Hollywood elites gathered Sunday night for their annual self-congratulatory spectacle. The stars aligned. The red carpet unfurled. The speeches ran long.
And many Americans couldn’t care less.
For the first time ever, the Academy Awards ceremony was available on streaming through Hulu. The experiment failed spectacularly.
Viewers reported being logged out of their accounts just as the ceremony began. Others watched in frustration as their streams cut off before the final two awards were announced. The most important categories – Best Actress and Best Picture – disappeared from screens nationwide. Is anyone surprised that Hollywood can’t even get basic technology right?
“Hulu suffered from a number of technical issues Sunday evening,” The Desk reported. “The first bug logged users out of their accounts, preventing them from accessing any Hulu content until the service was able to deploy a fix.”
The Walt Disney Company’s attempt to modernize the aging awards show instead highlighted the unreliability of progressive tech platforms. Basic functionality failed at the most critical moments – a perfect metaphor for Hollywood’s relationship with American viewers.
Viewership Numbers Tell Complicated Story
Despite streaming the ceremony on Hulu for the first time, viewership barely increased from last year.
The 97th Academy Awards drew 19.69 million viewers across ABC and Hulu after accounting for mobile and PC viewing, according to Disney. This represents a tiny bump from last year’s audience of 19.5 million – hardly the renaissance they were hoping for.
Initial numbers released Monday showed only 18.07 million viewers, a 7% decrease from 2024. Disney quickly revised these figures upward after adding streaming data. I couldn’t help but notice how desperate they seemed to be to spin this as a success.
Either way, the numbers remain a shadow of the Oscars’ former glory. The ceremony regularly attracted 40-45 million viewers in the 1990s and early 2000s – back when Americans actually recognized the movies being celebrated.
The 3-hour-and-47-minute broadcast celebrated films most Americans have never seen. The Best Picture winner Anora has grossed just a fraction of what mainstream audiences spent on films ignored by the Academy.
This pattern repeats year after year. Woke Hollywood elites celebrate niche artistic achievements while wondering why Middle America isn’t interested in their party. They seem genuinely confused when regular citizens – you know, the people who work for a living rather than play dress-up for millions – don’t share their enthusiasm.
The Academy’s attempt to boost viewership by starting earlier (7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT) shows they recognize the problem. But the solution isn’t scheduling – it’s content.
As one commenter on Deadline noted: “Industry is dead, never seen a system try to destroy itself like Hollywood.”
Award Shows Finding Their Smaller Place
The modest ratings reflect a new reality for Hollywood’s award ceremonies. The Grammys were down 9% this year. The Golden Globes remained flat.
Only the Emmys showed significant growth, up 60% year-over-year. However, that came after the previous ceremony was delayed by Hollywood strikes. Context matters, doesn’t it?
The entertainment industry continues struggling to understand why their celebration of progressive values and niche artistic achievements fails to resonate with broader America. Perhaps they should step outside their coastal bubbles and visit the heartland occasionally.
The Oscars’ technical failures and stagnant viewership represent more than just an entertainment industry problem. They symbolize the growing divide between coastal elites and heartland values.
While Hollywood celebrates films exploring progressive themes, Americans increasingly seek entertainment that reflects traditional values and relatable stories.
The awards show’s length – nearly four hours – further demonstrates how disconnected producers are from audience preferences. In today’s fast-paced world, few Americans have patience for Hollywood’s self-indulgence.
As President Donald Trump’s reelection demonstrated, Americans are returning to traditional values that Hollywood routinely ignores or mocks. Until the entertainment industry recognizes this fundamental disconnect, expect their audience to continue shrinking – regardless of which platform streams their celebration.
Key Takeaways:
- Hollywood continues losing touch with mainstream American values despite attempts to modernize.
- Technical failures during streaming highlight the unreliability of progressive media platforms.
- Award shows’ declining viewership reflects growing cultural divide between coastal elites and heartland.
- Entertainment industry must recognize and respect traditional values to regain relevance.
