Boycotting the Oscars

[Planogirl]

Chosen by their peers...aka old white men. You can rotate members. You can add to it. Really, it's not that hard.

Yes it is. You still have to decide who doesn't get to vote. Imagine doing that with another type of voting.

Those peers include those who are boycotting. It's not just old white men. (Which is kind of a racist thing to say by the way.)

 

[PrincessAbi]

Yes it is. You still have to decide who doesn't get to vote. Imagine doing that with another type of voting.

It really isn't. Expand the Academy. Rotate members. Let them serve in terms and keep it equal. We aren't talking about a Presidential cabinet here.

I see a bigger problem with the Academy being made up of 98% white people than I do trying to make changes. It must be nice to be represented in all forms of media and not have to worry about it.

 

[Planogirl]

It really isn't. Expand the Academy. Rotate members. Let them serve in terms and keep it equal. We aren't talking about a Presidential cabinet here.

I see a bigger problem with the Academy being made up of 98% white people than I do trying to make changes. It must be nice to be represented in all forms of media and not have to worry about it.

Those members all have the equal right to vote. You can't fairly take that away from only some of them. There is no fair way to do that.

You could try to recruit people of course but better yet you could put pressure on the studios to include more minorities in films. That would probably help more rather than some silly quota or reverse discrimination.

Anyway, I've stated my opinion and I'm done. Boycotts are still silly.

 

[AustinTink]

If a person feels their body of work makes them eligible for membership in the Academy, they can apply. It's not just handed out willy nilly by golden ticket like willy wonka. The criteria is here for anyone interested in the facts. http://www.oscars.org/about/becoming-new-member/branch-requirements

Longevity in the industry needs to be proven for membership. I suspect many who will be boycotting are voting members themselves. They are really not helping.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I don't get it. Are they asking to be recognized by the acacemy because of their race? I would certainly prefer to have people recognized by the academy for their merit regardless of the color of their skin.

Before I read the thread and opinions of others...

The premise SEEMS, based on what I have read and seen in the news, that there were some Oscar-worthy possibilities from movies like Concussion, Creed, and Straight Outta Compton (sp?).


The difficulty I am having is--I have seen none of those movies yet nor have I seen most if not any of the nominated films.

Absent from discussion is -- was someone or some film that was nominated NOT worthy of the nomination? Was the un-nominated parties' contributions BETTER than those who were nominated.

When is a "snub" actually a snub and when it is simply a matter of a year of tough completion?

I get the complaints. I just don't know if the are justified in that there were better that could have been nominated or if it is simply a call for affirmative action.

Having seen virtually none of the films nominated or the ones that folks say should have nominated, I don't feel qualified to agree or disagree with the boycott.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I don't think everyone does see a discrepancy or at least they don't think the fact that there is one is a problem. It should be.
There does need to be more diversity in the entertainment industry. We need to get to a place where there isn't controversy because a stormtropper is black, or maybe James Bond will be black, or Hermione is black.

I don't think a traditionally white role going to a black is "controversial" at all. But, I also don't see this supposed "need" for diversity in films. Diversity just for the sake of diversity doesn't accomplish anything. If you just choose the best candidate every time, diversity will sort itself out naturally. And that means some years way less than 13% of the nominated actors will be black, and other years way more than 13% will be.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

At the risk of sounding racist against white people, I highly doubt many black women are auditioning to be a part of the Rockettes. The whole notion of gluing on a fake smile and being in a "pageant like setting" with stiff kick dancing would be almost laughable in the black community. And that's ok. It's ok for different races to appreciate and enjoy different types of dance.

How does it compare to Alvin Ailey?

While you say it is okay, it seems that it is not when it comes to anything white dominated.

 

[Imzadi]

How do you change the demographic? Kick out some of the white members and force minorities to join?

I was wondering the exact same thing. Are board members of the Academy just supposed to be walking around the sidewalk out side the Kodak theatre for the next year, like Jimmy Kimmel and say, "Hey, you're a minority person! You want to join the voting Academy of the Academy Awards?" Isn't there supposed to be some professional criteria to even get into the Academy to become a voter? And supposedly, you can only vote for your own category of criteria you are a member of.

 

[AustinTink]

I was wondering the exact same thing. Are board members of the Academy just supposed to be walking around the sidewalk out side the Kodak theatre for the next year, like Jimmy Kimmel and say, "Hey, you're a minority person! You want to join the voting Academy of the Academy Awards?" Isn't there supposed to be some professional criteria to even get into the Academy to become a voter? And supposedly, you can only vote for your own category of criteria you are a member of.

I posted the link upthread. The qualifications are pretty standard in my opinion.

 

[AustinTink]

Here's the Board of Governor's and list of current officers for the Academy. http://www.oscars.org/about/board-of-governors

Pretty impressive credentials. There are a couple of old white guys on there, not the overwhelming majority as it has been reported. I also see a lot of very accomplished women on that board.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

That's one person's opinion. And hey, I love Samuel L Jackson, but he basically plays the same character in every film.

