MovieChat Forums > Jada Pinkett Smith Discussion > Oscar boycott is shameful...

Oscar boycott is shameful...

posted 8 years ago by wdskinner77
9 replies | jump to latest

In a country that is roughly 77% white and 13% black, I think it is amazing that in the last 10 years of the Academy Awards that 8 out of 40 of the winners (not just nominees, but winners) in the acting categories have been black… That’s 20%! So in a country where only 13% of the population is black, 20% of the Oscar winning actors are black!

I’m very proud of the country we live in for displaying such diversity… and to the Academy especially. The Academy is made up of – from what I hear – mostly “old white men”… and if a bunch of “old white men” can vote so indiscriminately – not just blacks, but hispanics and non-americans like Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem, and Jean Dujardin – so much so that the ratio of minority Oscar winners outnumbers the ratio of minority population in our country… it gives me pride.

That being said, what Spike Lee and Jada Pinkett Smith are doing is insulting… there is no other word for it. It is an insult to an institution that is historically paving the way in diversity. Shame on the both of you.

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[–] icky1234 8 years ago

Agree 150%
Stupid selfish move.

Shame on them both.

[–] wdskinner77 8 years ago

I have come to expect that kind of behavior from Lee, but I'm very disappointed with Jada Pinkett Smith... I know that she has never been nominated, but her husband has been at least twice that I know of...

The Academy Awards is not about Black & White... when it comes to acting, it's about performances... the voters must ignore race and focus on performance... the moment a voter looks at the color of an actor/actresses skin and makes a determination that in any way is based on skin color then the Awards will be compromised.

[–] Bbonds25 8 years ago

I will say though that Spike is probably still pissed about Do The Right Thing. That was a masterpiece and was the best film of that year and I don't even think that it was nominated. I think just Screenplay and Best supporting Actor were. Also, Malcolm X was a masterpiece and again, I can't remember if that was nominated or not. I also felt that 25th hour was overlooked.

Bottom line, I could care less about this boycott crap, but I can see Spike speaking out, that's who he is and whatever, that's fine. This lady though...come on now. No words....

[–] EliotNess48170 8 years ago

Performance!! Let's nominate Ice Cube for his performnce in "Ride Along 2" even though it is crap!! He needs to be nominated just because he is black and someone black needs to be nominated!! Jada is really upset that her husband and his fake Nigerian accent didn't even get nominated!! This is bull!! I didn't hear her complain when 12 Years a Slave stole the Oscars show two years ago!! This Boycott is Stupid!!

[–] wdskinner77 8 years ago

As far as Spike being pissed about his films not getting enough recognition, he needs to look to the Academy Award he received just last year for a lifetime of work... that is an award that recognizes not just one film, but an entire body of important work... his entire career was being held in esteem as opposed to a singular work.

This is arguably a more important award because any schmo can turn in a great film (or performance), win the Oscar and be a "one hit wonder" (look at Michael Cimino)... but to receive the Oscar for a lifetime of films is a much bigger honor... it is to recognize the filmmaker himself and not just the current film he has directed.

Hitchcock (widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers to ever live) never received an Oscar for a single film... yet, like Spike Lee, was given an honorary Oscar for a lifetime of filmmaking... quite good company, if you ask me.

He should really be grateful for the supreme acknowledgement he has been awarded with this Oscar... what does the Academy get instead?

....a boycott

[–] Bbonds25 8 years ago

I'm not sticking up for Spike....I could care less.

But Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X and 25th hour were all very above average. Average is not a word I'd associate with any of those three films.

Do the Right Thing perfectly ended the decade of the 80's...Malcolm X was a tour de force and 25th hour was a gem of a film with a great backdrop of 2001. He also gets great performances out of his actors....

Son of Sam I would describe as average....Oldboy even less than average, you'd be correct in saying that. Not those other three...no way.