Chris Rock brings diversity issue front and center at Oscars

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Chris Rock brings diversity issue front and center at Oscars
JOCELYN NOVECK, AP National Writer

LOS ANGELES: -- Oscar host Chris Rock didn't merely acknowledge the elephant in the room. He brought it stage front and center, where it stayed much of the night.

From his very first words in a hotly anticipated monologue that deftly blended humor and gravity, Rock addressed the diversity issue rocking this year's Oscars.

"I counted at least 15 black people in that montage!" he said of the opening film clips.

He went on to call the Oscars the "White People's Choice Awards," and noted that if they had nominated potential hosts, "I wouldn't have this job. You'd all be watching Neil Patrick Harris right now."

He was referring, of course, to the fact that every acting nominee was white for the second year running, a development that led to the OscarsSoWhite backlash. It also led the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to announce sweeping changes meant to increase diversity in its membership — changes that the academy's president, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, made reference to as she called on the industry to join in creating change.

"With opportunity comes responsibility," Boone Isaacs said. "It's not enough to just listen and agree. We must take action."

Rock, in some of his lighter comments, joked about the people who'd urged him to boycott the awards show.

"How come it's only unemployed people that tell you to quit something?" he asked, and also cracked a few barbs at the expense of Jada Pinkett Smith and her husband Will Smith, who opted not to attend the show. Maybe it wasn't fair that Smith hadn't been nominated for best actor for "Concussion," he said, but it also wasn't fair that he earned $20 million for "Wild Wild West."

In some of his edgier remarks, Rock wondered why there hadn't been protests back in the '60s, when surely there were years with no black nominees. "Why? Because we had real things to protest," he said. "We were too busy being raped and lynched to care about who won best cinematographer."

And he quipped that this year's in-memoriam package was "just going to be black people shot by the cops on the way to the movies."

Turning more philosophical, he asked: "Is Hollywood racist? You're damn right Hollywood is racist. But it's not the racist you've grown accustomed to. Hollywood is sorority racist. It's like, 'We like you, Rhonda, but you're not a Kappa.'" And he added: "We want opportunity. We want the black actors to get the same opportunities. Not just once. Leo (DiCaprio) gets a great part every year. All you guys get great parts all the time."

The diversity issue wasn't limited to Rock's opening monologue. In one of the best of several comic bits sprinkled through the show, actress Angela Bassett offered a "Black History Month Minute" paying tribute to a "black" actor — Jack Black.

In a joke montage, gags were inserted into some of this year's movies. In one, Rock himself was an astronaut left up on Mars, a la Matt Damon in "The Martian." But this time, Jeff Daniels and Kristen Wiig at NASA debated bringing him back and decided not to, since it would cost 2,500 "white dollars."

And Rock did a taped bit outside a movie theater in Compton, California for what he called a "fresh perspective," interviewing black moviegoers who said they'd never heard of nominated films like "Spotlight," ''Brooklyn," ''Trumbo" or "Bridge of Spies."

Actor Kevin Hart also addressed the subject when his turn came onstage, paying tribute to "all my actresses and actors of color who didn't get nominated." He said the problem would one day be solved. "Let's not let this negative issue of diversity beat us," he added.

Hollywood diversity was an issue outside the Dolby Theatre as well. Before the telecast, Rev. Al Sharpton addressed a group of several dozen protesters nearby. He told the group he would organize larger protests if diversity complaints are not addressed.

"This will be the last night of an all-white Oscars," Sharpton said.

All 20 actors nominated Sunday are white. Sharpton criticized the Oscars for failing to nominate films such as "Straight Outta Compton," ''Creed" or "Concussion" for any of its top honors.

In New York, some 20 protesters, most allied with Sharpton's network, shouted "No justice, no peace" in front of police barricades in front of ABC's New York studios.
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Derrik J. Lang in Los Angeles and Verena Dobnik in New York contributed to this story.


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-02-29

[hdkane]

Great...affirmative action is all the Oscar ceremony needs...it's already too self serving and smug...it's not the race of the actor or the producer...it's the product that should matter...having said that, it is a shame that Idris Elba wasn't nominated...that guy seems to be great in everything he does...affirmative action in the name of diversity only weaken the field...not everything that happens is because White people discriminate...if "diversity" really exists...then we may have to accept the fact that groups, as well as individuals, differ...

for me, I think it is flagrant discrimination that there are not more fat, old White guys in the NBA...

also, in the criminal justice system of the USA, Whites are executed at a much higher rate than Blacks...

Where is affirmative action when you really need it?

"the 2017 Oscar for best screenplay goes to Tyler Perry...for Tyler Perry's Madea Gets a Pap Smear"....cue the applause...

[The manic]

Once we start nominating on.the basis of race - the real ( white ) talent will.go elsewhere - and then the Oscars will be even worse after the white flight! I am so tired and bored with black issues

[tonbridgebrit]

Who chose Chris Rock to be the host ??

Surely, they knew what Chris Rock would say ? Were they handing out a message to the general public, bearing in mind they knew what Chris Rock would be saying ??

[connda]

[brewsterbudgen]

Who chose Chris Rock to be the host ??

Surely, they knew what Chris Rock would say ? Were they handing out a message to the general public, bearing in mind they knew what Chris Rock would be saying ??

