Boycotting the Oscars

[mom2rtk]

It's interesting that the focus here seems to be largely on Will Smith. Yes, other actors and actresses have been mentioned but not nearly as much as Will Smith. I mean it's about the lack of diversity in Hollywood and Will Smith seems to be the only person of color (that's been considered snubbed this year) people think of.
That right there says something about the lack of diversity

And here I thought it was because his wife was the one complaining.

 

[sunshinehighway]

And here I thought it was because his wife was the one complaining.

Maybe but she's not the only one complaining.
Idris Elba addressed Parliament to talk about the lack of diversity in both British and US entertainment. I haven't seen most of the movies in contention this year but from reading about this it seems he's the big snub.

 

[PrincessAbi]

It's interesting that the focus here seems to be largely on Will Smith. Yes, other actors and actresses have been mentioned but not nearly as much as Will Smith. I mean it's about the lack of diversity in Hollywood and Will Smith seems to be the only person of color (that's been considered snubbed this year) people think of.
That right there says something about the lack of diversity

Michael B Jordan, Idris Elba, Samuel L Jackson, Cary Fukanaga, Ryan Coogler, Benicio del Toro, Kitana Rodriguez, and Mya Taylor.

 

[Imzadi]

Of the Oscars being around for a total of 88 years, you think people of color hosting it 11 out of the 88 is a big accomplishment? Yikes.

How OLD are you? Were you even around during the height of the Civil Rights Riots circa 196? Or when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated? When "colored" weren't allowed to drink from the same fountains? I was.

If you exclude the first 40 pre-civil rights era years of the Oscars, and look at the timeline from 1968 on, 48 years ago, and notice the FIRST BLACK AND first Black FEMALE host happened only 26 years later, AND since 1994, then hosted it FOUR times, and YES, Chris Rock hosted once & will again. They've come along way. Is it perfect? No. Is it moving forward? Yes. Slowly. If you haven't actually witnessed how long some changes actually take (especially in terms of cultural bias, and not JUST against Blacks, but Women, Hispanics, Asians, Gays, now Transgenders, maybe it's because of your perspective and how much you've actually lived through witnessing how long critical mass change has been taking here.)

And in case you aren't American, factually, not politically, we got our first BLACK president 7 years ago. 41 years since Martin Luther King was shot. That may seem like way too long in coming for people who didn't witness the Civil Rights Era, but are just now living with the hard won rights & privileges that are taken for granted now. For others, who witnessed the assassinations (plural) it is actually, wonderfully incredible to have a Black president in our lifetime, or so "soon." In terms of talk of Black equality and WHEN is it coming, that kind of checkmates everything on the board.

 

[luvsJack]

Maybe but she's not the only one complaining.
Idris Elba addressed Parliament to talk about the lack of diversity in both British and US entertainment. I haven't seen most of the movies in contention this year but from reading about this it seems he's the big snub.

She is the one getting the most coverage about her complaints.

 

[Imzadi]

Michael B Jordan, Idris Elba, Samuel L Jackson, Cary Fukanaga, Ryan Coogler, Benicio del Toro, Kitana Rodriguez, and Mya Taylor.

And have any of them stepped forward to say WHICH nominees should be replaced? If they are going to put themselves out there and say a minority should be included, then they should also put themselves out there and say which of the 5 current nominees should NOT have been included. OR come up with a better working solution.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

Well yes that is a major point but for a different debate. Do I think a more diverse group would attend Broadway if it was affordable and accessible to them, most definitely. That debate thought goes into the why isn't there more people with enough to be able to afford a $60 ticket to a night at the theater or that there aren't more $60 tickets available to all. At least Hamilton saw the need and started a program for NYC high schoolers to be able to go for only $10. The problem is the ones who may be encouraged by that show to pursue their dreams may not be able to afford even the $10 to get a ticket.

I'm sorry, but I fail to see why that is the theater's problem. If someone can't afford to go, that's on them.

My son's 6th grade class has a trip to Epcot coming in March. If we couldn't swing the $75 for him to go, then he would have to stay home. That would be our problem, not Epcot's.

 

[sunshinehighway]

She is the one getting the most coverage about her complaints.

Eh, that doesn't mean nobody else is complaining.
I think the thing is Jada is unlikable. Since it seems so many here think Hollywood doesn't have a diversity problem, it's easier to discuss the comments of someone who is already unlikable and who could be addressing the issue in a better way than it is to discuss the people who are going about it in a better way.

 

[Imzadi]

She is the one getting the most coverage about her complaints.

Actually Spike Lee also has been complaining a lot in the news. He talked about boycotting the Oscars too. He also received an honorary Oscar in November. Has he said anything about GIVING THAT OSCAR BACK??? Along with his his boycott.

