Spike Lee is known highly for not only his immense talent as a film director but he is known just as well for his willingness to speak his mind on any issue, especially race. Lee put a room full of Hollywood execs on blast (maybe they felt uncomfortable – good) while accepting an honorary Oscar from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences last night. You have go to hear what he says, it’s vital for us all to hear him out and let his word be heard because it’s very much true; again I say, talk that talk Lee.
Spike Lee has been all over the news lately for his upcoming film “Chiraq”, receiving a lot of criticism on the trailer. He decided to take to Vimeo to respond to the comments and hush the critics. So what makes you think that with the spotlight again, Lee wouldn’t take advantage and hush other critics too – the hollywood critics and leaders. When Denzel Washington, Samuel L. Jackson and Wesley Snipes presented Spike with his award, he took the opportunity to charge up the studio heads and producers in the audience on their apparent refusal to hire people of color. He made his feelings clear:
Everybody in here probably voted for Obama but when I go to offices, I see no black folks except for the brother man at the security who checks my name off the list as I go into the studio… so we can talk ‘yabba yabba yabba’ but we need to have some serious discussion about diversity and get some flavor up in this. This industry is so behind sports it’s ridiculous. It’s easier to be the president of the United States as a black person than be the head of a studio… honestly, it’s easier to be president of the United States than the head of a studio or head of network. I don’t know if you noticed but the United States census bureau says by the year 2043, white Americans are going to be the minority in this country… and all you people out there in the position of hiring, you better get smart because you’ll work for us. Reflect what this country looks like.
Round of applause for Spike Lee, he not only received a prestigious award for his talents, but made clear that this award doesn’t change nor addresses the real issues at hand with Hollywood today.
Source: E! News
