NEWSSOURCE
TOPIC: Why We Love Entertainment Award Season
SOURCE: David Thompson, Associate Professor of Theater, Agnes Scott College, Atlanta, GA
CONTACT: Dolly Purvis, Manager of News Services, Agnes Scott College, (404) 471-5451 / Marilynne Herbert, Halstead Communications, (212) 734-2190
The beginning of each year brings with it a nearly compulsive desire to sit in front of a television and watch celebrities deliver rambling acceptance speeches while holding gilded figurines celebrating the entertainment industry. The Golden Globes, New York Film Critics Circles, Oscars, Tonys and Peoples Choice Awards are only a few of the many awards handed out annually. The sheer number of awards organizations and broadcasts provides evidence of their popularity (at least among television networks and audiences). What is behind this surge in popularity? Why are there so many awards? Why do we love them so?
"Following the various awards helps us to validate our own opinions," says Thompson. "When our favorite movies, actors or television shows receive nominations, we know that experts have considered them among the best in the field. We know that our tastes are likewise worthy of praise, even if our favorites do not win. Unlike sports or politics, which seem to require a life commitment to qualify for status as an authority, our taste in art cannot be questioned. Gauging one's own enjoyment requires no training and research. Particularly for those who equate art with entertainment, 'I know what I like' carries near-universal approval."
"When we care about awards, it shows that we care about the direction of the culture and direction of society. When many others share our interest, it makes it seem more important. We become a piece of history and in so doing connect to those other historical moments dating back to the Greeks."
David Thompson, Associate Professor of Theater at Agnes Scott College in Atlanta, GA, has written extensively on the theater and is a knowledgeable source on the annual theater and film awards.
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