OSCARS 2002: COLORIZED HISTORY, COLORIST REALITY
WOW! What a night at the Oscars! It is a show I usually avoid due to its habitual Apartheid vibe. But, all that changed this year. I typically boycott the Oscars. But, there was something in the air that drew even my jaded attention. I hope that this fresh new air is permanent. I hope that Hollywood's racist doors have been opened and chocked, not just temporarily cracked, for a thrilling but brief peek, only to be bolted shut again this time next year.
Kudos to two actors whom I adore. I have penned other tributes to Halle Berry herein. I adore her and Denzel Washington. I truly admire both of them beyond their gifted acting skills. I admire them for their afrocentrism, beauty, and African-American spirituality. They were regal long before their newly bestowed Oscar crowns.
I have penned columns on the Oscars in the past. They have been filled with rage and longing. Both emotions have been significantly satiated by this most recent award show. I can now say that I have seen two African-Americans who truly earned these honors finally get the recognition they so deserved.
Both Halle and Denzel were eloquent as they gave their acceptance speeches. Like all of us passionate Leos, Halle's emotions were raw and sincere. Though clearly overwhelmed by her legendary feat, she remembered to thank many other African-American actresses, who are her less lauded mentors and peers. Denzel was more self-centered as he tactfully reminded the Academy of his own superior and more deserving work.
Less lauded but equally important and legendary, both of the films that garnered Halle and Denzel these Oscars were produced/directed by African-Americans. As Spike Lee often laments, we do indeed tell our own stories best. Congratulations to Lee Daniels, producer of Monster's Ball, and Antoine Fuqua, director of Training Day.
Both films, and the performances within them, are oustanding. However, as great as both of these films are, we must remember that, essentially, Halle plays an interracial lover, and Denzel plays a sadistic criminal. Both roles are comfortable for racists in a eurocentric reality. I still long for the day when I see Oscars awarded to African-Americans who play positive afrocentric characters. When the revolution comes, like white Oscar winners, African-Americans will be awarded for playing role models. And, the revolution will bring African-American power brokers behind the cameras. Those who actually control Hollywood are still vastly white.
We must speak truths unconditionally, in joy and pain. On that note, all was not joyous on Oscar night. For years, I have been angered by the flagrantly racist disrespect that black-skinned spouses of black male celebrities receive at the Oscar preshows. Announcers routinely state the actual names of anonymous white spouses who accompany their famous white husbands on red carpets. Yet, black spouses are selectively referred to only as "his wife".
This year, the toxic Joan Rivers dared to take this disrespect to bold and new heights by daring to ask Sam Jackson: "...and who is that with you?" The fact that his spouse, Latanya Richardson, is a great actress in her own right made this racist slight even more offensive. Sam replied: "This is my wife...she is with me every year." Insult duly noted Sam. Thank you brother!
Just hours after the Oscar broadcast, racist hackers sabotaged Halle's website. They defaced her image and posted sore loser kudos to fellow nominee, actress Nicole Kidman. See it at www.hallewood.com.
Like racism, colorism rules all, especially in Hollywood. I am convinced that light skinned wives with long hair, who look more like their white spousal peers, would prove far more memorable in the eyes of racist announcers. Similarly, black-skinned Eddie Murphy is infamous for casting black-skinned women as whores and fools in his films, while yellow women are his stars, spouses, and heroines. In the loosely autobiographical "Purple Rain", Prince tellingly cast an Italian woman who looks like Sophia Loren, in the role of his real life mother, who looks like Oprah Winfrey. I love my homie Bernie Mac and his new show. Yet, weekly I notice that the actress who plays his wife is lighter skinned than himself...
A culture shocked Spike Lee created "School Daze" to capture the uniquely rabid Southern colorism that he endured as a New Yorker at Morehouse in Atlanta, Georgia. As a native Chicagoan transplant and talk radio veteran in Atlanta, I was often appalled at the colorism that callers would brazenly express on my shows. At election time, many arrogantly ignorant fools would call in to bash candidates expressly because they felt they were "too dark skinted to vote for."
