Quiz: Which double winner called the Oscars a ‘public hanging’?

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ANSWER: Glenda Jackson did not attend the Oscars ceremony either time she won best actress: ‘Women in Love’ (1970), ‘A Touch of Class’ (1973). No wonder. In May 1979, she told the Associated Press what she really thinks of the Oscar statuette: ‘It’s a fine weapon for repelling intruders.’

Then she gave the Academy Award a good flogging: ‘There is a highly charged emotional atmosphere to the awards, but it is all in anticipation. When the winner is known, all of that is dissipated. Meanwhile, what about the losers? It is disgusting to make them sit there and be seen by millions in their disappointment. It’s like a public hanging. ... A performance is not something to be framed in order to win some prize. It should stand or fall on its own merits. To place it in competition with other actors playing other kinds of roles is a refined form of cruelty.’

In 1992, Jackson quit acting for politics, becoming a member of Britain’s parliament, where she continues to serve. Occasionally, there is speculation that the Labor Party will choose her to become prime minister.

-- Tom O’Neil