The solution to the current "crisis" in Hollywood is quite simple: Quotas.
First, expand the number of nominees to 10 in each category. That keeps the math simple and ensures that the number of nominees from each privileged demographic is represented precisely according to their representation in the general population.
Here’s what the Academy must do:
Each year, ensure that there is one - and only one - black actor/actress/producer/composer/cinematographer/art director/sound editor and so on nominated in each category, regardless of whether 10 black persons gave the 10 most extraordinary performances of the year. Ditto with Hispanic actors/actresses/etc. Once every three years - and only every three years - an Asian gets nominated in every category and once every 10 years a Native American gets a nod. And again, once every 4 years - and only once every 4 years - a member of the LGBT community gets a nomination.
All of these numbers represent reasonable approximations of the privileged group's representation in the general population. If the Academy follows this formula, it will demonstrate its commitment to diversity and inclusion. It will demonstrate, indeed, that it is more committed to these high principles than it is to the survival of the movie industry.
6 comments:
The Academy Awards are open to the world, so you need to do your formula based on world race proportions.
:)
You know, Tom, I think the real explanation for the current crisis in Tinseltown may be that the Hollywood elites have moved on from stroking the black community to stroking the new cause celeb: the sexual deviancy community. Of course, this really ticks off the black power brokers, since now the black actors and actresses have to compete on the same basis as everyone else: on talent. Sadly, if a black actor gets nominated next year, how hollow that nomination will seem -- was it just because of the pressure to include a black person or was it because of a genuinely great performance?
Aaaww, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, president of the AMPAS, is "heartbroken and frustrated by the lack of inclusion." So what does she plan to do about it? Increase the number of nominees and consider "new rules intended to encourage more diversity among its membership." In other words, add as many African-Americans to the Academy's roster as she can by next year. Black Power has co-opted Hollywood.
But how this diminishes the African-American community and every African-American actor and actress. The theory seems to be that by having "more diversity" it will increase the number of minority nominees. This seems to be based on the assumption that blacks will vote for blacks, which is a tacit admission of racial prejudice among the Hollywood elite (I guess whites vote for whites simply because they are white, or perhaps because they are not black). So if whites vote for whites and blacks vote for blacks and Hispanics vote for Hispanics, then rewarding excellence (the supposed objective of the Oscars) is out the window. Perhaps it has never really been in the window. Perhaps "best" (actor, actress, movie) has only every meant "the one we liked the best" or "the one we chose to honor for our own subjective reasons). No wonder the power of being an Academy Award winner has waned. The whole operation has never been based on anything but subjective opinion anyway, only now it may be based entirely on appeasing the black power mongers.
I suppose that once the nominees are perfectly balanced according to demographics, the winners will have to be as well.
Black, Latino, and Asian winners of the Academy Awards since 2000:
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Denzel Washington, “Training Day” (2001) — He also was voted America’s Favorite Movie Star in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, and 2014.
Jamie Foxx, “Ray” (2004)
Forest Whitaker, “The Last King of Scotland” (2006)
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Morgan Freeman, “Million Dollar Baby” (2004)
Benicio del Toro, “Traffic” (2001)
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Halle Berry, “Monster’s Ball” (2001)
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Jennifer Hudson, “Dreamgirls” (2006)
Mo’Nique, “Precious” (2009)
Octavia Spencer, “The Help” (2011)
Lupita Nyong’o, “12 Years a Slave” (2013)
Best Art Direction
Timmy Yip, “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (2000)
‘Brigitte Broch, “Moulin Rouge!” (2001)
Eugenio Caballero, “Pan’s Labyrinth” (2006)
Best Cinematography
Peter Pau, “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (2000)
Guillermo Navarro, “Pan’s Labyrinth” (2006)
Claudio Miranda, “Life of Pi” (2012)
Claudio Miranda, “Gravity” (2013)
Claudio Miranda, “Birdman” (2014)
Best Makeup
Beatrice De Alba, “Frida” (2002)
Best Director
Alfonso Cuarón, “Gravity” (2013)
Alejandro González Iñárritu “Birdman” (2014)
Ang Lee, “Brokeback Mountain” (2005)
Ang Lee, “Life of Pi” (2012)
Well, Meryl Streep has resolved the "white Oscar" issue once and for all with a sweeping statement that simply oozes with clarity and profundity: "We're all Africans really." There you have it. What can Will and Jada say now? What can Spike say? There's nothing left to say. Four short words. One brief sentence. The issue has been resolved and we can all now move on. Thank you, Meryl.
Post a Comment