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The controversy of the absence of nominations for black actors at this year’s Academy Award nominations continues to heat up. Jada Pinkett Smith and Spike Lee are boycotting the Oscars because no black actor has been nominated for two consecutive years, and they’re encouraging others to boycott as well. Rev. Al Sharpton and other activists are also asking that Chris Rock pull out as host of the Academy Awards, with Najee Ali of the L.A. chapter of the National Action Network noting, according to L.A. Weekly, that “it sends the message African-Americans are good enough to be presenters and entertain us but not worthy enough to be nominated for awards.” That group is even asking Sylvester Stallone, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie to boycott. Meanwhile, David Oyelowo, snubbed for an Oscar for his depiction of Martin Luther King, Jr. in Selma, is also speaking out against the Academy’s race problem.
One person who doesn’t seem that concerned with the fact that only white actors were nominated this year is GOP presidential frontrunner Donald Trump. The candidate, who was endorsed by Sarah Palin in an unhinged speech yesterday, appeared on Fox News and spoke about the outrage over the Oscars.
Trump first noted that Sharpton, one of the leaders of the Oscar boycott movement, is “just a guy who wants to get publicity for himself,” before adding that “Al would probably say that he was a friend of Donald Trump.”
Trump then offered up an argument familiar to the #AllLivesMatter opposition movement against #BlackLivesMatter, suggesting that maybe it isn’t fair for black actors not to be nominated at the Oscars, but that it also isn’t fair for whites to be excluded from the BET Awards.
BET Awards, by the way, are specifically awarded to black entertainers.
From Think Progress:
The headline alone… The next President of the United States, everyone.
ANYBODY WANNA GET HIIIIIIIIIGH
Wow…..I just can’t given news from his “campaign” in last 24 hours alone…
Can you just not even?
srsly
Iggy, Timberlake, Beiber and Robin Thicke have been nominated. And that’s just off the top of my head. Does he not do research?
Also “D’Jango Unchained” is racist against whom exactly, Mr. Trump?
Django was just pretty all around prejudice against every race and nationality included. Still awesome though.
HA
@Leegle Sam Smith has actually won a BET Award. Got more Bet Awards than Samuel L. Jackson has Oscars…go figure.
I’m sure he does just as much research as the author who claimed “BET Awards, by the way, are specifically awarded to black entertainers.”
I don’t necessarily agree with the actors’ boycott. We have bigger problems than who is and isn’t being nominated/appreciated for a movie they got a million dollars for acting in. I also think it’s crazy to ask Chris Rock to deny a job because Will Smith got snubbed or whatever. This is exactly why we have BET Awards. If “they” don’t want to appreciate us, we will appreciate ourselves. And that’s fine! I don’t know why we’re so desperate for outside approval.
So we can officially start having a White Entertainment Awards ceremony now? Oh, still not cool with it? Good, then the BET’s are racist, and you’re ok with it.
From @Leegle:
“Iggy, Timberlake, Beiber and Robin Thicke have been nominated. And that’s just off the top of my head. Does he not do research?”
@tdk8709 Sam Smith has won a BET award jackass.
How was anything I said not understood as complete sarcasm. Even on the internet. Damn you guys are stupid…
Or you know, sarcasm unless made veeeery obvious can be easily misread in text. Or because the stuff you often say line up with the ridiculous stuff you apparently say so much that it’s hard to tell anymore.
Jesus Christ, @AddMayne thanks DAD!… Can’t even have a little fun on the internet without being labeled a fucking racist anymore.
It’s a good point not that blacks not getting oscars is on my give 2 sts radar.
Michael B. Jordan definitely deserved a nod for Creed. HE was great in that.
Does that make the Oscars racist?
I don’t know.
It might just mean the Oscars have mediocre or shit taste.
This.
just die already