Awards Don’t Reflect New Talent

The entertainment business. A business existing solely for the purpose of entertaining the general public. What a job. Entertaining a public with such a variety that shows, music bands, authors and performers come and go like the wind.

Those who do survive get honored, of course. On one of those numerous awards shows that are popping up wherever you turn. It seems like a person can’t go a week without hearing about the results of this awards show, the tension and excitement of that upcoming awards show or about how an entertainment body has been nominated or received one or another of these awards.

Take, for instance, the last Saturday in February. NBC ran the very first ever Screen Actors Guild Awards. And last Wednesday, CBS aired the 37th Annual Grammy Awards. Or, more properly, the Grannies.

The Grammy Association put the spotlight on the same older musicians who are pop icons - Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, the Three Tenors, etc. Yes, these musicians are accomplished and loved throughout the world, but we - the young generation - just can’t relate to most of them. We’d like to see more attention and accolades given to some of our favorites, like Nine Inch Nails, Counting Crows, REM and Green Day.

Another awards show that more or less bombed was the American Music Awards. Usually a national favorite, the AMA fell very hard in the ratings this year, losing out to “Melrose Place” and a rerun of “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.”

So, as the rush of awards shows continues to come at you, just remember that the real test of any entertainment body is whether you, as a viewer, give them the time of day and whether or not they actually entertain you.