WEEK OF 1/23 - 1/30
ART & ENTERTAINMENT
11
Academy Awards: Whitewashed or Coincidence? Anthony R. Bond/Brianna Gaulding Contributing Writer/Staff Writer Anthony.bond@morehouse.edu/BNGauld@gmail.com For the first time in nearly 20 years, the lineup of Academy Award nominees for the 87th Academy Awards hasn’t a drop of color in sight. All of the actors nominated across the board are white! This is the first time that this has happened since “Titanic” won Best Picture at the 70th Academy Awards, back in 1998. In addition women, regardless of race or ethnicity, were also excluded from Best Director and Best Screenplay nominations. According to a 2013 L.A. Times analysis, the voting body of the Academy is comprised of an overwhelming majority of white and male members, 93 percent and 76 percent respectively. Most of the Academy is also over the age of 50, meaning that their interest in seeing women and people with melanin gracing the Oscar’s stage is likely far lower than those of our generation. Frankly, the lack of diversity among the voters and the nominees themselves is disappointing. Media representation of marginalized groups has been shown to increase the confidence of those viewers who are represented, yet it can’t be enough to have casts and crews full of Black and brown men and women and give them no honor and accolades for their craft. This rift between who entertains us and who is awarded for it is a large part of the representation problem and part of a historical pattern within the Academy Awards.
Malcom X, respectively, and received no Oscar for their portrayals of these historic and powerful men. One could argue it’s possible that none of the Black acting and directing was Oscar worthy, but that argument is easily met with an inquiry about why more white people in seemingly similar roles would be more Oscar worthy than their peers of color. Based on the history of America, the reason for the decline of success among minorities is because of the white, patriarchal society that Americans have always been trapped in. Cheryl Boone Isaacs, the Black woman who is President of the Motion Picture Academy, refuted the idea that racism and sexism had any hand in the creating the nominee pool and defended the company by insisting that those who weren’t nominated would still benefit. “This year was very competitive,” Isaacs told Access Hollywood, suggesting that this was a matter of talent and accomplishments rather than race. Isaacs’ position that this isn’t about race would be more believable if there wasn’t such a striking racial imbalance in the Academy itself. In the acceptance speech she gave after accepting a Critic’s Choice Award, Jessica Chastain defended those who were slighted. She quoted Dr. King as she publicly rose to the challenge of speaking out against the system and demanding diversity in the industry. “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter,” Chastain said. She then encouraged everyone in the room to “please speak up.”
“Selma” director Ava DuVernay will join the eight other women directors in Oscar’s past whose movies have been nominated for Best Picture, but passed over for Best Director.
Hollywood’s dirtiest little secret is that most in the industry don’t care about black and white. For some, it’s all about the green. In a country dominated by greed classism, racism and sexism are clearly excusable in the name of getting paid. Sarcasm intended.
David Oyelowo, who played Dr. King in “Selma,” will also join Will Smith, Morgan Freeman, and Denzel Washington, who played Muhammad Ali, Nelson Mandela, and
You can be blinded by the 87th Academy Awards’ whiteness on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015 at 7 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT on ABC.
The Rise and Demise of VH1’s Sorority Sisters D'Shonda Brown Staff Writer Dbrown86@scmail.spelman.edu Congratulations, VH1! You have finally gotten Black America to complain about another reality show that isn’t Love and Hip Hop: Atlanta! VH1’s “Sorority Sisters” is a reality show that is comprised of the “Divine Nine” Black Greek letter organizations: Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sigma Gamma Rho, Delta Sigma Theta and Zeta Phi Beta. All of these organizations carry famous members such as Ruby Dee (Delta Sigma Theta), Rosa Parks (Alpha Kappa Alpha), Zora Neale Hurston (Zeta Phi Beta), and actress Ella English (Sigma Gamma Rho); however, if this show was the first time you’ve ever seen Greek letter organizations in action, you wouldn’t believe any of the aforementioned women were affiliated. To some, it’s a complete misrepresentation of the organizations that pride themselves on sisterhood and service. Drama and petty feuds are played up and scripted for the cameras about which sorority is more relevant than the other, whose businesses are better (Adrene versus April) and even petty comments about each other’s relationships. Ironically, Adrene and April are both members of sororities: Adrene is a member of Delta Sigma Theta, while April is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha. These two sororities are known for having constant headbutting feuds since the beginning of time. Premiering as the No. 1 non-sports cable program among women between the ages of 1849 with 1.3 million viewers, most of Black America was in an immediate uproar about BGLOs being dragged into the world of reality television. Even prior to its premiere, “Sorority Sisters” was petitioned not to air with over 40,000 signatures. Some argue that “Sorority Sisters” could not have come at a worse time, especially with the inequities of the “Black Lives Matter” protests. Singer and reality television star K. Michelle, who is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. herself, has proudly claimed acting a fool on television but “didn’t do it with Delta Sigma Theta tatted on my back in front of people,” as stated when interviewed by Kiki Brown on 92Q radio station in Baltimore.
“You don’t get on TV in the name of women that came before us and do what you are doing,” the R&B songstress continues, “especially at a time when our black community is struggling so much with things. The sororities and fraternities are the one thing we look to in college that uplift the community.” Black America has always held a quiet disapproval about reality television and its depiction of black people — namely black women. Some say that portraying black women in the negative light on reality shows has become the normative standard. Alpha Kappa Alpha made an official statement on its website expressing that it is “saddened by the producers’ desire to elevate harmful, negative, and stereotypical imagery of African American women in their quest for ratings.” In addition, cast members and members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Rwanda “Joy” Hammond and April McRae have been suspended until July 15, 2016. As their sorority expresses in its statement, these women “willfully misrepresent the ideals of our illustrious organizations, betray the privilege of membership bestowed upon them, undermine our collective promise to uplift communities and each other, and detract from the transformative programs carried out by our members worldwide.” As the show began to unfold episode by episode, more and more drama began to unravel. A rapidly growing list of advertisers pulled out including T-Mobile, Coca Cola, State Farm, and Honda. Ava DuVerney, director of Selma, even opted out of displaying movie ads during the screening of the show. Much to the satisfaction of Black America, the controversial show was taken off the air on Friday, Jan. 16, the final three episodes showing from 8 p.m. to midnight EST.