Oscar Hell

Wait for it…..Wait for it….Heck! As hard as I tried to sit out this debate my two cents kept jingling in my pockets. So here it is.

People of color are calling for a boycott because Hollywood refuses to practice diversity. My stance is, Americans on a whole are steeped in tradition and love classic movies and literature.

Today, although there are some very talented film makers like Spike Lee, The Hudlin Brothers,  Tyler Perry and others who toil in obscurity; some of the work these writers and directors produce is only entertaining for a while.

By that I mean, they prompt us to laugh, relate and may even be consistent with our times, but the subject matters are not really riveting or deep enough. In the past few years the films which made astounding impacts were those about history,  thrilling suspense and drama.

Producers and writers have to start looking at the classics in literature and Shakespearian legacy in order to  resurrect them to fit modern times. Everyone loves a good, deep, well thought out story regardless if it is black or white.

The thing is, although the Madea series is fun and entertaining there is only a small group of people outside of minorities who will give them a second thought. It does not mean there is not true talent behind the writing, it just means folks aren’t bowled over or compelled to nominate them for Oscars.

With that said, I do believe that people of color and latinos are fairly represented more so than Asians. Whether they are from China, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, Korea or India, there needs to be more Asians properly represented in Hollywood.

Asians have been evaded for so long, they have moved on from begging to be recognized by developing their own networks and their own rendition of Hollywood…Hence Bollywood.

Most Indians have been forced to crossover, misrepresenting themselves as blacks or latinos in order to be respected for their craft. In the long run they never get the respect they truly deserve and they are soon ostracized for taking valuable roles away from people of color.

In daily living, I keep hearing the phrase “White Privilege” being thrown around. I must admit I truly did not realize what it meant until a few series of business events caused me to reflect.

Within my own company there are models of Caucasian persuasion who take their opportunities for granted…Almost looking a gift horse in the mouth. Whereas, if a minority had the same opportunity they would take that booking and love it like no other.

“White Privilege” allows Caucasians to basically scoff at breaks that other races would go hatstand over. Is it right, or fair…? No. But, it is allowed to happen because we are still entrenched with archaic thinking individuals.

There are minorities who have muddled the path making it difficult for well meaning folks to rise above their mistakes or improprieties. At times Hollywood seems so hell bent on being politically correct that they very often go politically wrong.

There have been times when they gave Oscars to people of color who had not paid their dues, yet they surpassed veteran actors because Hollywood wanted to get their good deed quota in.

The whole point to my summation is,  boycotting the Oscars would be too easy. That is precisely what the “stodgy” folks want you to do. Although people extend invitations all the time, sometimes they find ways of making you feel unwelcomed….Hence the lack of nominations for people of color.

I say, Go! Dress to the nines, laugh, smile, drink and be merry. All the while maintaining your dignity, “gently” reminding the naysayers that you are talented and not begging for stars on the boulevard. You are already stars worthy of respect. By boycotting the Oscars, the haters are inadvertently taking you back to the days of suffrage and revolutionary tactics.

The message you send by staying away says, “You have been emancipated physically and monetarily, but mentally you are still enslaved by your thinking…”

So go in all your full glory and splendor. Show the younger generation they are true children of the universe who have the right to be anywhere they please and that TRUE talent can never be suppressed.