Halle has truly earned all of her accolades. Yet, I know that she would win far less adoration and favor if her skin looked like Denzel's. Halle has no equally praised or popular dark-skinned African-American peer in Hollywood. And, it is common industry knowledge that actresses who play the love interests of black men on film are always deliberately chosen to be lighter-skinned and shorter than their black-skinned leading men.
Two grossly belated Oscars do not a revolution make. Racism and colorism still rule the land that Queen Halle and King Denzel reign over. For the moment, I am a very happy villager, in a global village from which the movies, and their awards night, are merely an escape. In our righteous elation, let us remember the real life battles that rage on in our real world.
If I could make this year's wonderful experience at the Oscars comprehensive, these are the actresses/actors that I would honor as nominees/awardees. Feel free to email your additional selections to this wish list at radiorebel@juno.com. For retroactive Oscars/Emmys for Best/Supporting etc.:
DIANA ROSS- LADY SINGS THE BLUES
HALLE BERRY- BAPS
HALLE BERRY- LOSING ISAIAH
HALLE BERRY- JUNGLE FEVER
SNOOP DOGGGY DOG- BABY BOY
VING RHAMES- BABY BOY
ADRIENNE-JOI JOHNSON- BABY BOY
GABRIELLE UNION- THE BROTHERS
KHANDI ALEXANDER- SUGAR HILL
KHANDI ALEXANDER- THE CORNER
KHANDI ALEXANDER- CB4
LYNN WHITFIELD- A THIN LINE BETWEEN LOVE & HATE
LYNN WHITFIELD- THE WOMEN OF BREWSTER PLACE
LYNN WHITFIELD- THE JOSEPHINE BAKER STORY
DE'AUNDRE BONDS- GET ON THE BUS
DE'AUNDRE BONDS- THE WOOD
DE'AUNDRE BONDS- TALES FROM THE HOOD
CLARENCE WILLIAMS III- TALES FROM THE HOOD
CLARENCE WILLIAMS III- SUGAR HILL
CLARENCE WILLIAMS III- HOODLUM
CYNTHIA BOND- DEF BY TEMPTATION
LEON- THE TEMPTATIONS
LISA BONET- ANGEL HEART
DENZEL WASHINGTON- THE HURRICANE
DENZEL WASHINGTON- MALCOLM X
DENZEL WASHINGTON- PHILADELPHIA
DENZEL WASHINGTON- MISSISSIPPI MASSALA
DENZEL WASHINGTON- CRY FREEDOM
DENZEL WASHINGTON- DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS
REGINA TAYLOR- SPIRIT LOST
CYNDA WILLIAMS- ONE FALSE MOVE
MICHEAL BEACH- BAD COMPANY
LAURENCE FISHBURNE- WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT
LAURENCE FISHBURNE- CORNBREAD, EARL & ME
LAURENCE FISHBURNE- JUST CAUSE
RUBY DEE- JUNGLE FEVER
SAM JACKSON- JUNGLE FEVER
HALLE BERRY- JUNGLE FEVER
JADA PINKETT-SMITH - SET IT OFF
WESLEY SNIPES- SUGAR HILL
TUPAC SHAKUR- POETIC JUSTICE
TUPAC SHAKUR- JUICE
ERIQ LA SALLE- THE DROP SQUAD
DON CHEADLE- BOOGIE NIGHTS
DON CHEADLE- DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS
