Is Oscar Diversity, the new Affirmative Action?

1. 48

   bradmasterOCcalposted 8 years ago

   Is Oscar Diversity, the new Affirmative Action?
   
   What is the definition of Diversity to judge performance, or ensure awards without regard to performance?

   replyreport
2. 80

   dashingscorpioposted 8 years ago

   
   
   No. Hollywood just "embarrassed" themselves because they like to portray themselves as being the most liberal group in our society.
   Truth be told its a "damn if you do or damn if don't" situation.
   When a movie like "12 Years A Slave" wins "Best Picture" you're going to have people say the Academy "gave" them the Oscar for political correctness reasons. Therefore anytime a minority wins an award or reaches a high position there will always be factions of the population who will assume they didn't deserve it.
   Sam Smith (singer) made a statement about being the first openly gay man to win an Oscar. Are we to believe that is why he got his award?
   A few years back Sean Penn won his second Oscar for the movie "Milk" where he (portrayed a gay man). William Hurt also won an Oscar for (portraying a gay man) in the 1985 movie "Kiss of the Spider Woman"
   I'm sure some folks feel Hollywood is more comfortable awarding straight men with Oscars for portraying gay men than they are with giving an openly gay man the role to begin with.
   Some people also feel it's unrealistic that movies don't reflect reality
   Back in the 1970s Richard Pryor told the following joke.
   "I went to see the movie {Logan's Run} it's suppose to be a movie about the future. There were no black people in the movie! I guess white folks don't plan on us being here!" LOL!
   Just recently in 2014 the movie "Exodus: Gods and Kings" all the main characters were white people portraying Egyptians. One producer told The Variety they never considered using "non-white actors".
   Historically Hollywood has also hired white actors to portray Native Americans. White actor is tapped to play Michael Jackson on a British TV show called "Elizabeth, Michael & Marlon," centers around a fabled road trip in which Jackson, Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando. Can you imagine a black male or Hispanic playing JFK or Elvis?
   The debate isn't over judging performance based upon diversity but rather not even acknowledging great acting by people of color. In this same  year Idris Elba won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actor in "Beast of No Nation". He also won the BAFTA award in England but wasn't even nominated for an Oscar. According to critics he was riveting in the role.
   Ultimately just being nominated as well as winning an Oscar has less to do with race or merit than the (money) spent on a campaign by the studios to get the Academy voters attention.

   replyreport
   1. 48

      bradmasterOCcalposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      What is the definition of Diversity to judge performance, or ensure awards without regard to performance?
      
      My point is that demanding to have diversity is similar to affirmative action. Having the academy pick out their best is meaningless to me.

      replyreport
   2. 80

      dashingscorpioposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Hollywood considers itself to be "liberal".
      Not even the white actors are simply chosen by their performance. Producers & studios pay big advertising $ in the daily trades: "For your consideration..." 
      Awards are political campaigns!

      replyreport
   3. 48

      bradmasterOCcalposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Sorry, I didn't understand your last two sentences.
      Is diversity a demand by the non white actors, producers, etc.?
      Performance is what created minority supremacy in some sports, not diversity. The Academy should use that same mechanism.

      replyreport
   4. 80

      dashingscorpioposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      The Oscars isn't just about performance but rather the (campaign and money spent by studios) to get the Academy voters to {nominate and vote}! "Shakespeare in Love" comedy won best picture over the war drama "Private Ryan". Few critics agree.

      replyreport
   5. 48

      bradmasterOCcalposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      If that is true, why are their picks so important for the average person that they can't wait to see the academy awards. Seems similar to deciding who to vote for pres, based on media opinion, and polls.
      Neither is independent thinking, is it? Thx

      replyreport
   6. 80

      dashingscorpioposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I think people just love to have someone or a movie to "root" for!
      We as average citizens really shouldn't care anymore about the Oscars than we'd care about who is the top sells rep at AT&T when they hand out their awards.

      replyreport
   7. 48

      bradmasterOCcalposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      We agree on that, thanks again.

      replyreport