I didn't watch, but based on tweets, I think a lot of people mistakenly believe that the Academy built up that big finale knowing Boseman wouldn't win, like a pro-wrestling upset.

No, it is much stupider and more inept than that.

Exactly two accountants know the winners before the show. That's it. The producers do not know.

So it's not that the producers manipulated the audience, it's that they were so sure of their industry savvy that they thought they could call Best Actor a lock.

Or another way, the producers of the Oscars believed that Academy racism was over.

Fools. Their stupidity bore cruelty.

Disabuse yourself of the notion that any but a small bit of the Academy voting has anything to do with deservedness, a love of film, or recognizing excellent craft.

The Oscars and Emmys are industry awards, and they award people whom the Institution believes served the industry.

I promise you, every blue check critic age 22-40 saw more of the nominees, and thought harder about them, than 85% vast majority of Academy voters.

These are some of the busiest people in the world.

They're not watching all the movies.

They are voting for the film they did see that validated their own lucky lot in life. They are voting for their friends. They are voting against their enemies. They are sentimental.

I'm sure there's a huge block that votes against streaming films by default. They believe streaming is killing The Cinema (which is to say they aren't connected to the streaming people to make money with them) and they just can't sanction it.

I imagine a large number didn't see the movie. And I bet a whole chunk thought "Oh, it was Anthony's last go. The Boseman kid was special, but *oh Anthony*. How could I not?"

And David Parfitt has produced "Awards Movies" for 30 years. He used to run BAFTA. And my deep suspicion is that the Industry prefers Denzel on the screen than negotiating behind it. You Know Why.

Anyways, I don't personally believe the Academy can be reformed.

Oscars are not based on merit nor predicted historical importance. Reforming Academy voting would be like trying to reform Facebook Discourse.

The thing to do is delegitimize and marginalize its station. Filmmakers don't need the Oscars. They don't need that institutional validation. And the newest audience, Gen Z, sure as fuck doesn't care.

Stop caring, let them go.