The MTV Movie Awards soldiered on last night. This happened, despite the current strike by the WGA being in full swing. First, the show lost its host (Drew Barrymore is a real one). Then, it was announced that, in place of standard award show fare, the event would essentially be a clip show with MTV Awards “best of” moments. The result was a show that lacked personality or humanity, except when the humans showed up.
While celebrities refused to cross the picket line and attend the show, some sent in video recordings celebrating their wins. Some were still gross. Tom Cruise sitting in a jet, treated the popcorn statue like the Oscar he so badly wanted. Others took the opportunity to show that they were paying attention.
Drew Barrymore may not have hosted, but coincidentally, she did receive an award for Best Host. In her speech, she thanked her writers. Joseph Quinn captured the hearts and minds of millions on the currently postponed Stranger Things last year. He did so again by emphasizing the importance of writers. Jennifer Coolidge and Pedro Pascal shouted out the WGA specifically!
While the MTV Movie Awards deserves no recognition for keeping these parts of the speeches in (even a broken clock etc.), public displays of support like this are paramount (nailed it). The message that writers are being abused (and in some cases, replaced) needs to be shouted from every street corner and in front of every camera. Without public support, studios will win. If the studios are going to help us get that support out there? Well, it wouldn’t be the first time they did something stupid.