Soft Power: Chris Matthews' Go-To Time Waster Howard Fineman Claims The Oscars Are Just As Powerful as Putin

I know some folks in the Ukraine who might disagree with this assessment.

Apparently some people told Finemann he was a dumbass.

In the more noted Oscars story, Matthew McConaughey gave an acceptance speech that was by turns humble and interesting.

I'm not sure if I fully understand his idea that his hero is the self he wishes to be (but never will be) ten years from now, but it's an interesting idea. And of course he thanked his God and parents quite a bit, only mentioning three people from the film he won for, rather than the usual litany of accountants, agents, business managers.

"First off I want to thank God, because that's who I look up to. He's graced my life with opportunities that I know are not of my hand or any other human hand," the 44-year-old Texas native said. "He has shown me that it's a scientific fact that gratitude reciprocates. In the words of the late (British actor) Charlie Laughton, who said, 'When you got God you got a friend and that friend is you.'"

...

"To my father, I know he's up there right now with a big pot of gumbo, he's got a lemon meringue pie, he's probably up there in his underwear, he's got a cold can of Miller lite and he's dancing right now," he continued. "To my dad, you taught me what it means to be a man, to my mother, who's here tonight, you taught me and my two brothers, demanded, that we respect ourselves. What we in turn learned was, we were then better able to respect others."

The self-appointed Agents of Tolerance of course turned to their favorite past time of XXXtreme Tolerance:

"OK so you really deserved it McConaughey. Just stop the stupid god talk," tweeted one observer, as others concurred.

"I thought we could get through the Oscars without someone thanking god but no he had to ruin it. F**k you McConaughey."

Incidentally, it has been bruited about that he didn't win for Dallas Buyer's Club per se, but for his entire year of work, which many people are saying is the best year for an actor in quite a long time. And included in that year's work is of course the show which everyone in Hollywood is watching, True Detective.*

By the way, I don't love him in True Detective the way many do. He's good; don't get me wrong. But he's giving a very mannered, "Actorey" sort of performance, giving Rust too many Big Tics. I'm always a little put off by acting that insists upon itself.

If I see Rust describe facial scars with that hammy gesture around the jaw one more time, I'll hunt McConaughey down, put antlers on him, and pose him in a sugarcane field.

* Hm, we all know that actors will do whatever is necessary to win an Oscar.

Starring in a well-written TV show running on HBO or Netflix or etc. during Oscar voting season might turn out to be a go-to trick for securing an Oscar win for a film.

That is, we might see other theatrical performers not just willing but eager to be on something a lot of people will be watching as they fill out their Oscar ballots.

posted by Ace at 02:09 PM

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