Elon Musk attacked Hollywood’s biggest night on Tuesday after the billionaire entrepreneur called the Oscars ceremony “unwatchable,” echoing criticisms that recent ceremonies have been filled with politics over entertainment. The Elon Musk comment seemed to be directed at longstanding criticisms that Hollywood’s biggest night has become less about honoring filmmaking accomplishments and more about delivering progressive talking points from the stage by actors, directors, and award presenters.
Elon Musk’s post appeared to capture his frustration in the simplest possible terms.“ Oscars have become unwatchable,” he wrote. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk wrote the criticism as a reply on X, formerly Twitter, saying only “Oscars have become unwatchable.”
The Elon Musk comment on X quickly spread across social media, racking up millions of views and prompting a flood of responses from users who agreed that the broadcast has increasingly been dominated by political speeches and moments from celebrity awardees and presenters.
Oscars have become unwatchable https://t.co/dgJ7coftIa
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 16, 2026
The billionaire has previously attacked celebrities and corporations for what he deems to be disingenuous activism. “Celebrities are the last people you’d want to listen to about politics, yet they constantly lecture everyone else about politics,” he once said according to NBC News.
These controversies Musk is referencing have occurred as network ratings for the Oscars have plummeted. The Elon Musk post about the Oscars was brief but delved into a larger conversation about Hollywood awards ceremonies in general.
Climate policy, immigration reform, gender politics and foreign wars have all been the subject of Oscars speeches over recent years. Topics that many viewers tune into award ceremonies to forget about once again. At times speeches have even overshadowed the award announcements themselves. Some blame them for widening the gap between Hollywood celebrities and the common viewer.
Ratings for the Oscars have plummeted in recent years with viewership dropping from over 40 million people to less than 10 million at more recent ceremony broadcasts.
I believe Richard Dreyfuss put it best… pic.twitter.com/3fHbMNxWr9
— Jenna (@JennaWDavis) March 16, 2026
At several ceremonies in recent years, Oscar winners have used the stage to criticize Republican leaders, discuss immigration policy, Donald Trump, or highlight progressive social causes. During other years, presenters and performers incorporated political themes directly into the show’s opening monologues and musical numbers.
In the past, Elon Musk has argued that political messaging in entertainment often feels insincere or disconnected from everyday audiences. While the billionaire’s statement consisted of only five words, it quickly ignited debate about whether Hollywood’s awards shows have lost touch with viewers.
Within hours, the remark had become one of the most widely shared reactions to the ceremony online, fueling yet another round of debate over whether Hollywood’s biggest night is still about movies — or something else entirely.
