Calls for boycott of Oscars grow over diversity of nominees

[webfact]

Calls for boycott of Oscars grow over diversity of nominees
By JAKE COYLE

NEW YORK (AP) — Calls for a boycott of the Academy Awards are growing over the Oscars' second straight year of all-white acting nominees, as Spike Lee and Jada Pinkett Smith each said Monday that they will not attend this year's ceremony.

In a lengthy Instagram post, Lee said he "cannot support" the "lily white" Oscars. Noting that he was writing on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Lee — who in November was given an honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards — said he was fed up: "Forty white actors in two years and no flava at all," he wrote. "We can't act?!"

In a video message on Facebook, Pinkett Smith also said she wouldn't attend or watch the Oscars in February. Pinkett Smith, whose husband Will Smith wasn't nominated for his performance in the NFL head trauma drama "Concussion," said it was time for people of color to disregard the Academy Awards.

"Begging for acknowledgement, or even asking, diminishes dignity and diminishes power," she said. "And we are a dignified people and we are powerful."

She added: "Let's let the academy do them, with all grace and love. And let's do us differently." The video had amassed 4.5 million by mid-Monday afternoon.

Last year's all-white acting nominees also drew calls for a boycott, though not from such prominent individuals as Lee and Pinkett Smith. Whether it had any impact or not, the audience for the broadcast, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, was down 16 percent from the year prior, a six-year low.

This year, Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences President Cheryl Boone Isaacs has made a point of presenting a more inclusive show. The Feb. 28 broadcast will be hosted by Chris Rock and produced by "Django Unchained" producer Reginald Hudlin and David Hill. On Saturday, Rock, unveiling a new promotion for the broadcast, called the ceremony "The White BET Awards."

The academy didn't respond to messages left Monday.

When Oscar nominations were announced Thursday, Isaacs acknowledged she was "disappointed" that all 20 acting nominees were again white. Isaacs has worked to diversify membership for the academy, which a 2012 study by the Los Angeles Times found is overwhelming white and male.

Many awards handicappers expected nominations for Idris Elba of "Beasts of No Nation" and Benicio Del Toro for "Sicario." The N.W.A. biopic "Straight Outta Compton" also failed to earn a best picture nomination, despite some predictions it would. Ryan Coogler's acclaimed Rocky sequel "Creed" scored only a nomination only for Sylvester Stallone. (Lee's own movie, the Chicago gang violence hip-hop musical "Chi-Raq" — celebrated by some and scorned by others — also went unnoticed.)

The hashtag "OscarsSoWhite," created last year, was quickly resurrected online following the nominations. Rev. Al Sharpton — who last year met with former Sony head Amy Pascal following leaked emails that some viewed as racist — on Friday lambasted the academy.

"Hollywood is like the Rocky Mountains, the higher up you get the whiter it gets and this year's Academy Awards will be yet another Rocky Mountain Oscar," said Sharpton.

In his post, Lee made it clear the Academy Awards is only part of the problem in an industry with deep-rooted diversity issues. In his Governors Awards speech, Lee said "It's easier to be the president of the United States as a black person than be the head of a studio."

"The Academy Awards is not where the 'real' battle is," wrote Lee on Tuesday. "It's in the executive office of the Hollywood studios and TV and cable networks. This is where the gate keepers decide what gets made and what gets jettisoned to 'turnaround' or scrap heap. This is what's important. The gate keepers. Those with 'the green light' vote."


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-01-19

[pedro01]

In a lengthy Instagram post, Lee said he "cannot support" the "lily white" Oscars.

Awwwww booo-hooo, What a racist Spike Lee is.

So really - he thinks the Oscars intentionally left out colored people? Or is it just possible that all the best performers where deemed be white this year by a group that were neither racist nor swayed by political correctness?

You can have black music awards but old Spike and his racist crew would go ape at the thought of a white music awards. We can have the BET (Black Entertainment Television) Awards, but no way could you have the WET awards. Black power is fine, white power is racist.

And now - just because by random chance the best performers in a 12 month period where white, all the usual suspects come out and play the race card.

I am so sick of this overt anti-white racism and the political correctness that these colored racists play off.

Jeez - I'll probably be called racist for this post.

[Ulysses G.]

Much ado about nothing. There are plenty of non-white actors and they will be nominated if they deserve it.

[MaeJoMTB]

Can't we arrange for Bill Crosby to get some sort of award?

Then everyone can be happy.

[sebastion]

Both of their careers died long ago so who cares. They won't be missed.

Spike Lee hasn't made a good movie for decades and JPS never could act so she married for her fame.

