Given the contentious political environment, it was inevitable that Hollywood would use the Oscars as a forward operating base for their ongoing attacks on President Trump. But no one expected them to go as far as Justin Timberlake, who opened the ceremony with a blistering musical attack, performing his celebrated protest song “Can’t Stop the Feeling.” No, Timberlake told the crowd, you “can’t stop the feeling” that the Trump administration is flailing from one unconstitutional fiasco to another. Fortunately, Timberlake has “sunshine in his pocket,” presumably a reference to the judiciary branch and our system of checks and balances.
The Hollywood luminaries assembled at the ceremony joined Timberlake in a show of amazing solidarity, clapping and dancing while Timberlake excoriated the Republican party for its xenophobia and racism. You can’t put the country on lock with immigration bans, the whole crowd seemed to say, because Timberlake already has the room on lock with the way he rocks it. Wow! With this kind of ferocity, it’ll be years before Trump has a “lovely day” again. It was truly a powerful moment that exemplifies the way our brave celebrities will lead us safely through the horrors of the next four years.
