Facebook, Twitter and even Huffington Post are ablaze with angry comments about the disgusting sexism of Seth MacFarlane, the Oscars' host last night.
Huff Post today even has a few articles criticizing MacFarlane's tasteless jokes in today's articles by Mike Ryan.
"Seth MacFarlane as Oscars Host: 5 Observations",
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ryan/seth-macfarlane-oscars-review_b_2756950.html?utm_hp_ref=canada&ir=Canada
and Michael Russnow.
"Oscars 2013- Seth MacFarlane Best When He Wasn't Trying to be Funny" , http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-russnow/seth-macfarlane-oscars-host_b_2757398.html?utm_hp_ref=canada&ir=Canada
And for good measure.
"Oscars 2013: Host Seth MacFarlane Blasted by Reviewers and Twitter"
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/02/25/oscars-2013-seth-macfarlane-reviews_n_2757358.html?just_reloaded=1
But these reviewers and some of the tweeters have it all wrong. Seth MacFarlane was the best thing to happen to the Oscar ceremonies in years. And the powerful Hollywood studios, the actors, producers and directors, all know it.
I predict that the Hollywood powers will be begging him to come back to host next year's Oscars.
Recall in previous years, the hosting of the Oscars was abysmal. James Franco and Anne Hathaway. Lame. No chemistry. Franco was acting like he was doing bong hits in my basement. His act may be funny with a few fellow stoners. But it failed miserably in front of a billion viewers.
Last year was the bloated and wheezing, heavily botoxed double-chinned Billy Crystal. His Borscht Belt shtick lost its sparkle a decade ago. "I did not want, what he was having." He should have stayed retired. He did the Oscars and the film industry no favours that night.
Hollywood needed Seth MacFarlane last night. And he delivered. Big time.
Recall the Academy Awards and in fact the whole Hollywood-based film industry is about show business. Emphasis on the business. It is all about money. And putting bums in the seats.
Below is a list of the ten highest grossing (domestically) films for 2012
http://boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=2012
Marvel's The Avengers$623 million
The Dark Knight Rises (Batman)448 million
The Hunger Games408 million
Skyfall303 million
The Hobbitt300 million
The Twilight Saga, Part 2292 million
The Amazing Spiderman262 million
Brave237 million
Ted (Seth MacFarlane's film)218 million
Madagascar216 million
The majority of these films are populated by super heroes, with hot women, (some of these women are also kick ass heroines) lots of action and great special effects.
The majority of these films appeal to the male demographic of between 15 and 35 and to young women of that age group as well.
Note none of the Oscar nominated films cracked the top ten and only some cracked the top 20. Like "Lincoln", "Django" and "Les Mis".
The 15-35 year old male and to some extent, women in that age group, drive the Hollywood movie business. Without the revenues from the 10 top grossing films, the major studios and major film distributors, could not effectively produce or have produced or distribute or have distributed the major award-winning films that we see in the latter part of each year.
As I have stated, the film industry needs the young guys and young women. What generally appeals to this group is action, violence, sex, horror, hot male and female bodies, physical and gross humour, sometimes dirty humour and some romance.
The off colour, sexist, puerile, sophomoric, racist, gross and edgy humour of Seth MacFarlane, through his various tv series, appeals to this group, as well. Amy Poehler and Tina Fey. I am sorry, women, you both are very witty. But you lack broad appeal.
The Academy Awards show is a golden opportunity for the film industry to appeal to its growing international market. But it must appeal and attract its very important domestic market, the young men and women who drive the US domestic film revenues.
I thought MacFarlane's best and edgier bits were "We Saw Their Boobs" opening number and the dirty sock puppets, especially the black puppet pilot, doing Denzel, doing coke. That was brilliant and very funny.
As above stated, many reviewers and online commentators hated the "Boobs" bit. They said it was sexist. It was demeaning. It was tasteless. Guess what, men from 15-95 love naked women; boobs, breasts, thighs, legs, all the parts.
Even women have been known to be attracted to nude or semi-nude guys. See the success this year of "Magic Mike" and other films with six pack hunks.
Also no one is forcing these beautiful starlets from baring their breasts on the screen. Or from wearing revealing dresses that display boobs, side boobs, butt cleavage, and the odd turned ankle. These stars make an obscene amount of money. It is all part of the business of show business.
On one hand, some Huff Post bloggers are hammering MacFarlane for doing boob jokes. But on the other hand, look at all the Huff Post articles, just today, that are glorifying and analyzing the boobs and side boobs of the stars! Or their strange botox faces. I think that I know more about Anne Hathaway's nipples, than her own husband.
As to the rest of Seth's stuff, I also liked him making fun of George Clooney dating women decades his junior. Ben Affleck's and the Kardashians' facial hair. The Kardashians are jokes that just keep on giving. The Jessica Chastain character who stalked and hunted Osama bin Laden for years. And Seth portrayed her as an obsessive woman, who would not let go. Guys, that was pretty funny. Who hasn't been there, before?
The bit with John Wilkes Booth getting into Lincoln's head, was shocking. But his comeback query, "After 150 years, Too soon?" was hysterical. The Nazi soldier announcing the escaping Von Trapp family was also shockingly funny. And who can forget, MacFarlane's wise-cracking , animated foul-mouthed Ted, the bear, waxing eloquent about being a card-carrying member of Jewish Hollywood? That was gutsy and funny.
MacFarlane's song and dance numbers were cute and stylish. But his edgy and off the wall bits, will bring Hollywood's most important audience, back for another year. I can't wait to see what Hollywood icons he will lampoon tastelessly next year.