New York Film Critics Circle members respond to Mo'Nique's snub
Members of the New York Film Critics Circle are responding on the record to news that Mo'Nique will not attend their awards ceremony on Jan. 11 to accept her supporting-actress prize for "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire." On Friday, one prominent member, speaking anonymously to Gold Derby, said her snub lends "credence to the story that she wants to be paid to show up for these things."
Thelma Adams (Us Weekly), two-time past NYFCC chairwoman, tells Gold Derby: "As a NYFCC member, my response is more snacks and drinks for us, and more available seats for more congenial people. My guess is that Meryl will attend."
Lou Lumenick of the New York Post makes a sly reference to recent news that Oprah Winfrey will not be among the three producers to receive an Oscar statuette if "Precious" wins best picture. She's accused of being just an "air quote" producer who actually had nothing to do with making the movie, but loaned her name to its marquee to help sell tickets.
Referring to Mo'Nique, Lumenick tells Gold Derby, "Maybe Oprah can fill in for her. Heath Ledger didn't bother showing up to collect his best actor prize for 'Brokeback Mountain,' but Philip Seymour Hoffman graciously agreed to present the first-film prize to the director of 'Capote.' Hoffman went on to win the Oscar."
The "air quote" accusation against Oprah was made by one of the most severe critics of "Precious," Armond White of New York Press, who is the current NYFCC chairman. He tells Gold Derby that he doesn't like to view Mo'Nique's absence from his awards dinner as a snub, adding, "Throughout the Circle's 75-year history, circumstances have sometimes prevented great actresses like Julie Christie, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Dianne Wiest from appearing in person. Many prominent, courteous artists are confirmed for this year. Believe me, the show will go on."
Memo to Mo'Nique: Gold Derby will pay you an Alexander Hamilton if you'll attend the NYFCC ceremony. Sorry, we can't afford a Benjamin.
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I think - the more the star of the film promotes it - the more chances the film has of luring audience members to the theatre. It also show's the pride an actor feels about the film. If she's asking for money to promote the film, she's silly and greedy and that has it's own results. The film is an indy and they need all the support that they can get. If a lead player in the movie isn't willing to support the film, why should audience members, let alone critics or those who are responsible for awards? Grace is respected. If she doesn't care about the film or willing to help promote it to success then it would seem she wouldn't care whether she wins the award or not.
Posted by: Jeffrey T | December 28, 2009 at 05:39 AM
I don't know what this whole "incident" says about turning the business of acting into the business of campaigning, but it seems to me just common courtesy to show up when someone wants to give you an award. Maybe she has a good reason preventing her from coming, and that's fine, but I can certainly see why the NYFCC could be legitimately offended.
Posted by: Ryan | December 25, 2009 at 04:51 PM
Mo'Nique's making herself look dumb by saying she expects to get paid for doing everything down to washing her own hands, but in the end her performance has been the best and she deserves it.
Posted by: Ben K | December 21, 2009 at 07:07 AM
That the NYFCC even had a response to "the snub" speaks more about them than anything they could conjure up about Mo'nique.
If she doesn't win, it will reflect a total lack of credibility on the part of all the award groups. If she does win without all the ridiculous pandering and campaigning, then perhaps we can get these awards back to being about MERIT -- if they ever were at all.
Posted by: Terrence Moss | December 21, 2009 at 03:00 AM
ALL THIS BAD NEWS ARE WEINSTEIN PROPAGANDA, PEOPLE. IT'S DISGUSTING TO READ THIS KIND OF NEWS JUST TO SEE HARVEY'S SMILE IN THE MIRROR WHEN HE WAKES UP IN THE MORNING. MONIQUE CAN GO, CAN SNUB, CAN MISS, CAN ATTEND... SHE CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT. SHE GAVE THE BEST PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR BUT IF AMPAS WANTS TO AWARD SOMEONE WHO WILL ATTEND, THEN THEY ARE FREE TO DO IT, BUT THEIR MINDS WILL REVEAL THE TRUTH DAYS AFTER.
PS: Read Peter Biskind's books.
