Things We Saw Today: Kirstie Alley Went on a Weird Rant About the New Oscar Rules

Kirstie Alley went from the lovable Rebecca Howe on Cheers to … I guess being a vocal and angry Trump supporter on the Internet? I’m not really sure, she blocked me on Twitter ages ago, which feels like a point of pride. Because Kirstie Alley is often spouting off on Twitter, and like her fellow Trump-loving celebrities Scott Baio and Dean Cain, I delight in calling out their nonsense on social media.

But this latest endeavor for Alley does not involve the president. No, today has been about her faux outrage over the new Oscar rules—which are about making movies more inclusive from the jump and holding studios and the films themselves responsible for certain requirements. Never nominated for an Oscar, Kirstie Alley really didn’t like the idea of “art” having rules?

In a since-deleted tweet, Alley wrote, “This is a disgrace to artists everywhere…can you imagine telling Picasso what had to be in his fucking paintings. You people have lost your minds. Control artists, control individual thought .. OSCAR ORWELL”.

Which … that’s not what the rules are saying at all? It’s encouraging filmmakers to look at the stories they’re telling and be more inclusive, behind the scenes and onscreen. That’s all, and the Academy’s new requirements are not even going into effect until 2024. No one is dictating content or controlling anyone.

For once, we’re seeing a step in the right direction from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, but people like Kirstie Alley (and I think maybe Justine Bateman? I don’t understand her tweet) are mad because—the rules will give studios incentive to usher in a new crowd of creatives? They’re attempting to level playing fields that have been dominated by mostly white men for decades?

Sorry, Kirstie. I don’t understand the outrage. When looking at the list, I think that even The Irishman counts with these new rules so … it’s a system that doesn’t change everything that much but is a necessary push in the right direction overall. But people like Kirstie Alley are convinced this is “PC bullshit,” and they’re never going to get past that.

Pajiba also collected tweets of Alley also fighting with comic book writer Ethan Sacks about the entire situation. We appreciate Sacks advocating for #TeamDianeChambers.

All we really need to know about this situation is this tweet from Ava DuVernay though.