Hollywood prefers a clean story, but the Oscars remain “messier,” and that chaos keeps people watching. The 96th Academy Awards showed the ceremony is now more than an awards show—it is a live cultural debate. Long after the broadcast ends, clips and quotes circulate online, turning the Oscars into a “content engine” shaped by public reaction rather than a single narrative.
John Cena’s nearly naked presentation for Best Costume Design captured this shift. The absurd stunt drew attention to a category often overlooked, but critics argued it overshadowed the artists themselves. The moment highlighted how the modern Oscars must balance honoring craft with staying visible in an era of short attention spans.
A different controversy followed when Al Pacino skipped reading the Best Picture nominees and went straight to the winner. For many viewers, the ritual matters. Breaking it raised questions about whether Hollywood still values tradition or prioritizes speed and unpredictability.
Fashion also became part of the conversation. Kelly Ripa’s black gown divided opinion, reflecting deeper debates about age, visibility, and who is “allowed” to be bold. Today, red carpet looks quickly become symbols rather than simple style choices.
In the end, the Oscars endure because they invite disagreement. They are no longer just about winners, but about shared attention, where “art, ego, tradition, and spectacle collide.” The ceremony matters not because everyone agrees it does—but because it remains endlessly debatable.
