A Different View of the Oscars

In Creating Happiness, Recent Posts by Barbara Jacoby

Normally on the day of the Academy Awards, I look forward to watching all of the stars on the red carpet in order to view the fashions and to pick my favorites of the day. Even the awards event itself takes a back seat for me. However, this year, knowing that I was going to have the opportunity to fly over the red carpet itself during the stars’ arrivals, I turned on the news to find out about the expected weather and was pleasantly surprised to find coverage of the event and its history on ABC that really caught my eye. And as I watched, my

But, as I watched the preparations today, I realized what this event means to the economy and to so very many people who do the work to stage and work all aspects of this event.
perspective of this event turned in an entirely different direction and although I will always love the fashions of the event, I will never look at this event itself in the same way again.

My concept of the awards had been that it was a big waste of money. Here we have all of the Hollywood elite decked out in fancy clothes and jewels and celebrating themselves by presenting themselves 24 awards in a 3 hour show and then partying through the night. The nominees are given swag bags and luxury treatments at local hotels for days before the event. There are special luncheons to honor the nominees. I mean, why do we even have such an event to honor people just because they do their work in the limelight. But, as I watched the preparations today, I realized what this event means to the economy and to so very many people who do the work to stage and work all aspects of this event.

I also couldn’t help but wonder how many people come here to see the stars up close and personal. I saw some interviews done with visitors from other countries as well as from different parts of the US who came to Hollywood at this time just to see what was going on as well as to visit all of the landmarks that make the city the hallmark that it is. And, of course, there is the bleacher section at the red carpet where those who are fortunate enough to secure a seat can watch all of the activities as the stars arrive for the show.

I guess to put it into a bit better perspective, I was reminded that some of the streets around the venue have been closed for a week now as everything is assembled for the staging outside of the theater. Then there is all of the activity that goes on inside the theater to make sure that every single moment of the awards ceremony goes perfectly. There are all of the various venues around town that will host a myriad of after-parties that will be attended by the stars. There are the hotels and other sites that welcome the guests for spa treatments and pre-show preparations. And as far as the gowns and the jewels and the shoes and the swag bags, there is no amount of advertising dollars that would ever give the originators the exposure and future business that they will derive from such an event.

I guess my disdain for the awards may have actually turned into gratitude as I think about all of those people who benefit from such an event. There are so many people who have work opportunities that may never have existed otherwise. There are those who visit Hollywood at this time who will take back stories to their friends and families who will now want to visit to create their own wonderful memories. As I now see it, long after the red carpet has been rolled up and stashed away for another time and the last glass is washed and put away at a party venue and the last of the clean up and tearing down of the staging has been completed, this event will continue to bring more visitors and revenue to Hollywood until the next big event. That can’t be anything but good.