Hollywood is Dead? Not So O’Reilly

By: Steve Yuhas

On Wednesday’s edition of the O’Reilly Factor on the Fox News Channel Bill O’Reilly made an observation about the Academy Awards, more affectionately known as the Oscars, saying, “nobody cares.”  I’m all for O’Reilly coming to our fair city, but come on – nobody cares about the Academy Awards?  Have you tried to book a hotel, car or restaurant on the days leading up to the ceremony on Sunday evening?  People do care – they may not like all of the movies, but Hollywood is hardly poised to fold.

So what is it about Hollywood that O’Reilly is willing to pretend that nobody cares about the biggest night in Hollywood?  He put forward the argument that nobody cares about Hollywood anymore and people (presuming he means the ‘folks’ that he so often references) feel disassociated with movies and entertainment.  He even said, “It’s over out here.”

Nothing could be further from the truth and for a guy who had to book the Four Seasons in April and for those less fortunate who are now on a waiting list for rooms within 20 miles of the theater – I’m hard pressed to find anyone who would agree with O’Reilly on the downfall of Hollywood.

One thing is certain, though, and that is too many people in politics and in the media (including my fellow conservative commentators and talk show hosts) attempt to paint Hollywood as a bad guy because movies are made that do not meet with one side or the others social or political agenda.  It may be true that some movies are not exactly the wave the flag dramas that we saw after or during the war years, but Hollywood is no less patriotic than any other city in America – it is just Hollywood has a lens pointed to it every single day of the year where a place like Madison, Wisconsin or Houston do not.

The problem with O’Reilly’s analysis is not only that Hollywood is far from dead – it did have a tumultuous few months with the writer’s strike, but dead – is that the evidence he uses is how many millions of dollars a film grosses and whether or not George Clooney made movies that he liked.  According to the intrepid analyst for Fox News Clooney made “anti-American” movies over and over again – same movie; same message: America is bad.

Kind of harsh and completely untrue; not because Hollywood has done a lot of good in not only making movies that are worth seeing, but also because over the years I have been lucky in life and have been able to get to know people who work in the industry and no matter where I go or who I talk to – people in Hollywood (and the general area) all want greatness for the country.

Let’s be clear – I disagree with much of the political positions taken by a lot of the people in Hollywood, but the paradox is that I can disassociate the Hollywood full of entertainers and hard working people behind the scenes with the Hollywood activists who try to bring their political issue to the forefront by using their well-known brand.  It sounds almost “insider” and ostentatious, but it is true: people in Hollywood may be “misguided” as it relates to my political world view, but for them it works and like it or not they are involved in the American culture.

A culture, by the way, that is not distinct to Hollywood, but is shared with liberal places around the country, but focused on Hollywood because of the glitz, glamour and shows devoted to watching the famous arrive and depart from red carpets and the mediocre trip to a restaurant or store.

The other day I was at Jose Eber in Beverly Hills and I overheard one of the most interesting things.  When a person is getting a manicure the ears wander and you can be taken in any direction – this day I was taken to the chair behind Rosa and the conversation was about politics.  The stylist asked her client (a client most of you would recognize), “Do you want Clinton or Obama to win?”  Client’s answer, “Neither, I’m supporting McCain.”

Huh?  I wasn’t the only Republican – and not in the closet either – in the salon?  It was like I saw a straight guy doing hair or something from another planet.  This client is Hollywood to the 9th degree – don’t get more Hollywood and he openly gave his opinion of the race for the White House not by hiding behind the salon’s namesake either – he was out and out saying, proudly, that he was voting for McCain.  Hollywood may be a place where people make controversial films about controversial topics (some may very well have the feel of an anti-American movie), but when it comes to politics there is nothing about Hollywood that makes it any different than any other city in America – except you can recognize everyone… even in the comfort zone of a salon.

People like Bill O’Reilly are smart and I’m sure he didn’t mean to say that Hollywood was an irrelevant entity simply because he disliked a few movies this year.  Moreover, it was probably not his intention to say that people are walking away from movies (they’re not) because they no longer relate to the American people.  If that were the case studios and production companies would be folding up shop and that is not happening.

What is happening is that people are being given a choice in what to watch.  Want a kids movie? Sure, Disney will make one.  Want something that makes you think about America’s foreign policy?  Clooney will make one.  And if you want a romantic comedy or something with a bit of action, thrill or horror – that can be had as well – so what is changing in Hollywood that makes many in the GOP (my party) and many in the press believe (or wish) that Hollywood was going away?

Simple: it is an applause line.  It is very easy when you need a sip of water or need to turn the page on the stump to say “I don’t want Hollywood culture; I want American culture.”  Emphasize the American part for a few sips – it assures more and longer applause.  Hollywood does not want you to adopt the values of a film; Hollywood would rather raise questions about issues and entertain.  Movies are a business, after all, and it can only sustain people ‘walking away’ for so long before it gets back on track and people are not walking.

As to the Oscars: people may not be as excited about them this year as they were in years gone by, but that is a result of many things – not the least of which is choice.  To compare the Academy Awards ratings of today against those of even a decade ago is to ignore the advent of new technologies and mediums to be entertained.  Cable allows you to keep up with the Jones’ while the Internet allows you to know who won what with a ticket across the bottom of the computer screen.

Hollywood is not evil, the people working in television and film are not evil and nobody wants any harm to come to our nation – least of all those people who work in film (I think their work after 9-11 proves their patriotism regardless of the movies they make).  They rally around the flag like anyone else, but they are also provocateurs when it comes to things happening in the country.  Some are nutty, but the loons are booed off the stage (Michael Moore).

Counting Hollywood out today is just the wrong way to look at the multi-billion dollar industry that it is.  There is an easy way to test whether or not the Oscars excite people in the industry: try to book a room, reservation at a good restaurant or a car on Sunday.  You won’t be able to get it and that, more than anything else, is proof positive that Hollywood is not only relevant, but cares – whether or not O’Reilly or anyone else does.

The funny thing is that with all the talk about the irrelevance of Hollywood there are sure a lot of politicians and pundits who spend time talking about it.

Steve Yuhas is a radio talk show host on AM 600 KOGO in southern California and may be reached at steve@steveyuhas.com or www.steveyuhas.com