Why do people always say this?

Compare John Raymond Arnold (Jurrassic Park), Jules Winnfield (Pulp Fiction), Mace Windu (the Star Wars prequels), Elijah Price (Unbreakable), Nick Fury (various MCU movies), and Stephen (Django Unchanged).

Explain to me how these six are the same character.

Wash and repeat with any movie he's been in since 1972.

 

[Imzadi]

I posted the link upthread. The qualifications are pretty standard in my opinion.

Ah, I just went back to read it.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Why do people always say this?

Compare John Raymond Arnold (Jurrassic Park), Jules Winnfield (Pulp Fiction), Mace Windu (the Star Wars prequels), Elijah Price (Unbreakable), Nick Fury (various MCU movies), and Stephen (Django Unchanged).

Explain to me how these six are the same character.

Wash and repeat with any movie he's been in since 1972.

Meh, everything he does comes off as Jules to one degree or another for the most part - even the bit part in Patriot Games. And since this isn't the first time you've heard this.....

 

[FlightlessDuck]

And since this isn't the first time you've heard this.....

Saying something over and over again doesn't make it true.

Jules: Angry hit man/enforcer for a drug kingpin in LA who wonders if it's time to retire.
John Raymond Arnold: chief engineer of Jurassic Park. Gets killed by dinosaur.
Mace Windu: Best lightsaber dualest in the Jedi Order.
Elijah Price: Comic book collector and psychopath with Type I Osteogenesis Imperfecta.
Nick Fury: Government agent.
Stephen: Calvin Candie's overly loyal house slave.

Now, Jackson does suffer the problem of the same tone and/or inflection in a lot of his roles. But he's not the only actor in Hollywood with that problem, and some of them have won Oscars. But that doesn't means he plays the same character any more than any recognizable actor who banks on his or her particular idiom.

 

[MommyJKM]

It is old white men, not old while men, oh spelling wizard.

Ha! The aforementioned "academy" was clearly a typo, not sure why it was even brought up!

You guys just win the argument. Feel good.

 

[Disneychick75]

As I earlier posted, BET and the BET awards were actually formed because minority artists couldn't get a voice in mainstream entertainment. The BET awards only started in 2001 so please tell me how that compares to the 88 year history of the Oscars?

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.

Oh please, the BET channel exists for the same reason other channels exist-$$$$$. It isn't non-profit.

 

[AustinTink]

Why do people always say this?

Compare John Raymond Arnold (Jurrassic Park), Jules Winnfield (Pulp Fiction), Mace Windu (the Star Wars prequels), Elijah Price (Unbreakable), Nick Fury (various MCU movies), and Stephen (Django Unchanged).

Explain to me how these six are the same character.

Wash and repeat with any movie he's been in since 1972.

He's one of the greats, for sure. Sadly, it's his delivery and unmistakable voice. Not matter how different the character, I'm always waiting for him to say something about all the bleepin' snakes on the bleepin' plane. It's the viewer, not the actor in this case.

 

[kaytieeldr]

How many Asian led tv shows are on the air right now?

Fresh Off the Boat and Dr. Ken are two that popped into my head immediately.

Well, I've been boycotting the Oscars for years and nobody seems to care about that. Maybe I should protest.

You need to get media outlets interested if you want your boycott to be effective

That is interesting. You are right, you never see them on film

Silverado. Maverick. Blazing Saddles.

The point that I was trying to make in bringing up the gross totals in ticket sales was to also highlight how that particular movie, which an African-American man produced, made a ton of money AND it was a good movie despite not getting nominated for an Academy Award.

High grosses don't necessarily correlate to good movies. Not saying it isn't good, just that there's no actual relation.

I don't work in Hollywood but I did sleep in a Holiday Inn so I think I am qualified to say that

Nope, sorry,it needs to be a Holiday Inn Express to make you qualified

Or the cis man who was nominated for playing a transgender woman when there are many trans women who could have played the role?

No, a trans woman is not the right person to portray an actual person in a movie about the change from male to female.

I just don't get why white people are so offended that Spike, other talents, and Jada are wanting representation

Fixed it for you.

A clip of Tracey Morgan was just on ET, from when he was on Jimmy Fallon. He'd be a funny host. Maybe if he's well enough next year, they will consider him. . . Of course, they could consider another minority. . .

Irene Bedard are and Stepfanie Kramer, perhaps? Margaret Cho?

You need a group that isn't just old white men. Movie goers come in all different colors, backgrounds, genders, sexualities, etc. The Academy definitely needs more diversity.

Chosen by their peers...aka old white men. You can rotate members. You can add to it. Really, it's not that hard.

People's Choice Awards encompasses the public. Funny, so many posters want movie personnel to not be judged by a jury of their peers.

 

[StanH]

Sounds like some are asking to be tokens again, rather than being considered as truly deserving.

 

[superme80]

Can Margaret Cho actually host the Oscars one year?? Team her up with Wanda Sykes and I might actually watch it!