From her first words describing what it felt like, as a child, to witness Sidney Poitier receiving an Academy Award in 1964 for Best Actor, to her dynamic final wishes that we soon move into a time when “…nobody has to say ‘me too,’” Oprah Winfrey captivated the Golden Globes during her Cecil B. DeMille Award acceptance speech.
As Oprah spoke, the camera scanned the ballroom for reactions, cutting to a majority of women (almost all wearing black in solidarity to the “Time’s Up” Movement). In what arguably could be considered a rallying cry for the oppressed and marginalized, Oprah spoke not only to those in the room, nor just to the millions watching, but to generations of women who, for years, have been silenced: “It is not lost on me, that there are some little girls watching as I become the first black woman to receive this award.”
Her laser focused and perfectly-timed connection to the current political and social climate gave voice to much of what has been bubbling up for decade upon decade: “Speaking your truth is one of the most powerful tools we all have.”
Almost immediately after her speech, #Oprah2020 began trending on Twitter. Then, people began weighing in on the idea of Oprah running for President. Sarah Silverman said, “Oprah/Michelle 2020.”
A confirmation, of sorts, came with a CNN report saying that, according to “close friends,” Oprah is “actively thinking” about running for President of the United States.
Despite the backlash and naysayers, Oprah’s Golden Globe acceptance speech will definitely go down in history as one of the most powerful and politically charged orations in history. Whether or not she runs or subsequently is elected President, remains to be seen, but her affect on the Golden Globes film community and the wrap-up it has on the entire industry change in 2017 was felt around the ballroom and in living rooms around the nation.
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