And The Oscar Goes To . . .

Black people, Latinos, women, and a whole bunch of people constantly whine and complain about a perpetual absence of Academy Award® nominations representing the creative and technical accomplishments of minorities and women.

So what?

To even imagine that a system entirely created for and governed by White people, especially White men, would be "egalitarian," especially in the blatant absence of any historical commitment to do so, is just damn stupid. All anyone has to do is look at the history of the:

White owned and controlled motion picture industry;

White owned and controlled design and manufacture of film cameras, film editing machines, computer software and hardware, and film stock, etc.;

White owned and controlled Hollywood studio system;

White owned and controlled film distribution system;

White owned and controlled motion picture theatrical exhibition; and the

White owned and controlled Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which governs the annual nomination and presentation of the Academy Awards®

So, clearly, despite the politically correct "lip service" to so-called diversity and inclusion, it's blatantly evident there's NEVER, NEVER, NEVER been any serious interest in "diversity" or "inclusion," and there NEVER will be.

It's a fact, that the social, educational, and economic status for the overwhelming majority of Black people, minorities, and women has NEVER been equal to White people, especially White men, and in the absence of major socio-economic revolution or war, the United States of America will never be an egalitarian nation where social and econonmic status is not defined by race or sex. Again, keep this in mind:

White people, primarily White men, make the rules (laws) and all exceptions to the rules!  It's your country.  White people own and/or control everything – from education to business to government; and White people unilaterally "pick and choose" if and when they'll adhere to whatever rules, laws, and contracts they establish.

It's a fact, except for a few "tokens" here and there, the overall social and economic status (i.e., equal access to education, employment, housing, health care, and the political process) for the overwhelming majority of Black people, and other peole of color, did not change during the 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900s, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and the 2010s - and it never will. Where's any evidence to the contrary?

Additionally, in "Hollywood" ultimate control has been and continues to be primarily dictated by White Jewish men:

How deeply Jewish is Hollywood? C'mon - When the studio chiefs took out a full-page ad in the Los Angeles Times a few weeks ago to demand that the Screen Actors Guild settle its contract, the open letter was signed by: News Corp. President Peter Chernin (Jewish), Paramount Pictures Chairman Brad Grey (Jewish), Walt Disney Co. Chief Executive Robert Iger (Jewish), Sony Pictures Chairman Michael Lynton (surprise, Dutch Jew), Warner Bros. Chairman Barry Meyer (Jewish), CBS Corp. Chief Executive Leslie Moonves (so Jewish his great uncle was the first prime minister of Israel), MGM Chairman Harry Sloan (Jewish) and NBC Universal Chief Executive Jeff Zucker (mega-Jewish). If either of the Weinstein brothers had signed, this group would have not only the power to shut down all film production but to form a minyan with enough Fiji water on hand to fill a mikvah.

Source: Los Angeles Times, December 19, 2008, by JOEL STEIN

P.S. It’s not anti-Semitic to make a statement of fact; it’s anti-Semitic to imply that there’s something wrong with it. Rachel Shukert

Again, so what if Hollywood is lily-White?

The perpetual absence of Academy Award® nominations representing the creative and technical accomplishments of minorities and women is NOT the problem. The perpetual "problem" comes from Black people, other minorities, and women with a stupid NEED for White people, especially White men to justify their existence, to justify their accomplishments. Golly gee whiz, it's really pathetic how Black people, other minorities, and women have all been so effectively brainwashed to possess so little self-esteem. In this regard, intergration and assimilation into White culture, which is entirely orchestrated by White men, has never been an advantage to Black people, other minorities, and women. For example:

As robustly documented in the book, "A Separate Cinema: Fifty Years of Black-Cast Posters," concurrent with the dawn of the White film industry, Black people also produced original films, which were produced, directed, edited, distributed by and starring Black people. These Black produced films with all-Black casts included silent films, talkies, and color films. Just like White films, the genres included westerns, mysteries, dramas, romance, action, comedies, etc. Unlike White films that intentionally limited Black actors and actresses to menial service-oriented roles such as laborers, servants, maids, etc., the stories and roles in Black films mirrorred the self-sufficiency of the Black "segregated" community, which ranged from service to professional, including doctors, lawyers, pilots, newspapermen, politicians, business owners, and civic leaders. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BLACK FILM INDUSTRY? 1. Unlike Disney, Warner Brothers, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Black people failed to develop and execute a strategic business plan to build, consolidate, and monetize a self-sustaining Black film industry. 2. White people held (and continue to hold) ultimate control over all vertical and horizontal dimensions of the film industry, including: development and manufacture of cameras; development and manufacture of film; processing of film; real estate; local, regional, national, and international marketing and distribution; local, regional, and national theatrical exhibition; lobbying and political access; etc. 3. Instead of duplicating the successful business model of White Jewish men (i.e., Disney, Warner Bros., MGM, etc.), Black people, other minorities, and women embraced, and continue to embrace "integration," which immediately required them to concede, to surrender total control over to White people, primarily White men.