OH WAIT!!! A BLACK person DID RECEIVE an OSCAR THIS year. And not just for one film, for his body of work. What??? That one doesn't count for anything?

http://www.latimes.com/entertainmen...-boycott-oscars-html-20160118-htmlstory.html#

And the Oscars will have a Black host.

And not that this is political, but factually, we live in an era, in a country, where the Oscars are actually held, that has a Black President.

 

[Disneylover99]

Maybe they're worthy, maybe they're not. Somebody gets snubbed every year. That's just the way it goes.

But Jada shouldn't act like it's due to their race when there have been plenty of actors of different races in the past with Oscar nominations. Would Jada speak up for the others if her husband was nominated? I doubt it.

 

[PrincessAbi]

So I guess we will let you and the other 2 people of color that I know of on this board speak and the rest of us will sit back with our thumbs up our asses. How is that fair since this about being fair and all?

I just don't think you should silence the voices of people who are underrepresented and striving for equity.

I think it's easy for white people to trivialize actual issues involving racial minorities. Why comment and try to pretend like you understand and "know better" than the ones talking about issues that actively affect them?

 

[Imzadi]

My people were actually the original Americans, I understand

You didn't answer my question as to how old you actually are.

We have one black president and racism is suddenly over?

I did NOT say that. I DID say movement IS happening, albeit slowly, - again depending on your age and perspective - which you haven't answered. You are purposely ignoring what I did say to try to bait me now Miss 17 posts. I'm not playing anymore.

Look at the representation of racial minorities in the entertainment field.. . .
If you aren't a person of color, you can't comment or even pretend like you know the struggle.

Yes, I have experienced racism, sexism, prejudice, so YES, I can speak about it. So much for pulling out that flag.

 

[Sabeking]

I just don't think you should silence the voices of people who are underrepresented and striving for equity.

I think it's easy for white people to trivialize actual issues involving racial minorities. Why comment and try to pretend like you understand and "know better" than the ones talking about issues that actively affect them?

So let's silence the whites in essence is what you are saying? What about all those people who helped the cause? Should they be silenced as well? Did you say you are Native American and that is how you know the struggle? Just curious really.

 

[Imzadi]

That's a ridiculous comparison. You're going all the way back to segregation days to try to make a point.

5 of the past 20 Oscar ceremonies have had black hosts, or 25%. And this year will make 6 of 21 or 28.5%.

Your second point isn't really a point, either. It's not like anyone who is complaining can even agree as to who it is that was allegedly "screwed over" by the Academy.

Well said.

 

[EMom]

Maybe they're worthy, maybe they're not. Somebody gets snubbed every year. That's just the way it goes.

But Jada shouldn't act like it's due to their race when there have been plenty of actors of different races in the past with Oscar nominations. Would Jada speak up for the others if her husband was nominated? I doubt it.

If memory serves, he has been nominated and they DID show up. I'll bet the farm if he had been nominated this year, they'd be there with bells on., foregoing any boycott. She's transparently throwing a hissy fit because her husband wasn't nominated.

 

[penn19]

Maybe the Oscars should just have a black host for the next "X" amount of years so it will be equal to how many years there was a white host. I guess that would be fair and all. Deserving of the job or not

 

[declansdad]

The BET channel exists BECAUSE of lack of representation. Not to be rude, but if you want white representation, turn on literally every channel except for BET or Telemundo.

Funny that many people including the founder of BET is ashamed of what the channel has become and others feel the channel actually perpetuates the stereotypes.

 

[Disneylover99]

If you aren't a person of color, you can't comment or even pretend like you know the struggle. So why are people being so hard on Jada and Spike? Me thinks it's because it's because people don't like to hear the truth

They just sound like spoiled brats to me. And when someone comes across as a spoiled brat, their truth comes across as disingenuous.

 

[PrincessAbi]

So let's silence the whites in essence is what you are saying? What about all those people who helped the cause? Should they be silenced as well? Did you say you are Native American and that is how you know the struggle? Just curious really.

I just don't get why white people are so offended that Jada, Spike, and other talents are wanting representation at the Oscars. There was a good number of racial minorities represented at the Globes, why not the Oscars? Again, there were so many great, critically acclaimed performances by actors of color that were snubbed. Mediocre performances by white actors were rewarded. That's why movie actors, critics, directors, etc were upset.

Empathy and having an open mind is free I want my children to grow up and be represented in all forms of media, like white children. I don't know if you had heard, but there was a scandal in the latest Adam Sandler movie that stereotyped Native Americans in a disgusting manner. This type of stereotyping happens A LOT in film.

 

[eliza61]

An interesting tidbit I heard on the news.
The Academy has about 6,000 voting members. 95% of them are Caucasian, a little over 2% are AA and the remaining are a mix of the remaining minorities (American Indian, hispanic, Asian)

The average age is 65 and of the 95% of the Caucasian are men.

Maybe they are struggling with diversity because the member population is not diverse.

(I still think the boycott is idiotic but it could be simply an outdated system)