[ezzra]

As long as actors like Samuel L. Jackson don't start singing about I wanna be free and racial inequalities

the Oscars are safe... never mined that the mediocrity of black actors is not a considerations

for them when they complain about being left out.....

[Usernames]

Well, at least Hollywood is making sure the new Nancy Drew will not be white.

Although Geller would not specify what ethnicity she would be, he said she definitely would not be white.

“(She will) not (be) Caucasian,” he told the Hollywood Reporter. “I’d be open to any ethnicity.”

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2016/01/18/nancy-drew-wont-be-white-says-cbs-entertainment-pres.html

[Briggsy]

The Oscars is all about money. All awards ceremonies draw attention to and showcase that particular industry. The idea is to boost revenue. The Oscars is just the biggest.

In North America and worldwide, films with white actors probably sell better overall. If Black America were magically able to quadruple its spending power overnight, you would see different films and different award nominees. Similarly if worldwide audiences preferred black actors, the same would apply.

[Johpa]

.....never mined that the mediocrity of black actors is not a considerations.....

Ahem, we are talking Hollywood here where the mediocrity of the entire film industry is displayed for one and all to enjoy. Why would the Black contingent want to be left out of that vast sea of mediocrity.

If you want to see the epitome of mediocrity in film then by all means go to see the new Star Wars film and then come back and debate who gave the more mediocre performance.

[Familyaffairs]

So, Spike and the other nobody are saying that blacks should not be considered on their merit or acting skills, but purely for their colour? Some blacks take issue with being called black, I take issue with being called white, whitey, white boy, lilly white etc.

[SheungWan]

In a lengthy Instagram post, Lee said he "cannot support" the "lily white" Oscars.

Awwwww booo-hooo, What a racist Spike Lee is.

So really - he thinks the Oscars intentionally left out colored people? Or is it just possible that all the best performers where deemed be white this year by a group that were neither racist nor swayed by political correctness?

You can have black music awards but old Spike and his racist crew would go ape at the thought of a white music awards. We can have the BET (Black Entertainment Television) Awards, but no way could you have the WET awards. Black power is fine, white power is racist.

And now - just because by random chance the best performers in a 12 month period where white, all the usual suspects come out and play the race card.

I am so sick of this overt anti-white racism and the political correctness that these colored racists play off.

Jeez - I'll probably be called racist for this post.

Probably? I didn't realise there was anybody still knocking round referring to 'colored people'. Well, maybe a couple of old nostalgic geezers. As for the Oscars a thoroughly unimpressive list of nominations all round and anything the Rev Al Sharpton says straight into the bin.

[exbikey]

A good idea. I'm going boycott the Oscars too 'cos there's been no one from Yorkshire nominated.

[SheungWan]

So, Spike and the other nobody are saying that blacks should not be considered on their merit or acting skills, but purely for their colour? Some blacks take issue with being called black, I take issue with being called white, whitey, white boy, lilly white etc.

Actually Spike Lee is not saying that at all. he is saying that on merit there should be some inclusion, not zero inclusion.

[SheungWan]

A good idea. I'm going boycott the Oscars too 'cos there's been no one from Yorkshire nominated.

You probably are still recovering from when Colin Welland picked up his Oscar with the immortal phrase 'The Brits Are Coming!' in 1982 for The Chariots Of Fire. Colin was, of course, from Lancashire.

[Ulysses G.]

I didn't realise there was anybody still knocking round referring to 'colored people'. Well, maybe a couple of old nostalgic geezers.

Actually, the term "people of color" is very current, politically correct lingo.

Edited January 19, 2016 by Ulysses G.

[exbikey]

A good idea. I'm going boycott the Oscars too 'cos there's been no one from Yorkshire nominated.

You probably are still recovering from when Colin Welland picked up his Oscar with the immortal phrase 'The Brits Are Coming!' in 1982 for The Chariots Of Fire. Colin was, of course, from Lancashire.

I was thinking more of Ben Kingsley, but any Northerner will do.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

squeaky wheel gets the grease. Now just wait to see the movies that get nominated next year.

The Oscars should be boycotted but not for non diversity, they should be boycotted for nominating and awarding crap movies that most people don't like anyway.

Brokeback mountain? Birdman?? You gotta be kidding me!!!

[SheungWan]

I didn't realise there was anybody still knocking round referring to 'colored people'. Well, maybe a couple of old nostalgic geezers.

Actually, the term "people of color" is very current, politically correct lingo.

Not the same thing. Have another go.

[Ulysses G.]

per·son of col·or.





