Sean Penn's Oscar Speech

Oscars Oscar Insider_chun.jpg
(AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Since most of you think you're too smart to watch the Academy Awards, do let us cram them down your throat this morning. Especially since San Francisco got a major tip of the hat at last night's "excellence in cinema" awards orgy.

Here were have Penn's acceptance speech for Best Actor in Milk. And, really, it's kind of cool. In addition to making a plea for gay rights, the local thespian gives a brilliant shout out to the "signs of hatred" taht attendees saw as their Prius and SUV Hybrids approached the Kodak Theater.

Thank you. Thank you. You commie, homo-loving sons-of-guns. I did not expect this, but I, and I want it to be very clear, that I do know how hard I make it to appreciate me often. But I am touched by the appreciation and I hoped for it enough that I did want to scribble down, so I had the names in case you were commie, homo-loving sons-of-guns, and so I want to thank my best friend, Sata Matsuzawa. My circle of long-time support, Mara, Brian, Barry and Bob. The great Cleve Jones. Our wonderful writer, Lance Black. Producers Bruce Cohen and Dan Jinks.

And particularly, as all, as actors know, our director either has the patience, talent and restraint to grant us a voice or they don't, and it goes from the beginning of the meeting, through the cutting room. And there is no finer hands to be in than Gus Van Sant. And finally, for those, two last finallies, for those who saw the signs of hatred as our cars drove in tonight, I think that it is a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect and anticipate their great shame and the shame in their grandchildren's eyes if they continue that way of support.

We've got to have equal rights for everyone. And there are, and there are, these last two things. I'm very, very proud to live in a country that is willing to elect an elegant man president and a country who, for all its toughness, creates courageous artists. And this is in great due respect to all the nominees, but courageous artists, who despite a sensitivity that sometimes has brought enormous challenge, Mickey Rourke rises again and he is my brother. Thank you all very much.

And on that note, see which one of your neighbors will anticipate great shame over at eightmaps.com.

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anticipate their great shame
and the shame in their grandchildren's eyes

Very, very good.
It's coming.

call me an a-hole, but I thought it was kind of wrong that he didn't say a word about Harvey Milk himself. I mean really. Makes me think it really was just another job for him.

I loved Milk. And I like Sean Penn. Sadly, he did a great job of reminding those that voted for prop 8 just why they did thanks to his speech.

From a political standpoint, Penn's speech was browbeating. You never use the word 'shame' to describe someone's voting patterns. Sadly, I think Penn blew a fantastic platform to get an pro-marriage message across, where he easily could have linked Milk's heroism with the current efforts. Still, more people will likely see the movie now, which will be helpful.

as far as I can tell, the Oscar's are not a place where public or social policy is made. I think it would be very hard for anyone to affect behavioral change in an awards acceptance speech.

It's a marketing impression, like any other commercial. It takes dozens of impressions to shape views over time. People won't remember details of any one ad or speech, but the positive/negative feeling about an issue/product lingers. The attitude change has to start somewhere.

Sure you do. Every vote for 8 was shameful.

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penn has never been known for his subtlety or tact.

nice of him to call for shame while forgetting to thank his own wife...

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He didn't thank Madonna either! SHAME INDEED!

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The audience doesn't care about or pay attention to the individuals being thanked.

Thanking his wife he can do in private. Shaming the 8 voters he needed to do on the stage.

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sorry, that's the classic "i'm doing good so i can treat people like crap" argument. plenty of people sacrificed so he could stand up there at that moment. it'd be nice to recognize them, instead of using the moment for political purposes. would you feel the same way if bruce willis got up there and called gun-control advocates wimps?

> would you feel the same way if bruce willis got up there and called gun-control advocates wimps?

You mean getting butt-hurt about the fact that Mr. Willis didn't thank his wife?
Fuck no.
I'd just think he was the hot-air specialist he is.

Did SFX somehow sacrifice for the good of the MILK production?

I thought not.

i didn't ask him to thank me, just his wife, chump.

what is "butt-hurt?"

just because penn's hot air matches ours doesn't mean it isn't hot air.

