Protesters get moment in spotlight

Los Angeles Daily News, March 25, 1997

What would be Oscars be without a protest or two? 

Airborne political comments entertained the crows on the ground. Two small airplanes flew over the crowd in the arrivals area of the Shrine Auditorium. One carried the banner: “Columbia Studios suck – L. Flynt,” an apparent reference to the studio’s reported decision not to get an Oscar ticket for the Hustler magazine publisher, whose life was “People Vs. Larry Flynt.” (Flynt, however, showed up with best-actor nominee Woody Harrelson – and took a seat.) 

Another sign read: “Disney uses sweatshops – 30 cents an hour in Haiti.” 

Grounded protesters, wielding banners and T-shirts, moved through the gawking masses outside the auditorium, mad as hell. An adoptee-rights group called Bastard Nation rallied for the opening of birth certificate information, the subject of best picture nominated “Secrets & Lies.” 

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