NOUN



1.a person who is not white or of European parentage.



Powered by Oxford Dictionaries · © Oxford University Press

Edited January 19, 2016 by Ulysses G.

[daoyai]

....people of colorfulness... actually caucasions are often quite colorful.... all gawds chillun got color. even oscar.he is golden.

[TooPoopedToPop]

Can't we arrange for Bill Crosby to get some sort of award?

Then everyone can be happy.

Bing Crosby or Bill Cosby?

Give them both an award and make everyone happy.

[SheungWan]

per·son of col·or.

NOUN

1.a person who is not white or of European parentage.

Powered by Oxford Dictionaries · © Oxford University Press

The distinction is primarily one of context not definition. It is not untypical of racists to claim equivalence in the definition of words that they use when they are caught out with their dog-whistle words and/or phrases. In a slightly different vein, with regards to the primary thread dispute, I never take anything Al Sharpton says at face value. He has an agenda. As does the above.

[geriatrickid]

I was thinking more of Ben Kingsley, but any Northerner will do.

Who? Don't you mean Krishna Bhanji?

[puukao]

How many Native American Indians are up for the award???!!!!!

How many Mongolians????

My job doesn't do a year-end awards banquet.......well, last year they gave me a pink slip....hmmmm..with a ribbon...

chris rock only gets like 15,000 USD to be a host...

quit, write a book about how this is tragic....get 100,000 for the book

do a movie on the racism.....charge 4 million!!!

then fly to Hawaii and blog about the problems....

[exbikey]

I was thinking more of Ben Kingsley, but any Northerner will do.

Who? Don't you mean Krishna Bhanji?

I'd forgotten about old Krishna, best Take away curry shop in Barnsley by far.

[SheungWan]

Can't we arrange for Bill Crosby to get some sort of award?

Then everyone can be happy.

Bing Crosby or Bill Cosby?

Give them both an award and make everyone happy.

Apart from one being white and the other black what on earth are you on about? Bing Crosby, by the way, received 3 Oscar nominations as a leading actor, but is more famous for the Road movies with Bob Hope. Bill Cosby appeared in a number of movies.

[rijit]

So, Spike and the other nobody are saying that blacks should not be considered on their merit or acting skills, but purely for their colour? Some blacks take issue with being called black, I take issue with being called white, whitey, white boy, lilly white etc.

Think you'll find he's saying decent African American actors arnt being considered by Hollywood for leading role,, why not? Its 100 % cos of their skin colour,,

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Ulysses G.]

per·son of col·or.

NOUN

1.a person who is not white or of European parentage.

Powered by Oxford Dictionaries · © Oxford University Press

The distinction is primarily one of context not definition. It is not untypical of racists to claim equivalence in the definition of words that they use when they are caught out with their dog-whistle words and/or phrases.

Those racists at Oxford University are sly devils. It is lucky that you caught them out

Edited January 19, 2016 by Ulysses G.

[SheungWan]

How many Native American Indians are up for the award???!!!!!

How many Mongolians????

My job doesn't do a year-end awards banquet.......well, last year they gave me a pink slip....hmmmm..with a ribbon...

chris rock only gets like 15,000 USD to be a host...

quit, write a book about how this is tragic....get 100,000 for the book

do a movie on the racism.....charge 4 million!!!

then fly to Hawaii and blog about the problems....

Yul Brynner was of partly Mongolian descent and won Best Actor Oscar for 'The King And I'

Sacheen Littlefeather famously represented Marlon Brando for the Oscar award ceremony when he won Oscar for 'The Godfather'.

[Pdaz]

When will minorities in the US realise that they are a minority? It's simply an issue of numbers. Most US movies are produced with a white audience in mind. Yes occaisionally a minority movie with a majority black cast comes to the fore. "Amistad" is a good example, or a black star is popular with a white audience. Think Denzil Washington, Morgan Freeman etc.. But once again they are a small minority in a large industry. TV is pretty much the same, aimed at a majority white middle class consumer. There have been "black" shows like Sanford and Son, The Jeffersons etc. But once again small potatoes. I'd say that black people are actually over represented on TV and in movies when compared to their actual percentage in the US population and position in society. To my mind alot of this casting is unrepresentative. Cop shows where the boss is always black. Doctors, Lawyers and wealthy middle class movers and shakers, even characters in Historical fiction cast because they need a token ethnic. I'd suggest if Black American producers and artists want a larger proportion of the cast to be black and want more blacks nominated for awards maybe they should try the African Movie industry. Funny you seldom hear the Chinese or the Chicanos whining about being underrepresented ... They are too busy working.