Tom Shales is a Big Fat Idiot

Tom Shales is a Big Fat Idiot

THE REAL BEST PICTURE OF THE YEAR.

… Try as he might, Stewart was not willing
to totally avoid the topical humor he employs with his regular gig, including
his second-favorite target: journalists. Talking about best picture
nominee \”Capote,\” Stewart said, \” 'Capote,' of course, addressed
similar themes to 'Good Night, and Good Luck.' Both films are about determined
journalists defying obstacles in a relentless pursuit of truth. Needless to
say, both are period pieces.\” …
'Daily
Show' host played it safe in Oscar-hosting debut.

The western montage was hilarious.

The real problem is that Hollywood takes itself so seriously.
After living in L.A. for 18 years, I've seen this first hand and you don't have
to go to the Oscars to get it.

Let's face it, hosting the Oscars is the worst gig in town, a
sure fire way to end up with your reputation in a heap. Jon Stewart escaped
that fate, while taking some chances with risky subjects. The Scientology joke
was a serious swipe that I loved. That some in the audience didn't guffaw said
it all.

Enter Tom Shales, a critic who suggested that Jon Stewart \”Keep
Your 'Daily' Job.\” Har-har.

To show you how wildly off the mark Shales was about the entire
evening, he offered that \”Crash\” winning best pic was really a \”cop-out\”
by the Motion Picture Academy because they were scared of giving the nod to
\”Brokeback Mountain.\” Wow, you don't get more clueless than that.
But actually, there was no contest between the two.

However, I would have picked
another movie altogether, \”Good Night, and Good Luck,\” clearly the
most important movie made last year. Just look at the news over the last year, Judy Miller, Bob Woodward, Novak, even the implosion of Thomas Friedman's credibility. Do I have to mention Jeff Gannon? Or doesn't Tom Shales read the blogs? No doubt he doesn't and maybe that's his problem. Mr. Shales is so very yesterday's news, as are his reviews.

At least Shales gets one right, Stewart's Cheney joke was hilarious,
as long as you knew Bjork. But let's face it, Stewart isn't for the stupid.

\”Bjork couldn't be here tonight. She
was trying on her Oscar dress and Dick Cheney shot her.\” - Jon Stewart

Shales didn't even get the stuffed penguins!

As for the most touching acceptance speech, Shales got that one
wrong too. It didn't belong to Reese, but to a filmmaker trumpeting the spirit
of Africa.

Joe
Gandelman has the best Oscar review round-up anywhere.

The problem with Shales' review is that he was too dumb to get
how smart Stewart was as host. Pity, but it wasn't lost on some of us.

Stewart did a great job. He was funny, didn't try to hard, was
himself and even made the point that is one of the reasons I believed \”Good
night, and Good luck,\” should have gotten the best picture nod. Stewart
talked about the state of journalism, which is why we're in this mess. He talked
about two films, \”Capote\” and Clooney's masterpiece, \”Both
films are about determined journalists defying obstacles in a relentless pursuit
of truth. Needless to say, both are period pieces.\”

Shales fits into that category because he couldn't recognize the
truth either. He, too, has become a period piece, best remembered for yesterday,
because he certainly doesn't understand what's happening today.

Stewart gets it, even if Hollywood and Tom Shales don't.