This strip is clearly playing on the difficulties in (not) naming a host for the Oscar ceremonies, but it doesn’t quite work. The Academy’s nominee withdrew for reprehensible behavior, but in this strip, Grimmy seems to have lost the job because he took an exemplary position. However, since this is not “Mutts“, it’s still unclear as to whether his position was “for” or “against” neutering.
Things that have a broad popular appeal tend to avoid taking political stands, because doing so risks approximately 2/3 of their audience. (1/3 that leans one way, 1/3 leans the other way, and 1/3 that do not care about politics and want it out of their whatever.)
It’s not a recent trend… there have been complaints of politicizing the Oscars going back decades. In fact, complaining about those darn Hollywood elites and their political posturing is itself a tired trope that a lot of people just don’t want to hear about when they’re getting their Oscar news.
Is Grim a celebrity in his world? Is he the *only* dog celebrity? Usually when someone asks “Why weren’t you selected for an honor” the reply is “well, I guess others were equally or more qualified” and not “strange isn’t it; It must have been politics– that’s the only explanation”.
And how is a stand on neutering in the mid-teens “ahead of ones times”? And how is admitting you try to be progressive a joke? Is the joke “Oh, that Grim! He’s so naughty”? Because he talks about neutering in the mid-teens?
What’s the ding-blang-dang-blasted joke?
There ain’t none.
Bob Barker took a pretty strong stand on neutering, and I don’t remember him being asked to give out any Academy awards.
In a world that has self-aware, talking dogs, being in favor of neutering them without consulting them prior would be likely to trigger a #MeToo movement.
Comics I Don't Understand 
This strip is clearly playing on the difficulties in (not) naming a host for the Oscar ceremonies, but it doesn’t quite work. The Academy’s nominee withdrew for reprehensible behavior, but in this strip, Grimmy seems to have lost the job because he took an exemplary position. However, since this is not “Mutts“, it’s still unclear as to whether his position was “for” or “against” neutering.
Things that have a broad popular appeal tend to avoid taking political stands, because doing so risks approximately 2/3 of their audience. (1/3 that leans one way, 1/3 leans the other way, and 1/3 that do not care about politics and want it out of their whatever.)
It’s not a recent trend… there have been complaints of politicizing the Oscars going back decades. In fact, complaining about those darn Hollywood elites and their political posturing is itself a tired trope that a lot of people just don’t want to hear about when they’re getting their Oscar news.
Is Grim a celebrity in his world? Is he the *only* dog celebrity? Usually when someone asks “Why weren’t you selected for an honor” the reply is “well, I guess others were equally or more qualified” and not “strange isn’t it; It must have been politics– that’s the only explanation”.
And how is a stand on neutering in the mid-teens “ahead of ones times”? And how is admitting you try to be progressive a joke? Is the joke “Oh, that Grim! He’s so naughty”? Because he talks about neutering in the mid-teens?
What’s the ding-blang-dang-blasted joke?
There ain’t none.
Bob Barker took a pretty strong stand on neutering, and I don’t remember him being asked to give out any Academy awards.
In a world that has self-aware, talking dogs, being in favor of neutering them without consulting them prior would be likely to trigger a #MeToo movement.
Or a #MeUsedToHaveTwo movement.