A Word to Readers Regarding Comments

For now, AwardsDaily is going to be moderating comments. Over the past 20 years, this site has had many different communities come and go. Believe it or not, we’ve dealt with the worst you could ever imagine. And, it must be said, the best you could ever imagine. As always, it is your choice to read or not read.

And before you launch into a lecture about how a site that values free speech and open expression could moderate or delete comments, know this: nobody has to take abuse. Ever. That is not part of the deal. A respectful response won’t be deleted. Hysterical, unhinged shrieking, however, is not someone anyone should have to tolerate. Block, mute, delete, moderate. That is only way to survive the internet. You can find better ways of communicating your thoughts than throwing a fit. At least I hope so.

Any website, however, will die on the vine if they do two things. 1) shape their content for the commenters, and 2) never evolve. I have refused to do either of these things in the years I’ve been covering the Oscars. Either you read the site or you don’t. But when the comments get too bad, as they’ve been today, we’re shutting them down. Or I am. This is my decision. Twitter is bad enough. I would prefer this site be safe haven from that.

The only thing I ask of my readers, who have been getting free content from not just me but a lot of writers here, is that you read it or don’t read it. If you feel like contributing something useful, excellent. But the comments have never been, nor will they ever be, a place for people to have loud, screeching tantrums. I’m sure there are other places you can do that. In fact, Twitter is the perfect place for it. I am too old and too tired to put up with adults who behave like toddlers.

We appreciate long time readers who often visit this site and don’t comment at all. And appreciate those who do comment, when those comments are decent and respectful.

Okay? Thank you.