ANGELA BASSETT- WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT
VANESSA BELL CALLOWAY- WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT
WHOOPI GOLDBERG- THE COLOR PURPLE
WHOOPI GOLDBERG- HOW STELLA GOT HER GROOVE BACK
WHOOPI GOLDBERG- HOMER & EDDIE
NATALIE DESELLE- BAPS
LISA NICOLE CARSON- DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS
PAM GRIER- COFFY
PAM GRIER- JACKIE BROWN
PAM GRIER- THE VINDICATOR
MARGARET AVERY- THE COLOR PURPLE
DESRETA JACKSON- THE COLOR PURPLE
OPRAH WINFREY- THE COLOR PURPLE
DANNY GLOVER- THE COLOR PURPLE
DON CHEADLE- BULWORTH
ALFRE WOODARD- MANDELA
DANNY GLOVER- MANDELA
ALFRE WOODARD- DOWN IN THE DELTA
BEAH RICHARDS- HOMER & EDDIE
DELLA REESE- HARLEM NIGHTS
DOROTHY DANDRIDGE- BRIGHT ROAD
DOROTHY DANDRIDGE- CARMEN JONES
HARRY BELAFONTE- WHITE MAN'S BURDEN
FOREST WHITTAKER- GHOST DOG
FOREST WHITTAKER- JASON'S LYRIC
FOREST WHITTAKER- THE CRYING GAME
CAMILLE WINBUSH- GHOST DOG
DARNITA HENRY- PARIS TROUT
BLAIR UNDERWOOD- JUST CAUSE
BLAIR UNDERWOOD- SET IT OFF
TARAL HICKS- A BRONX TALE
ENEMY OF THE STATE- WILL SMITH
REGINA KING- JERRY MAGUIRE
REGINA KING- POETIC JUSTICE
RICHARD PRYOR- JO JO DANCER
PAULA KELLY- JO JO DANCER
GLENN PLUMMER- SOUTH CENTRAL
SAMUEL L. JACKSON- A TIME TO KILL
SAMUEL L. JACKSON- 187
SAMUEL L. JACKSON- SHAFT
SAMUEL L. JACKSON- AMOS & ANDREW
LONETTE MCKEE- WOMEN OF BREWSTER PLACE
LONETTE MCKEE- JUNGLE FEVER
PAULA KELLY- WOMEN OF BREWSTER PLACE
LOU GOSSETT- THE COLOR OF LOVE: JACEY'S STORY
TYRIN TURNER- BELLY
LARENZ TATE- MENACE II SOCIETY
ROSALIND CASH- CORNBREAD, EARL AND ME
CCH POUNDER- BAGDAD CAFE
KEITH DAVID- THEY LIVE
BOKEEM WOODBINE- DEAD PRESIDENTS
JADA PINKETT-SMITH - JASON'S LYRIC
ALLEN PAYNE- JASON'S LYRIC
BRENDA SYKES- MANDINGO
DEBI MORGAN- MANDINGO
DEBI MORGAN- EVE'S BAYOU
HALLE BERRY- QUEEN
TYRA FERRELL- POETIC JUSTICE
TYRA FERRELL- BOYZ IN THE HOOD
JANET JACKSON- POETIC JUSTICE
KADEEM HARDISON- PANTHER
KADEEM HARDISON- A VAMPIRE IN BROOKLYN
ADOLPH CEASAR- A SOLDIER'S STORY
ESTHER ANDERSON- A WARM DECEMBER
MUTABARUKA- SANKOFA
ROBIN GIVENS- A RAGE IN HARLEM
ROBIN GIVENS- BOOMERANG
DOROTHY DANDRIDGE- CARMEN JONES
HARRY BELAFONTE- CARMEN JONES
PAM GRIER- FORT APACHE THE BRONX
DUANE JONES- NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD
GLENN PLUMMER- SMALL TIME
GLENN PLUMMER- SOUTH CENTRAL
LYNNE MOODY- NIGHTMARE AT BADHAM COUNTY
PHILIP HEPBURN- BRIGHT ROAD
QUEEN LATIFAH- JUNGLE FEVER
QUEEN LATIFAH- SET IT OFF
QUEEN LATIFAH- MAMA FLORA'S FAMILY
BLAIR UNDERWOOD- MAMA FLORA'S FAMILY
NICK MEDLEY- SANKOFA
OYAFUNMIKE OGUNLANO- SANKOFA
