Oscar Acceptance Speech Time Limits Are Becoming Ridiculous

There's nothing more prestigious than the Academy Awards in the entertainment business. We love to reward the great performers and creators of our time. I understand networks don't want a six hour telecast because I, frankly, don't want to watch one. However, you have to consider that these people are accepting a great honor. I don't want someone to ramble on for 15 minutes but I think it's awkward and rude when the music cuts someone off in the middle of thanking the Academy.

Take this year, for example. I would have been much happier watching a little more of Daniel Day Lewis and a little less of a mediocre host making mediocre jokes. I think it's ridiculous for the ceremony to waste so much time with unfunny skits and be so disrespectful to someone who just won an Oscar! If I wanted to laugh, I would watch SNL. I watch the Oscars to root for my favorites and if they win, I want to hear everything they have to say.

Out of courtesy, people shouldn't bring up a laundry list of people to thank but similarly, producers shouldn't shut off the microphone when an 87 year old is winning their first Oscar after years of working in Hollywood, be it as a costume designer or lead actor. I think they should have rough guidelines for acceptance speeches. Some people will always go over their time and some people might say two words but at least they'll have an idea that out of courtesy, they shouldn't thank more than 10 people.

The point is that keeping the strict time limits on speeches has evolved from a slow swelling of music to a complete abrupt end to a speech, with the loud interruptive orchestra, ending with the eventual turning off of the microphone. A few years ago, people would at least get fair warning to wrap it up before the music overpowered your voice. Now, they just completely interrupt you. It makes for rushed speeches and nervousness. And for what? So we can see a longer montage of old Oscar winners?

I think a good solution would be to create an show complete with monologues, montages, performances and an ideal time for the speeches to last. They should have several skits or montages that they are willing to cut throughout the show. For example, if by the hour mark, you haven't presented 5 awards because of overly long speeches, then remove the skit that was supposed to happen at that time.

The producers need to be more flexible with specific speeches, too. I know it would be controversial to subjectively cut speeches short but if you are so strict with the time, some people unfairly get cut off. A good example was the duo that won for best song this year. One of them spoke first and as his partner was nearing the micrphone to speak, the music cut her off. That is something that simply shouldn't happen.