Whomever thought of the stage and the whole 5 former actor/actress winners saying some kind words about the acting nominees, and also some of the fun performances from hugh jackman and others, really deserve a Bravo. Well done.

Mr. Penn's speech was okay, but Lance Black's acceptance speech was the one that really got me.

i feel like i'm the only person in america completely underwhelmed by slumdog millionaire (it was middling, formulaic, overwrought, and the lead actor only had one expression - hurt puppy dog look)- though i am titillated by the porn title parody possibilities

Not at all. That's why I have never had even the most remote interest in seeing it. But the Academy typically loves that sort of maudlin uplifting crap.

"Uplifting" has almost always been code to me that a film is terrible.

Amazing that for all Seans "big mouth", you will not find a single RED AMERICAN CENT donated by him to the "no on prop 8" donation list. As I see the "eightmaps" prominately advertized above. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, everyone is entitled to vote to protect their Religious beliefs. You dont see Gay google maps to hurt and protest Gay businesses or donors. Hyprocrites of tollerance. Marriage is a RELIGIOUS cerimony! If you dont believe in God and God thinks Gay is an abomination. Why would you want to get married? The Gay community is always having their GAY PRIDE parades and GAy appreciation month, Gay awareness week, Gay rainbow flags Gay this and GAy that GAy GAy gay. What are you ashamed of? Why not be proud of a GAY CIVIL UNION and accept the 100% rights that California already offers, and go to US FEDERAL to argue about the "other rights" you are entitled too?
It is not about California, leave precious marriage alone, Californians love you, Californians can not condone your behavior, California does not vote for hate, but to protect RELIGIOUS rights.

It looks like all the redneck bigoted kooks decided to join us for the day and raise a little hell. Fortunately, their arguments draped in religious clothing are as pointless and shallow as their supposed beliefs. They all repeat the well worn Christian mantra "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" and then under their breath, staring at their soulless shoes mutter "unless yer one uh dem gawwdam homersechsuals"

If marriage is a RELIGIOUS ceremony based on belief in an almighty, sacred higher power that bestows upon two people, specifically a man and a woman, the god given right to marry, then I guess we should not have a divorce rate of over 58%. You do realize that this same god you speak of does not allow for divorce. Til death do you part. Right?

Marriage is precious? That's rich. Let me tell you about all of those straight (?) two parent families where she is banging the pool boy and he is banging the pool boy (at different times, of course), the kids are off snorting meth because the parents are too self involved in their own careers and making lots of money to spend any time raising a family.

Get over your self importance issues and let others live as they want. In the meantime, head on over to the Rush Limbaugh message board, they're missing a few good trolls tonight.

Clearly Penn has not understood that his getting the award was itself a form of advertising for the no on 8 campaign. I'm kinda surprised Milk didn't get best picture.

Look, here's the deal... when a politician wants your vote, he or she makes the case that it's in your best interest to do so and here's why... when a group taking a side on a prop wants your vote your vote, again, they explain why it's in your best interest to do so... therefore, instead of WHINING and BITCHING about how hateful every one is who doesn't agree with you, maybe you can do what EVERYBODY ELSE does and explain to the people why gay marriage is a good idea.

And here's a little clue... calling people hateful bigots doesn't really help. No one needs Sean Penn to know that the "God Hates Fags" crowd are bigots. Being an asshole doesn't win you any friends and convinces many folks on the fence about the issue to say "well, fuck you too."

If you want gay marriage to be a reality than stop being a bunch of petulant children and explain to the majority - in your indoor voice - why it's a good thing to have gay marriage. Can you do that?

Please...many "indoor voices" have been used and people say "if it's such a big deal, why aren't you pissed about it?"

and then some people got pissed about it and you get to say "Can't you be civil about this?"

If by now you haven't heard reasons (spoken or screamed) why it's a good thing to have gay marriage, you have to be honest and admit that you really don't want it.

Don't stoop to their level by linking to eightmaps.com. What's the difference between that and painting a star of david on people's doors? That type of mentality pretty much condones retaliation, which I thought was behavior coming predominantly from the pro-prop8 crowd.

Grow up and stop trying to start a war. Educate America's ignorant and civil rights will no doubt improve. This is not the time to point fingers.

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