While I agree, the proselytizing that goes on during an “awards show” is tired and to a degree unbearable, what did you expect? If you recall, every year the Hollywood establishment gets behind some cause (remember AIDS, and all the red ribbons that were worn? Oooo Denzel Washington is wearing a red ribbon to support finding a cure for AIDS…how noble!). This year the cause is Green – fighting global warming. Let’s for a moment remember that the Oscars are an award show “celebrating” achievement in the art of film. I won’t go down the path of how one can judge one performance against another, as a case could be made that one performer was more “true” to the character they were portraying then another. Or one role may have been more “challenging” then another, and therefore a case may be made for “awarding” the actor/actress that “pulled off” the more challenging role (think Daniel Day Lewis in “My Left Foot,” vs. Jack Nicholson, in nearly anything in the last 20 years of his career…as he is essentially playing himself to a certain degree).

In this writer’s opinion, a Gary Oldman or Daniel Day Lewis is certainly a better caliber actor then a Sylvester Stallone or David Arquette…but I digress.

Al Gore and the Hollywood elite have a pulpit, and they will use it every chance they get to espouse whatever the “flavor of the day” cause is. This year it’s global warming, next year it might be any number of things, immigration reform, the “war on terror,” etc. They are entertainers plain and simple…although in the case of Al Gore, I’m not sure what his title is now. But I agree with you Mike. If I’m going to tune in to a vapid awards show that has ZERO effect on my life, I don’t want to be preached to by a bunch of multi-millionaires with regard to what I should be doing to help our endangered environment. As annoying as I find U2’s Bono…he is getting out there and meeting with government officials, and attempting to promote policies and initiatives (which I may not necessarily agree with) that he promotes. In effect, Bono is backing up his mouth with action. I do take issue with his preaching to me as well, I know he’s a savvy businessman as U2 has moved their business operations to more “tax friendly” locales, so surely he does not have an issue with capitalism and profiteering.

As the climatologists tell it, the earth is a cauldron of constant change. The continents are moving, albeit at mere inches a year, undersea volcanoes continue to erupt, with the state of Hawaii adding land mass to itself through Mt. Kilauea’s eruptions on a daily basis. The glaciers continue to recede and weather patterns change sometimes on a yearly basis.

Drought continues in some areas of the world, while other areas are inundated with rain. There is no question that man through industrialization has POSSIBLY contributed to SOME changes in the earth’s environment. In areas such as China where coal is continuously burned into the atmosphere, and carbon monoxide emissions continue to trend upward due to rapid industrialization, one can’t help but wonder if there is a detrimental effect on the environment.

BUT, the earth is a malleable planet. The planet is constantly changing with weather patterns and other attributes of our planet ebbing and flowing in time. I certainly don’t condone complete disregard for our planet’s environment. I don’t believe in allowing industry to spew forth toxins with impunity into the air…but I also take issue with the alarmists who keep toiling the death knell for our planet.

So Hollywood, you can keep trying to entertain the masses, but please make an effort not to alienate the consumers of your products by preaching to us about what we should be doing to help: the environment, AIDS, eradicating cancer, stopping the genocide in Darfur, campaign finance reform, the war on terror, etc.….