Rock addressed the issue with seriousness and comedy at many different points in the show, others addressed the issue as well such as Kevin Hart, who presented an award.
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“Whether I’m pitching a TV show or pitching to HBO or to a studio, every collaborator I’ve ever worked with seems to be not Latino”, he said.
And he quipped that this year’s in-memoriam package was “just going to be black people shot by the cops on the way to the movies”.
On the other hand, he intentionally stepped on a lot of toes by calling Hollywood “racist”. You’re damn right. But Hollywood is sorority racist. But it ain’t that racist that you’ve grown accustomed to.
Speaking of government, US Vice-President Joe Biden attended – the first to do so since 1931 – to highlight the issue of rape culture, and to introduce Lady Gaga’s performance of the Oscar-nominated “Til it Happens to You”, from campus rape documentary The Hunting Ground. We can recognize that while people of color aren’t necessarily dying from not getting more opportunities in the film industry, the lack of opportunity is symptomatic of institutional racism as a whole.
“You want diversity? We got diversity”.
The Top Five star made a number of jokes about the diversity row in both his opening monologue and throughout last night’s ceremony. In one of the best of several comic bits sprinkled through the show, actress Angela Bassett offered a “Black History Month Minute” paying tribute to a “black” actor – Jack Black.
Leonard DiCaprio is said to have left his Oscar in a bar during post-ceremony celebrations.
But fifth time was the charm as it brought home the gold trophy for him.
He took particular exception to the segment of Rock’s monologue that managed to work in a mention of one of the most disgusting crimes imaginable – lynchings – amid a comic line.
HOLLYWOOD, CA – FEBRUARY 28: Actor Leonardo DiCaprio, victor of the Best Actor award for ‘The Revenant, ‘ poses in the press room during the 88th Annual Academy Awards at Loews Hollywood Hotel on February 28, 2016 in Hollywood, California. “Let’s not let this negative issue of diversity beat us”, he added.
It was one of the funniest schticks of Oscars night, but it wasn’t just for fun.
All 20 nominees in the best acting or supporting acting categories were white.
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The #OscarsSoWhite protests arose after nominations were announced in January and critically acclaimed black Oscar hopefuls such as “Beasts of No Nation’s” Idris Elba, “Concussion” star Will Smith, “Creed” star Michael B. Jordan and the cast of N.W.A biopic “Straight Outta Compton” all were ignored.
