(C) WENN
Sorry, Oprah, but the critics are NOT happy about this!
Yesterday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Board of Governors announced that they will honor Oprah Winfrey with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for “her extensive charitable, philanthropic, and educational efforts.”
Here’s what New York Film Critics Circle chair John Anderson had to say about it:
“She’s in the motion picture industry? It seems like a shameless bid for a ratings boost — although once they start showing clips from Beloved and The Color Purple the numbers will plummet.”
Here’s more on Oprah’s award from former Film Critics Circle chair Armond White:
“Does this newly announced Academy prize prove that Oprah means the same thing to Hollywood as past Jean Hersholt Award winners Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Lew Wasserman, Charlton Heston? Is this just another way for the academy to continue to grovel for TV ratings?”
Others who are unhappy with the Academy’s decision believe that it’s an attempt to get Oprah “to be philanthropic to the academy.”
What do U think about all of this? Does Oprah deserve to be honored by the Academy?
[Image via Ivan Nikolov/WENN.]