He was chosen to host before the nominations were announced. They couldn't have made a better choice. His comments/jokes were spot on.

[JHolmesJr]

It was uncomfortable listening to his 'lifes unfair' narrative masked in standup one liners.

Most winners were well deserved....in some categories the nominees were so close that i thought they were impossible to call other than drawing lots.

Did not see a single category where some deserving black actor was left out.

Best Picture was yet another PC travesty.

[copa8]

for me, I think it is flagrant discrimination that there are not more fat, old White guys in the NBA...

Or the fact that there are even less Asian players. I can only think of 1...Jeremy Lin.

[copa8]

Once we start nominating on.the basis of race - the real ( white ) talent will.go elsewhere - and then the Oscars will be even worse after the white flight! I am so tired and bored with black issues

By diversity, they always mean blacks only. A cast can have white, brown, yellow & red ppl only and they would say it's not diverse enough. However, if a cast has white & black ppl only, then it's ok.

[Baerboxer]

Once we start nominating on.the basis of race - the real ( white ) talent will.go elsewhere - and then the Oscars will be even worse after the white flight! I am so tired and bored with black issues

By diversity, they always mean blacks only. A cast can have white, brown, yellow & red ppl only and they would say it's not diverse enough. However, if a cast has white & black ppl only, then it's ok.

Sadly, you sum up the PC supported African-Americans. They want "special privileged treatment". They can not accept that black actors simply weren't good enough this year. The talentless Jada whining her husband and kid should be given this and that and honored. And the liberal PC clowns lap it up. Face it lady, they ain't good enough and neither are you.

Now they want affirmative action where if you don't nominate blacks, select blacks and choose to award blacks then you must be racist. So people can't make that choice freely for fear of this accusation.

What next a film about Hollywood staring the very average Will Smith, his talentless missus and dopey lad and how this "wonderfully gifted family" rose above all the racist barriers to rise to become Hollywood's leading family? Scooping all the Oscars for themselves?

Their idea at diversity does not include Whites or Asians, Latinos, Native Americans or any others apart from African-Americans.

And the liberal PC idiots see nothing wrong in it!

[The manic]

He cut his teethead making anti white jokes. Not a great talent but popular with the bros.

[robertthebruce]

This race issue is all getting a bit boring...

Live and let Live.....

[HerbalEd]

Once we start nominating on.the basis of race - the real ( white ) talent will.go elsewhere - and then the Oscars will be even worse after the white flight! I am so tired and bored with black issues

Elsewhere? There is no elsewhere.

[HerbalEd]

This race issue is all getting a bit boring...

Live and let Live.....

Lucky you. However, it's not boring to those who suffer from racism.

Granted all this hoopla re. racism in the Academy Awards is being over done, but you'd have to be an in-denial racist if you actually think there isn't racism in the Hollywood movie industry and the Academy Awards.

Yes, things have improved greatly over the years, but there's still much room for more improvement.

[The manic]

Elsewhere would be another set of awards based on talent rather than the political demands of a vociferous minority. Differ name different location - the real money and talent will just up and leave. The black power movement rooted in anti-semitic posturing won't be able to bully the moguls of Hollywood as they do college principal

[canathai8]

This race issue is all getting a bit boring...

Live and let Live.....

If you were black, of African descent - your statement would have more veracity. IMHO..

Kindest Regards, canathai8

[canathai8]

Once we start nominating on.the basis of race - the real ( white ) talent will.go elsewhere - and then the Oscars will be even worse after the white flight! I am so tired and bored with black issues

Try not to be too bored The manic. It's a potent recipe for latent personal disaster..

Best

[canathai8]

It was uncomfortable listening to his 'lifes unfair' narrative masked in standup one liners.

Most winners were well deserved....in some categories the nominees were so close that i thought they were impossible to call other than drawing lots.

Did not see a single category where some deserving black actor was left out.

Best Picture was yet another PC travesty.

If you stopped your post at your first sentence (Almost fell off my chair laughing) - you'd get a ton of Likes, IMHO

Kindest Regards

[canathai8]

Elsewhere would be another set of awards based on talent rather than the political demands of a vociferous minority. Differ name different location - the real money and talent will just up and leave. The black power movement rooted in anti-semitic posturing won't be able to bully the moguls of Hollywood as they do college principal

Have you ever thought of being a Psychic?

I think you'd do well..

[mopar71]

He cut his teethead making anti white jokes. Not a great talent but popular with the bros.

I'm not sure about that. Chris Rock has some very good material aimed at blacks.

[mopar71]

If the Oscars were all about diversity, why the crude Asian joke?

There was a lack of diversity in the lack of diversity. This became most apparent when Rock brought three Asian children to the stage, posing as “bankers” from finance firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. “They sent us their most dedicated, accurate and hard working representatives,” he said. “Please welcome Ming Zhu, Bao Ling and David Moskowitz.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2016/02/29/the-oscars-were-all-about-diversity-but-people-hated-that-asian-joke/

[canuckamuck]

My heart truly aches for the suffering and abused black movie stars.

[tonbridgebrit]

My heart truly aches for the suffering and abused black movie stars.

But no need to have too much pain in your heart. Some black bloke was allowed to take the p___ in front of millions !

[JHolmesJr]

(Almost fell off my chair laughing)

I hope you did not damage any bingo chips.