SEATTLE RED

‘Lesson learned’ on Oscar night

Mar 6, 2018, 4:10 PM | Updated: Mar 7, 2018, 10:13 am

The over-riding message from this year’s Academy Awards it was, “We’ve Learned Our Lesson!” Responding to the #MeToo movement and reports of erotic exploitation and sexism, presenters and Oscar winners frequently alluded to the scandal and made sanctimonious pledges to crack down on wrong-doers.

After complaints in recent years about scant Oscar attention to people of color, numerous black and Hispanic celebrities appeared on stage and Latinos won some of the most important Oscars- including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Song, Best Animated Film, and best Foreign Language Film.

And after last year’s epic snafu with Warren Beatty announcing the wrong winner Best Picture winner, this year he received the right envelope.

Despite such improvements, a long predictable ceremony, with no blockbusters in serious contention, yielded some of the lowest TV ratings in Academy history.

Have the lessons really been learned?

Time will tell.

Members of the Krewe of Dolly lead a second line parade in commemoration of the life of Dolly Parto...

Associated Press

New Orleans celebrates Dolly Parton Day, in photos

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Fans in New Orleans celebrated Dolly Parton Day, declared in honor of the late country music icon, on Sept. 25. There was music, colorful tributes and plenty of Dolly-inspired style, as they joined communities around the country in honoring the widely beloved Parton. ___ This is a photo gallery curated by […]

36 minutes ago

FILE - The OpenAI logo is displayed on a cell phone in front of an image generated by ChatGPT's Dal...

Associated Press

OpenAI pauses training of latest models after agents probed US government sites in unexpected ways

NEW YORK (AP) — OpenAI said it has paused training of its latest artificial intelligence models as reports of AI agents going rogue mount. The decision to halt development came just hours after the company disclosed Friday that it was reviewing several incidents from the summer in which OpenAI agents searching federal government websites acted […]

2 hours ago

Associated Press

Texas city council candidate who protested ICE shooting faces ‘riot participation’ charge

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Texas city council candidate was arrested Saturday morning on a misdemeanor charge for “riot participation,” a week after he was part of a protest against the shooting of a Venezuelan man by a federal immigration officer. Public jail records do not specify the date of Misael Ramos’ alleged rioting, but […]

3 hours ago

Foreign Minister Abdul Mateen of Brunei speaks during the 81st session of the United Nations Genera...

Associated Press

They said it: Leaders at the UN, in their own words

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Many leaders saying many things about many topics that matter to them, to their regions, to the world: That’s what the U.N. General Assembly invariably produces each year. And each year, certain voices dominate. Here, The Associated Press takes the opposite approach and spotlights some thoughts from leaders who might have […]

5 hours ago

Associated Press

Hurricane Nolo expected to unleash powerful winds, flash flooding on Hawaii

HILO, Hawaii (AP) — Heavy rain and powerful winds are expected to bring flash floods and extreme surf to the Hawaiian Islands over the weekend as Hurricane Nolo bears down on areas still recovering from previous storms. Nolo was churning slowly south of Hawaii’s Big Island on Saturday with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph […]

7 hours ago

A "Do Not Enter" sign is pictured on the fence at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Art...

Associated Press

Kennedy Center put off planned repairs despite known structural issues, former employees allege

Kennedy Center officials were long aware of serious structural issues that they cited as new problems after the abrupt decision to close the performing arts venue this month, a group of former employees allege in a letter to Congress. The center’s executive director and chief operating officer, Matt Floca, did not treat the roofing issues […]

7 hours ago

‘Lesson learned’ on Oscar night