A
"Los Angeles Times" front-page article–"Diversity in Oscar Still
Elusive"–yet again sounded the alarm. Times writer Lorenza Munoz
says, "Last year, many in the African American community felt slighted
when Denzel Washington did not win an Oscar for his performance in
The Hurricane'" She calls 1972 a "watershed year." Black actors
received nominations for best actress (Diana Ross in "Lady Sings the
Blues" and Cicely Tyson for "Sounder"), and best actor (Paul Winfield
for "Sounder"), and best film ("Sounder"). But, she notes, "Three
decades later, it is evident that the promise of 1972 has not been
fulfilled." Promise of 1972? After all, Munoz notes, since 1990 nonwhites
received only 19 nominations in the top five categories. (Apparently,
the success of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," nominated for both
best foreign film and best film, didn't make her feel any better.)
Is
this about racism? Well, to her credit, Munoz does not go that far.
"The reasons 1972 has never been repeated," says Munoz, "are mainly
driven by economics and race. Hollywood increasingly looks to foreign
investors for financing of film production. Those investors, mainly
from Europe and Japan, prefer casts with European Americans as leading
characters."
Never
mind that Will Smith recently starred in "Men in Black," grossing
$337 million in international sales. And Eddie Murphy's movie "Coming
to America," made for $39 million with a virtually all-black cast,
pulled in a whopping $350 million in foreign sales. Darn those exceptions
that keep messing up the rule!
"People"
magazine, in March, 1996, wrote an alarmist Hollywood-is-racist cover
story called, "Hollywood Blackout." The magazine said, "The reality,
however, is that when African-Americans...come knocking on Hollywood's
door, the response too often is still 'Whites Only.'" Quincy
Jones, a prominent player in Hollywood, said, "There's a lot of racism
going on, and I'd be lying if I said there wasn't."
Just
how bad are things in Hollywood for nonwhites? Black, Hispanic, Asian
and Native American actors got 21% of commercial jobs in 1995, compared
with 10.8% in 1985. Of these jobs, blacks filled more than half the
roles in 1995, or 12% of all commercial jobs, a percentage commensurate
with the black population in America. Minority Markets Alert, a New
York newsletter, found blacks' images, including voiceovers and music,
depicted in 38% of commercials in the local 1995 New York market.
And the "Times'" Munoz notes that ethnic minorities comprise 19% of
the Screen Actors Guild, and 8% of the Directors Guild.
So,
despite the continued employment of minorities in Hollywood, the rap
against the entertainment industry continues–that Hollywood refuses
to honor black achievement with Oscars. But look at "black films."
Many are comedies, horror films, or teen flicks, typically overlooked
by the Academy, irrespective of the race of the performers.
Poor
Hollywood, it can't win. The community gives more money to the Democratic
Party, while relentlessly championing virtually every cutting-edge
liberal social issue, whether affirmative action, outreach to gays,
or taxing cigarettes to raise money for children's programs. When
Jesse Jackson accuses Hollywood of racism–boom–he gets an
audience. When Oscar-winner Julia Roberts says, "Republican in the
dictionary comes just after 'reptile' and just before 'repugnant'"–not
a problem.
But
when it comes to Oscars, the same Hollywood liberals suddenly retreat
to the rear, don white sheets, and refuse to nominate, let alone award,
Oscars for black performers. Puh-leeze.
What
actor worked the most in the 1990s, appearing in thirty-six films?
Black actor Samuel L. Jackson. And during the decade, who was the
third most frequently employed film actor? Whoopi Goldberg. Black
three-time Oscar nominee Morgan Freeman says, "I don't think Hollywood
is racist; I think Hollywood lives and dies on greed. Jobs are not
given because of race. They're predicated completely on money."
Black
comic-actor Chris Tucker appeared in the high-grossing film, "Rush
Hour." Tucker, too, fails to view Hollywood through race-tinted glasses,
"I always have thought in terms of the largest possible audience.
I want everyone to relate to what I am doing. And that's been easy,
because in my career I haven't experienced any racism." Shhhh. Don't
tell Jesse.
At
one time, minorities complained that Hollywood refused to employ them.
Now, it's Hollywood stiffs them when it comes to Oscar statuettes.
As far as awards go, every year some film, some producer, some director
feels stiffed. But the bottom line is, Hollywood is about the bottom
line.
Black
Entertainment Television recently decided not to renew the contract
of Tavis Smiley, its high profile host. Calling Smiley's ratings flat,
a BET spokesperson said, "Ratings and viewership are critical to the
success of any program. At the end of the day it's all about eyes
in front of the TV sets. All of us, BET included, measure ourselves
that way." Say it ain't so. Hollywood is aboutÉratings?