Stephen King wants to eradicate the Oscars from the picture this year.
The King is the latest celebrity to call on the Academy, which presents the top film awards, to cancel the awards due to the devastating Los Angeles wildfires.
On Bluesky, the social platform he joined after quitting X, “In my honest opinion, they should shut them down. No glamour matters when Los Angeles is on fire.”
The 2025 Oscars ceremony is still scheduled for March 2.
The argument for moving forward with the Oscars makes sense like this: Canceling the gala doesn’t actually help anyone. But using the Oscar’s massive and worldwide audience to raise money for wildfire-related causes could significantly benefit those affected by the fires. Therefore, any desire to cancel the Oscars seems more like a momentary impulse to stop the celebration rather than a move that would genuinely be helpful. The film industry is known for rallying behind a worthy cause, and it’s hard to picture the Oscars not going all out to support wildfire victims and avoid appearing insensitive in light of the tragedy.
It was reported that the event should proceed – in a way that would show respect and help raise funds for, as well as celebrate, the fire relief efforts.
The TV show, which routinely draws 20 million viewers, suggested donating the revenue they would have gathered to the victims of the fires and the firefighters.
Smart’s post created some negative feedback, as did King’s. Even among King’s supporters in the left-leaning Bluesky, most readers rejected the idea of canceling the show.
They had months, YEARS without pay due to COVID, and then they had to negotiate with their union,” one person wrote. “And now the fires. You’re off the mark on this one. You should be supporting the industry.
One thing America needs right now is a good escape from all the pain and suffering we face every day,” another person said. “That’s how show business works, like you should know. Performances always go on.
It’s safe to say that will happen.
