Oscars Boycott 2016
Jada Pinkett Smith and Spike Lee are leading the Oscar Boycott 2016. The two say they will boycott the Oscars over a lack of diversity among nominees.
The boycott reminds us of Lee Daniels’ reaction after Empire was not nominated for an Emmy despite the show’s record breaking stats.
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| Kevin Hart It’s About To Go Down |
The Oscars received a large amount of criticism after announcing an all-white slate of major nominees. Last year the Oscars also featured an all-white slate of nominees in the major award categories and Spike/Jada are no longer gonna take it!
Lee took to Instagram asking, “How is it possible for the second consecutive year all 20 contenders under the acting category are white?”
#OscarsSoWhite… Again. I Would Like To Thank President Cheryl Boone Isaacs And The Board Of Governors Of The Academy Of Motion Pictures Arts And Sciences For Awarding Me an Honorary Oscar This Past November. I Am Most Appreciative. However My Wife, Mrs. Tonya Lewis Lee And I Will Not Be Attending The Oscar Ceremony This Coming February. We Cannot Support It And Mean No Disrespect To My Friends, Host Chris Rock and Producer Reggie Hudlin, President Isaacs And The Academy. But, How Is It Possible For The 2nd Consecutive Year All 20 Contenders Under The Actor Category Are White? And Let’s Not Even Get Into The Other Branches. 40 White Actors In 2 Years And No Flava At All. We Can’t Act?! WTF!! It’s No Coincidence I’m Writing This As We Celebrate The 30th Anniversary Of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s Birthday. Dr. King Said “There Comes A Time When One Must Take A Position That Is Neither Safe, Nor Politic, Nor Popular But He Must Take It Because Conscience Tells Him It’s Right”. For Too Many Years When The Oscars Nominations Are Revealed, My Office Phone Rings Off The Hook With The Media Asking Me My Opinion About The Lack Of African-Americans And This Year Was No Different. For Once, (Maybe) I Would Like The Media To Ask All The White Nominees And Studio Heads How They Feel About Another All White Ballot. If Someone Has Addressed This And I Missed It Then I Stand Mistaken. As I See It, The Academy Awards Is Not Where The “Real” Battle Is. It’s In The Executive Office Of The Hollywood Studios And TV And Cable Networks. This Is Where The Gate Keepers Decide What Gets Made And What Gets Jettisoned To “Turnaround” Or Scrap Heap. This Is What’s Important. The Gate Keepers. Those With “The Green Light” Vote. As The Great Actor Leslie Odom Jr. Sings And Dances In The Game Changing Broadway Musical HAMILTON, “I WANNA BE IN THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENS”. People, The Truth Is We Ain’t In Those Rooms And Until Minorities Are, The Oscar Nominees Will Remain Lilly White. (Cont’d)
A photo posted by Spike Lee (@officialspikelee) on Jan 18, 2016 at 5:03am PST
Jada Pinkett Smith Boycott Oscars Video
In Jada Pinkett Smith’s boycott Oscars video the actress explains that she would not be attending the award show nor would she be watching at home. Her husband, Will Smith, delivered an Oscar-worthy performance in “Concussion” yet he was not nominated.
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So why did Spike and Jada all of a sudden decide to
boycott the Oscars!?
Racism in Hollywood is not a new issue.
The following video shows Eddie Murphy at the 60th Academy Awards in 1988. The award-winning actor explains that he almost rejected the offer to present the award because the academy had consistently failed to recognize black actors.
