A Disrupted Oscar Celebration: Street Artist’s Muted Success
Attempts by a conservative street artist to disrupt the celebratory atmosphere surrounding the upcoming Oscars were only moderately successful. The majority of the 14 fabricated advertisements he posted earlier in the week, implicating mostly Democrats in a fentanyl crisis, had been removed by the end of the week.
The Artistic Interventions
Under the cover of night, street artist Sabo strategically placed multiple posters around Los Angeles. These posters depicted President Joe Biden, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Representative Adam Schiff, and Senator Mitch McConnell, with a flag-covered casket in the background while Chinese President Xi Jinping showers them with money. The bold text on the posters states: “100,000 Fentanyl Deaths a Year.”
The Cost of Protest
The entire operation cost $10,000, with some of the funds coming from donors. This sum covered Sabo’s travel from Colorado to Hollywood. Simultaneously, Sabo’s collaborators placed two posters near the California Capitol building in Sacramento.
In an interview with Newsweek, Sabo expressed satisfaction with the project. He mentioned that he and an assistant began their work early on a Wednesday in Hollywood. Although Sabo usually disguises himself during such operations, this time was an exception. The minimal police presence in the area did not raise any red flags.
Critiquing Hollywood Hypocrisy
Sabo, known for his critical perspective on the entertainment industry, sees Hollywood as a bastion of leftism and hypocrisy. With the Oscars approaching, he strategically targeted the event’s vicinity for maximum visibility. His aim was also to draw attention to the district represented by Schiff, who is running for the U.S. Senate against former baseball star Steve Garvey.
While the fake ads refrained from directly attacking Oscar nominees, Sabo asserted that Hollywood’s cozy relationship with China has contributed to the fentanyl crisis. By complying with Chinese censorship demands, the industry indirectly supports the nefarious activities of the Chinese Communist Party.
According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, Mexico and China are the primary sources of fentanyl and related substances trafficked into the United States.
A Stance Against CCP Influence
During his time in Los Angeles, Sabo also attended the premiere of a documentary titled Hollywood Takeover: China’s Control in the Film Industry. The documentary highlights the film industry’s compliance with CCP directives to gain access to the lucrative Chinese market.
As Sabo roamed the vicinity of the Dolby Theatre with his impactful posters, he aimed to provoke critical discussions about the industry’s ethics and its inadvertent contribution to societal issues like the fentanyl epidemic.