Trump Delights in Oscar Ratings Debacle, Bashes Show’s ‘Ridiculous Formula’: ‘Don’t Be So Politically Correct and Boring’

Conservatives have taken a victory lap over Sunday night’s ratings for the Oscars — which cratered by nearly 60 percent from 2020, which was itself a record low. On Tuesday, former President Donald Trump joined the parade of right-wingers reveling in Tinseltown’s misery.

In a statement, Trump bashed the ceremony as “politically correct and boring” — which has been a popular conservative refrain over the past 36 hours on social media and cable news. Here are his comments in full:

What used to be called The Academy Awards, and now is called the “Oscars”—a far less important and elegant name—had the lowest Television Ratings in recorded history, even much lower than last year, which set another record low. If they keep with the current ridiculous formula, it will only get worse—if that’s possible. Go back 15 years, look at the formula they then used, change the name back to THE ACADEMY AWARDS, don’t be so politically correct and boring, and do it right. ALSO, BRING BACK A GREAT HOST. These television people spend all their time thinking about how to promote the Democrat Party, which is destroying our Country, and cancel Conservatives and Republicans. That formula certainly hasn’t worked very well for The Academy!

In an interview with Variety, ABC’s Rob Mills — executive VP of unscripted and alternative entertainment at Walt Disney Television — defended the show’s hostless format and more serious tone.

“There wasn’t a host, and I think nobody quite knew in this year if it would be tone-deaf,” Mills said. “You still want to be celebratory, especially in a year where people were able to do such amazing work. But you also want to be mindful of where we still are in the world. So I think that’s why the show that happened was pretty much the show that they’ve been planning for many months.”