Having recently addressed Mo’Nique‘s decision to snub the New York Film Critics Circle awards ceremony, Newark Star Ledger critic Stephen Whitty summarized his thinking in an e-mail sent today:

“Have you noticed — as I have — that folks who don’t bother to pick up their New York Film Critics Circle awards generally don’t win the Oscar that year? Such as, in past years, Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain) or Julie Christie (Away From Her). I’m not sure, but I think Bill Murray may have skipped picking up his Lost in Translation NYFCC award. I do know Bill Hurt didn’t show for A History of Violence.

“The Mo’Nique snub doesn’t matter much to me. Really. If folks don’t want to come to pick up an award, that’s their choice. Because we’re honoring the performance, not the performer. And most of us are, I suspect, way past getting starstruck by meeting the co-lead of Soul Plane.

“But it also seems to me that folks who aren’t willing to do our high-profile yet very low-key events like the NYFCC are people who don’t give much of a shit about the Oscars either, or the traditions surrounding them. Who are also the people who, unfairly or not, generally don’t win.

“Yes, folks can be legitimately busy, and that’s cool. And lots of nice folks pick up our little certificate and never get within miles of Oscar anyway. Appearing is no guarantee. But just blowing it off? Honestly? Bad decision, Mo’Nique.”

Ohhh-din! Ohhh-din! Send a wind and turn the tide!