Oscar night belonged to “Anora.”
The independent film won five golden statues, including Best Picture, Best Director (Sean Baker) and Best Actress (Mikey Madison).
The dramedy follows a prostitute (Madison) who marries a repeat customer (Mark Eydelshteyn) only to incur the wrath of his wealthy parents.
The film features copious sex and nudity, making it unsuitable for the whole family. That’s hardly a deal breaker for awards season or storytelling in general.
Many powerful films have focused on antiheroes or characters selling their bodies to make a living. Remember “Midnight Cowboy?”
What jumped out about “Anora” was Madison’s Best Actress acceptance speech.
The starlet singled out prostitutes, AKA “sex workers,” during her limited podium time.
“I also just want to again recognize and honor the sex worker community. I will continue to support and be an ally. All of the incredible people, the women that I’ve had the privilege of meeting from that community has been one of the highlights of of this entire incredible experience.”
That rubbed Adam Carolla the wrong way.
The comedian-turned-podcaster has a way of slicing through media spin. He does it via his namesake podcast as well as “The Adam and Dr. Drew Show.”
This time, he used a single X post to make a powerful statement tied to Madison’s speech and the film in general. He shared a post criticizing the woke phrase “sex worker,” seeing it as a linguistic twist that carries a different meaning.
Carolla added his own two cents.
If you wouldn’t want your kid doing it you shouldn’t celebrate it. https://t.co/V2gpZ0GRlh
— Adam Carolla (@adamcarolla) March 4, 2025
“If you wouldn’t want your kid doing it you shouldn’t celebrate it.”
Madison and the “Anora” team have every right to be empathetic to those who sell their bodies to make a living. It’s a brutal profession, one that can be demeaning at the very least. Prostitution puts women in extreme danger and exposes them to sexually transmitted diseases.
It’s something else to honor it as if it were a job any parent would proudly want their adult child to pursue.
It’s not. Let’s not pretend it is.
Sadly, it took a comedian to bring that truth to the Oscar conversation. At least somebody did.
