Kimmel announced on “Good Morning America” this week that he doesn’t plan on addressing them.
.@JimmyKimmel, who will be back hosting the #Oscars this Sunday, said he thinks it is “almost necessary now” for comedians to speak out about “serious subjects.” https://t.co/c0yWAZXbc3 pic.twitter.com/Z5eJmawf4M
— Good Morning America (@GMA) February 27, 2018
“Well listen, here’s the thing. This show is not about reliving peoples’ sexual assaults,” Kimmel stated. “It’s an award show for people who have been dreaming about maybe winning an Oscar for their whole lives and the last thing I want to do is ruin that for someone … by making it unpleasant.”
“That’s not what I want to do,” he added. “I’m not going to stop any bad behavior with my jokes.” (In terms of politics, he’s expected to go all in.)
Seth Meyers opened up the Golden Globes with a direct joke about the Me Too movement, stating, “Good evening ladies and remaining gentlemen.”
James Corden hosted the Grammys this year. He didn’t have a monologue and wasn’t on stage very much — and his most notable joke involved celebs (and Hillary Clinton) reading bits from “Fire and Fury.”
When interviewed on the red carpet, Corden spoke about his opinions briefly, saying it’s not just about the music industry weighing in on the movement, it’s about all industries. “It’s about people … it’s about equality, it’s about pay equality, equal respect, mutual respect,” he said.
James Corden and Kelly Clarkson talk to CNN about what to expect from tonight’s #Grammys and what the white rose actually symbolizes. https://t.co/mJrH23FzoC https://t.co/yMUzwe3PiD
— CNN Entertainment (@CNNent) January 29, 2018
But when it came time for the show, unlike Meyers, Corden didn’t make jokes about Me Too. The closest thing to it was an opening bit poking fun at himself: “This year, we don’t just have the most diverse group of nominees in Grammys history. We also have, for the second year in a row, the least diverse host in Grammys history.”
Despite Kimmel’s lack of focus on the TIME’S UP and Me Too movements, we’re sure they will still be in discussion at the Oscars. According to The New York Times, the president of entertainment at ABC, where the Oscars will air, said that they want to “honor and respect TIME’S UP” but don’t want it to overshadow the artists.
Actress and TIME’S UP member Tessa Thompson told Indie Wire, “I think, of course, [we’re] looking at every event now as an opportunity to start a cultural conversation … Of course, the Oscars are a conversation.”