Posted by: HEY YOU | December 20, 2009 at 06:43 PM
If these people would have done their homework, they would know that she obviously has a scheduling conflict.....but I guess its better to try and make her look bad considering the fact that "she's not the most congenial" person to be nominated; so they say...
Posted by: Spring | December 20, 2009 at 06:33 PM
For God's sake their actor's not show ponies. If you want to give them an award-just give the damn thing and stop acting like spoiled brats. Your only critics and lets face it critics have no hold over the public opinion anymore.
Posted by: rob | December 20, 2009 at 07:34 AM
Never been a fan of hers and I think her money-grubbing is kind of class-less, but I have to say that Mo'Nique has a great point. Why should she have to campaign if she doesn't want to? She seems to be okay with not winning the Oscar if not campaigning causes that, so why does everybody else care if she doesn't??? It also seems like she has a legitimate excuse not to attend. And she's absolutely right--her work is done and up on the screen, that's on what should be judged, not how much she kisses ass! I think Thelma and Lou and the rest of them at the NYFCCmhave inflated views of their own importance.
Posted by: Andy | December 20, 2009 at 05:15 AM
Amid the "who really cares" fog of this story, the comments of the Us Weekly writer are pretty shocking. This is really the response of a professional film critic - reverting to not-so-subtle, clearly inappropriate fat jokes against a black woman because she cannot attend her party? We all know that any number of actors could skip a ceremony without headlines and playground rudeness from Us Weekly. Does that publication endorse her position and choice of words here?
Posted by: Clark | December 20, 2009 at 05:12 AM
Good for Heath! So what if he did not come and get some silly award? Ever think he may have been ill? He was a new dad at the time too. He said many times he was not in the biz for glory and money.He just loved to act,to create. So he did not play Hollywoods little game and did not get an Oscar that year. Create your own path in life! RIP Heath,you were one of the best human beings on earth.I miss you.
Posted by: Matt | December 20, 2009 at 04:22 AM
Oh, the hell with those people!!! Does she have to show up? Do they think that they own her?
Posted by: Mabel Lean | December 19, 2009 at 11:44 PM
People really need to lay off of her. SO what she doesn't want to campaign, the more people cry about her not doing so they more they inadvertently reinforce the notion that the Oscars are about politics and not the art. If anyone else besides her wins this thing then the Academy will NOT be able to live it down. The integrity of the awards will justifiably be questioned even more.
Posted by: Annoyed Reader | December 19, 2009 at 09:00 PM
Slow news day at the envelope! Let's pretend you are working on a newsworthy story to justify your paycheck!
Posted by: Gmo | December 19, 2009 at 08:39 PM
Ridiculous! Team Mo'Nique, all the way. The NYFCC and even articles like this should be ashamed. Please don't take away from her performance in Precious with this nonsense. NONSENSE!!!
Posted by: Christian Anguiano | December 19, 2009 at 08:12 PM
See? This is exactly what's wrong with the Academy and other similar committees and voting groups. It's all about politics and face-saving, NOT skill.
I don't care what Mo'Nique does or thinks about the whole awards thing--I WANT her to get the Oscar, simply because she gave the best supporting performance for an actress this year. In fact, it's one of the best peformances I've seen in my life.
Posted by: Megan | December 19, 2009 at 05:41 PM
Who cares?! So because someone doesn't show up for a party, they're "snubbing" the inviters? She's with her family--and family ought to come first. She has a job and prior obligations, which she's intent on keeping. This is much "sound and fury" about a non-issue. Her performance is what matters.
Posted by: Marcus | December 19, 2009 at 01:16 PM
Wow, what a bunch of cry-babies. If voters truly think she gave the best performance, they should remember it's about her work, not her attendance. A year from now, no one will remember she didn't show up, but just that she won. Most people don't even know that Katharine Hepburn never showed up to the Oscars to claim her prizes.
Posted by: True Tenor | December 19, 2009 at 12:07 PM
Can you please stop talking about this "story" ??? It's not interesting, and frankly it's pretty obvious you are digging for stuff to write about to make this category seem interesting and as if it's pretty much not already sewn up. So she can't be there...big deal! It's unfortunate that you try to fabricate a story that makes it seem as if she is doing it for malicious reasons...
Posted by: Tristan | December 19, 2009 at 11:58 AM