#OscarsSoWhite The Redux. Aunt Viv Goes In On Jada Pinkett Smith. And Cheryl Boone Isaacs Releases a Statement.
by superselected · #OscarsSoWhite, celebrities, Diversity in Hollywood, Janet Hubert, News ·

Actors are speaking out following the nearly all-white list of Oscar nominations, and well… things are starting to get a bit messy.

Spike Lee Announces His Boycott of the ‘Lily White’ Oscars.

The famed director took to Instagram to voice his displeasure with the nominations and to announce his decision to boycott.

#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

David Alan Grier Calls Spike Lee Out.

Jada Pinkett Smith Calls on Black Actors to Join Her in a Boycott

Pinkett Smith posted an impassioned video on Facebook, she also spoke on Twitter, writing:

“At the Oscars…people of color are always welcomed to give out awards…even entertain. But we are rarely recognized for our artistic accomplishments. Should people of color refrain from participating all together? People can only treat us in the way in which we allow. With much respect in the midst of deep disappointment.”

We must stand in our power!

We must stand in our power.

Posted by Jada Pinkett Smith on Monday, January 18, 2016

Janet Hubert aka Aunt Viv Reads Jada Pinkett Smith

In case you weren’t aware, the friction between Janet Hubert, aka Aunt Viv, aka Blacktress Janet Hubert, goes back over 20 years.

Over the years Hubert has spoken out about the way that she was treated during her time on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.”

Despite the fact that critics of Hubert have often dismissed her as “bitter,” The Blacktress, aged 60, stated that she “didn’t give a kitty,” and was going to speak her truth. Hubert took us from the high hills to the hood and back again in an epic read. No matter where you stand on this Oscars debate, you have to admit that she had some good points.

The Smiths.

Posted by Blacktress Janet Hubert on Monday, January 18, 2016

Lastly, Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs Releases a Statement

ehhh…