Meryl Streep slammed the MMA during Golden Globe speech

The National Student

When she’s isn’t spending time in the woods or on a Greek island, she’s apparently slamming martial arts.

At the recent Golden Globe Awards, the iconic actress was honoured with a lifetime achievement award - something she’s most deserving of, having captured the hearts of millions over her career.

During her speech, however, it got a little weird. She initially cited that Hollywood was a an extremely diverse place, talking about Dev Patel’s Indian background and him being London-raised, as well as  Ryan Gosling being Canadian-born. But soon, in a move as sudden as an MMA fighter’s throw, Streep was launching a verbal assault on combat sports.

She says that if we kick all of the diversity out of Hollywood, a reference to the somewhat skew views of president-elect Donald Trump, there will be nothing to watch but “football and mixed martial arts, which are not the arts”. She even adds a sassy finger-wag for effect.

Here is where I have an issue.

Without wanting to sound like a corny wedding speech, the Oxford Dictionary defines art as “Works produced by human creative skill and imagination”. So yes, in the common sense of the word, you have to agree. It isn’t hitting a falsetto, nor delicately brushing a canvas to perfection.

However, the time and effort that every fighter, and every single athlete from every single sport, has to go through is incredible. It’s an unforgiving profession, not easy by any means. The craft employed by the fighters in the MMA is truly marvellous, and nothing should be taken away from them.

I’d love to see Ms. Streep attempt a Superman Punch, Roundhouse Kick, or a Triangle Hold. Just as Connor MacGregor probably can’t sing like her, she can’t fight like him.

Sadly, for me at least, this has tainted her image and caused me to view her as a little bit of a snob. But maybe that’s because I’m closer to the art of sports than the arts of the stage.