ALEXANDRA DUAH- SANKOFA
LAMONT BENTLEY- TALES FROM THE HOOD
JI-TU CUMBUKA- ROOTS
JI-TU CUMBUKA- MANDINGO
DJIMON HOUNSOU- AMISTAD
INGRID WALTERS- AMISTAD
JAMIE FOXX- ANY GIVEN SUNDAY
ICE-T - SURVIVING THE GAME
NIA LONG- SOUL FOOD
TICO WELLS- THE DROP SQUAD
LAWRENCE FISHBURNE- DEEP COVER
VICTORIA DILLARD- DEEP COVER
VIVICA A. FOX- SET IT OFF
KIMBERLY ELISE- SET IT OFF
LL COOL J- IN TOO DEEP
ANGELA MEANS- FRIDAY
ANGELA MEANS- A LUV TALE
GINA RAVERA- A LUV TALE
MICHAEL CLARKE DUNCAN-THE GREEN MILE
DON CHEADLE- REBOUND: THE LEGEND OF EARL "THE GOAT" MANIGAUT
ERIQ LA SALLE- REBOUND: THE LEGEND OF EARL "THE GOAT" MANIGAUT
MONICA CALHOUN- THE PLAYERS CLUB
KIMBERLY ELISE- THE LORETTA CLAIBORNE STORY
JI-TU CUMBUKA- ROOTS
JI-TU CUMBUKA- MANDINGO
DJIMON HOUNSOU- AMISTAD
INGRID WALTERS- AMISTAD
JAYE DAVIDSON- STARGATE
COURTNEY B. VANCE- THE LAST SUPPER
MARQUISE WILSON- SUGAR HILL
CICELY TYSON- FRIED GREEN TOMATOES
CICELY TYSON- THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MISS JANE PITTMAN
ZAKES MOKAE- A RAGE IN HARLEM
ZAKES MOKAE- THE SERPENT & THE RAINBOW
DANNY GLOVER- TO SLEEP WITH ANGER
DANNY GLOVER- THE SAINT OF FORT WASHINGTON
MORGAN FREEMAN- THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION
MORGAN FREEMAN- SEVEN
MORGAN FREEMAN- LEAN ON ME
SALLI RICHARDSON- A LOW DOWN DIRTY SHAME
JADA PINKETT SMITH- A LOW DOWN DIRTY SHAME
CHARLES DUTTON- A LOW DOWN DIRTY SHAME
JADA PINKETT SMITH- THE INKWELL
JADA PINKETT SMITH- DEMON KNIGHT
JEFFREY WRIGHT- BASQUIAT
ALFRE WOODARD- HOLIDAY HEART
VING RHAMES- HOLIDAY HEART
VING RHAMES- HOLIDAY HEART
VING RHAMES- DROP SQUAD
VING RHAMES- PULP FICTION
VING RHAMES- ROSEWOOD
VING RHAMES- DON KING: ONLY IN AMERICA
MYKELTI WILLIAMSON- FORREST GUMP
JESIKA REYNOLDS- HOLIDAY HEART
HOLIDAY HEART- JESIKA REYNOLDS
FORREST GUMP-MYKELTI WILLIAMSON
DON KING: ONLY IN AMERICA- VING RHAMES
MYKELTI WILLIAMSON- WAITING TO EXHALE
DANITRA VANCE- THE COLORED MUSEUM
ANGELA BASSETT- WAITING TO EXHALE
LORETTA DEVINE- WAITING TO EXHALE
LORETTA DEVINE- THE COLORED MUSEUM
GIANCARLO ESPOSITO- THE KEEPER
GIANCARLO ESPOSITO- WAITING TO EXHALE
REGINA TAYLOR- THE KEEPER
LAURENCE FISHBURNE- HOODLUM
LAURENCE FISHBURNE- KING OF NEW YORK
WESLEY SNIPES- BLADE
CEDELLA MARLEY- JOEY BREAKER
ISAACH DE BANKOLE- THE KEEPER
ISAACH DE BANKOLE- GHOST DOG
ASTON "BAM" WINTER- THE HARDER THEY COME
ROBIN HARRIS- DO THE RIGHT THING
BERNIE MAC- THE PLAYERS CLUB
BERNIE MAC- HOW TO BE A PLAYER
BERNIE MAC- HOUSE PARTY 3
BERNIE MAC- LIFE
MARTIN LAWRENCE- LIFE
ALDITZ MCKENZIE- SANKOFA
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