It’s been a good, long while since I’ve paid attention to an award show. I did last night. The Oscars made me cry, and I feel good about it.
Let’s get this out of the way right away: I’m a crier. It’s one of the ways I express my emotions. Thankfully, I come from a family of emotive people, so crying was never discouraged; I was never made to feel ashamed. Unfortunately, this was not the norm when I was growing up. We Gen Xers were raised by Boomers, and too many Boomer dads (and teachers and coaches) taught their Gen X sons that crying was weak and a source of shame.
They were wrong then, and anyone who still espouses that view is wrong now.
Now, back to the Oscars. I never watch. I get the info I need from Twitter to talk about on the air the next day. As I was doing just that last night, I started to see actors that I know and love winning the big awards. This is not usually the case, so my interest was piqued. I started watching their acceptance speeches. And that’s when the waterworks turned on.
The Oscars Made Me Cry and I Feel No Shame
Halloween is my all-time favorite film. So to see Jamie Lee Curtis win an Oscar so deep into her acting career felt like vindication. And Michelle Yeoh winning the Oscar for Best Actress? Validation a long-time coming for someone whose talent transcends style and genre. I’ve never been one to put a lot of value behind the golden statue; actors do great work with or without winning one. But the actors who won last night clearly put a lot of value there. So let’s celebrate them together.
I have tissues if you need them.
