Oscars, You Have A Problem
Just when I was losing interest in this year’s Oscars — there’s not a single movie nommed for Best Picture that I love — along comes this diversity controversy. After the nominations were announced last Thursday, with all 20 acting nominees white, I thought: it’s a shame but this story will die down. Not a bit. Spike Lee and Jada Pinkett Smith are boycotting the ceremony, and David Oyewolo , who was so good as MLK, Jr. in “Selma,” has leveled further criticism. And the Academy’s president, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, says she’s “heartbroken and frustrated.” Heartbroken and frustrated — and a black host, Chris Rock — doesn’t solve the problem.
