Why Isn’t Idris Elba A More Respected Actor?
His resume is extensive. He's played award-winning roles both on TV and in movies. Still, I'd argue that he isn't seen to be in the same league as other "big name" actors. If nothing else, Idris Elba is a shining example of hard work and determination paying off. He's done it all, from guest roles on shows like Law & Order and CSI: Miami to starring in his own tour de force Luther. He's led a Tyler Perry film, he was married to Beyoncé ...
The 2016 Grammys: An Exercise in Whiteness
During the 2016 Grammys, there was a concerted effort to center whiteness at all costs, further proving that the awards are worth less than their gold-plating. We've been accused of being racists and race baiters a million times. But we're not looking to point out the racial aspects of everything. They are just so unavoidable that we would be dishonest if we didn't say something. What's funny about the Grammys is that it suffers a problem ...
There’s An Obvious Answer To Hollywood’s Unequal Access Problem
Turns out, increasing the presence of and access to diverse roles in entertainment is easy if you have two things: clear intention and unbiased hiring practices. Hollywood's issues with diversity have been national headlines for years now. From marginalization of African American actors to gender pay gaps to white male dominance of positions behind the camera and in the boardrooms, so-called "liberal Hollywood" in fact is very conservative. ...
Jazmine Sullivan and the ‘Injustice’ Paid To Black Soul Singers
I love black people. I love black music. I love that Motown sound, that in the pocket, that slow groove, that bass, and that flow. I love the riffs, the runs, the scats, and the growls. I love it all. As such, I am a fierce defender of the art that we produce and of the artists that do it best. That's why Jazmine Sullivan's recent comments on the state of the music industry and her struggle for recognition deeply resonated with me. Read More
The Diversity of the SAG Awards Brought Out the Racism of #SAGsSoBlack
It's always funny to me how racists come out of the woodwork whenever they think they have the least bit of coverage or validity in their bigoted views. And when numerous actors of color were awarded at this past weekend's SAG Awards, they saw it as their opportunity to strike back at #OscarsSoWhite. If they had the ability to logically form an argument, they would have seen that the wins at the award ceremony only elucidated the Oscars' race ...
‘Soul Food Seasoning’ Must Be Stopped
Ethnic seasoning mixes have always been somewhat problematic. The concepts of Italian seasoning and Mexican seasoning imply that, with the shake of a canister, your food will taste like it came from a different country. And truthfully, these products only make sense because the range of ethnic foods that the average American is likely to cook at home is probably incredibly limited. And in those cases, the pre-fab mixtures probably do a ...
Hey Academy: Stop Trotting Out Your ‘Black Friend’ When You’re Wrong
If only the Academy knew that the "one Black friend" rule was revoked at the last Black people meeting. We're not stupid. As minorities, we actually have a solid grasp on what diversity looks like. Stop trying to fool us (and yourselves) into thinking that you are diverse now, because you've included one person that has a touch of melanin or a serious tan. That is not diversity; that is tokenism. And while it may make you feel better about ...
The Toxic Water in Flint and Toxic Schools in Detroit Need More News Coverage
President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency in Flint, Michigan on Saturday due to tests that found elevated levels of lead in their water and in the blood of some children. Even as that catastrophic failure struggles to gain major traction in the national media, another health disaster in Flint has been largely ignored. Children attending Detroit Public Schools are entering toxic environments everyday thanks to the black mold, fecal ...
The 2016 Oscar Nominations are Proof that the Academy Doesn’t Care About You
I'll repeat it differently: Black people, the Academy doesn't care that you're upset about all the white Oscar nominations. And, frankly, they don't care about you. They really just...don't. I'm sorry to sound like Kanye West's "George Bush doesn't care about Black people" moment circa 2005 but even a broken clock is right twice a day. Hollywood is not pressed by your hashtags (#OscarsSoWhite). They are unbothered by how big ...
The Oscar Academy Changed the Rules But Still Doesn’t Get It
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced new measures aimed at making the Oscars more diverse. And a quick look at the "solutions" shows that the Academy is still missing the mark when trying to understand why everyone got upset in the first place. The Academy seems to be obsessed with the makeup of its own body, as if adding more members would right all of the ills of the industry. Marginally increasing diverse ...
