The CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, Elon Musk, is a tech entrepreneur who has never been afraid to voice his thoughts. Musk recently shared his opinions about the Academy Awards on X, implying that receiving an Oscar no longer carries the same weight as it previously did.
Musk attacked the Oscars in a number of posts, saying that winning now merely meant you won the “woke contest.” He maintained that an award loses respect and importance when it is trivialized. While Musk did not specifically state which elements of the Oscar-nominated movies from this year he considered to be “woke,” his remarks appear to be a part of his larger critique of corporate DEI (diversity, equality, and inclusion) programs.
Musk has spoken out against what he sees as “woke culture” and has previously said that DEI is just another word for racism. His comments concerned former MMA fighter and actress Gina Carano, who alleged that Musk’s X Corporation funded her lawsuit against Disney and Lucasfilm.
Carano was fired from her role in The Mandalorian in 2021 due to social conflicts. The posts were criticized as transphobic and right-wing. Musk’s support for Carano is seen as another example of his opposition to what he sees as excessive political activity.
Musk’s criticism of the Oscars is part of a broader pattern of him speaking out against what he sees as “football” ideology. He has previously criticized Google for “racist, anti-social violence”. Musk’s comments about the Oscars and those of other celebrities like former President Donald Trump underscore the ongoing debate about political correctness and diversity in Hollywood.
