So by now, you’ve at least heard about the #OscarsSoWhite trending topic from a couple of blactors or blactresses (i.e., Jada Pinkett-Smith) who’ve spoken up about the complete lack of pigment among this year’s Oscar nominees. I’ve been watching award ceremonies on TV for most of my adult life. Everything from BET Hip Hop Awards to the Tony Awards. I’ve NEVER seen more than a handful of black nominees. Have I ever questioned why? Not really. I chalked it up to us being only 12% of the population. Also, I consider myself a movie buff and I honestly haven’t seen many movies where “we” warranted Oscar-level recognition. But who am I, right? Just one of the millions of people who actually pay to watch these movies. I’m not “The Academy”. But it hints at a larger problem that we don’t talk about. Are any movies being written to uplift and encourage black actors to display their acting talent? Are blacks being offered any leading roles that would put them in the running for such awards? Are we repeatedly being type-casted into the same roles over and over and over — roles that will never warrant such recognition? Who has the power over all of these decisions? Why couldn’t Michael B. Jordan play the leading role in “The Martian” instead of Matt Damon? Don’t tell me it was set in the 1800s like “The Reverant” so it wouldn’t make historical sense (I had an argument with someone about this. True life). But I digress.

I can appreciate Mrs. Smith’s stance on taking back our voice and our power; placing value in the things that WE believe are most important. She states, “Asking for acknowledgment diminishes dignity…and power.” ABSOLUTELY! But who is asking for this acknowledgment? Is it the actors? Is it The Academy waiting for the Jada’s and the Denzel’s to beg for more blacks to be awarded…for work that may or may not be deserving of such an award? Should black folk boycott an awards ceremony simply because we feel like not enough black actors were nominated? Did any of y’all even SEE ‘Concussion‘? Legit question. Please don’t go on Facebook and re-post Jada’s video (or God-forbid Aunt Viv’s 5 minute, bitter-ass rant about how Will can’t act yet she’s sitting at home with her Oscar-Meyer hot dogs and relish) if you don’t understand what is really being vetted here. Read it. Understand it. Process it. THEN re-post.

I’m not even going to analyze Aunt Viv’s (Janet Hubert) Jada and Will diss video. She had a point, and then she completely derailed when she went in on poor Jada and Will. Calling his movies flops. Where yo money at tho, Viv? Just saying…

Then there’s clueless (in cinema and in real life) Stacey Dash, who I fully expect Trump to choose as his VP running mate. Segregation…Integration…we need to choose, huh? How about we segregate YOU from normal humans so you can’t spread the stupid around? She wants to cancel Black Entertainment Television and Black History Month. I’m going to just pray for her.

Today, I learned that 69 year-old Oscar Nominee Charlotte Ramping voiced her opinion about the #OscarsSoWhite hot topic. She, like me, believes that we don’t really know why there has been a lack of diversity on the nominees, but it could be that no blacks warranted a nomination this year. It’s entirely possible. We can’t just throw one in there for good measure. However, she then went left and called the backlash, “racist to white people”. Oh, ok.

There is now an outcry for Chris Rock to step down and not host the awards. Let that man get his money! I can’t wait to see what this fool says to an all-white crowd. Now THAT I will tune in for.

– Janelle