You just knew Hollywood couldn't get through an Oscars broadcast without subjecting viewers to self-important statements of left-wing politics. War, AIDS, gay marriage, global warming - pick a liberal hobby horse and chances are an entertainer used the Academy Awards to give America his or her opinion on it.
This year, the cause du jour was class warfare, as reflected in shills for organized labor and a jab at bankers. With public sector unions protesting in Wisconsin and other states where governors are trying to address huge budget shortfalls, a couple of recipients couldn't resist adding their two cents.
Wally Phister, accepting the award for best cinematography for the movie 'Inception,' thanked his crew and made sure to mention that they were union members.
Speaking to the press backstage, Phister called the Wisconsin situation 'madness' and noted his own union membership. To him, 'unions are a very important part of the middle class in America all we are trying to do is get a decent wage and have medical care.' It should be noted that neither union wages nor medical benefits are at issue in Wisconsin.
Another 'Inception' winner, Gary Rizzo (Best Sound) was grateful to 'all the hard working boom operators and utility sound people that worked on the production crew. Union, of course.' Of course.
No Hollywood plot would be complete without a stock villain, and this year, business executives fit the role. Charles Ferguson took 'Best Documentary' for 'Inside Job,' a left-wing attack on the Wall Street bankers involved in the 2008 financial crisis. Not content to let the film speak for itself, Ferguson opined, 'Not a single financial executive has gone to jail, and that's wrong.'