In this regard, Black people, in particular, have been successfully "brainwashed" to consistently surrender their "creative and technical accomplishments" over to White people. Sadly, many Black people doubt their worth and accomplishments unless such as been validated by White people, especially White men. Conversely, although ethnic-based organizations such as the NAACP recognizes creative achievement in film, television, music, and literature by Black people via its Image Awards, its annual program does not operate under the auspices of subject matter experts specific to various technical and creative guilds in the film industry, and voting for this "popularity contest" is open to the general public via the NAACP web site. Plus, the Image Awards essentially showcases the ubiquitous participation of Black people in nearly every film, but without regard to a critical but objective assessment of actual "talent" and "technical expertise." Every Black person gets an award! Yippy!

With regard to music, "blues," and "rhythm and blues," and "jazz" are music genrés uniquely born of the Black experience in the United States - these musical expressions are natively "Black." So, as subject matter experts specific to these genrés, why didn't, why haven't Black people created their own preeminent creative guilds and corresponding award ceremonies? Instead, the Grammy's and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, both owned or controlled by White people, primarily White men, function as the preeminent standards to recognize the creative and technical accomplishments of minorities and women. Accordingly, it's dumb to blame White people, especially White men, for the perpetual "stupidity" of Black people, other minorities, and women to constantly feel-the-need to have White men to validate their creative and technical accomplishments.

Despite overt discrimination and blatant racism engineered and sustained by White people, especially White men, nevertheless, in many segregated communities, there was a time when Black owned and controlled businesses were launched and thrived without any or very little involvement from White people. For example:

Negro Baseball League - Primarly between 1920 and 1950, the league featured Black athletes with athletic abilities equal to or greater than White leagues, and most importantly, the Black league created revenue streams that supported the Black community. As detailed in #1, #2, and #3 above, Black people progressively abandoned their support of the Negro Baseball League. With regard to being "brainwashed," the overwhelming majority of athletes in the NBA and the NFL are Black, but these Black millionaires are far more "content" to be "owned" by White men than to create their own professional leagues. Tis. Tis. Tis. Gone are the days of being, "Black and Proud."

Motown - The most successful Black owned and controlled music company in U.S. history, created many legendary and wealthy recording artists (Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, The Jackson 5, etc.) and robust revenue streams that supported many Black communities. As detailed in #1, #2, and #3 above, Motown owner Berry Gordy lacked the guts and intelligence to merge with other successful Black entrepreneurs and businesses (Solar, Johnson Publishing, Johnson Products, BET, etc.) to create a Black multimedia giant like TimeWarner, Disney, or UniversalNBC; so he sold Motown to White owned and controlled Universal Music Group.

Black Entertainment Television - The most successful Black owned and controlled cable television network in U.S. history. Sadly, as detailed in #1, #2, and #3 above, BET owner Robert L. Johnson lacked the guts and intelligence to merge with other successful Black entrepreneurs and businesses (Motown, Solar, Johnson Publishing, Johnson Products, etc.) to create a Black multimedia giant like TimeWarner, Disney, or UniversalNBC; so he sold BET to White owned and controlled ViacomCBS.

Softsheen - Black women spend more money on hair care than any other ethnic group of women, and Softsheen was the most successful and largest Black owned and controlled cosmetics company in U.S. history. Sadly, as detailed in #1, #2, and #3 above, Terri Gardner, the President and CEO of Soft Sheen and daughter of the founders, lacked the guts and intelligence to merge with other successful Black entrepreneurs and businesses to create a Black-owned cosmetics and haircare giant like L'Oréal; so she sold Softsheen to White owned and controlled L'Oréal.

Instead of always surrendering ownership and control to White people, especially White males, why don't some smart and wealthy Black people, other minorities, and women flip-the-switch, consolidate their financial resources, and purchase major businesses that are primarily owned and controlled by White people, especially White men? Why haven't U.S. based Black billionaires like Oprah Winfrey, Robert L. Johnson, Robert Smith, Michael Jordan, and David Steward joined forces with Black multi-millionaires like Berry Gordy, Magic Johnson, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Will Smith, Ice Cube, Smokey Robinson, etc., to create a Black multimedia conglomerate like Disney, TimeWarner, ViacomCBS, or UniversalNBC? You know, build a multimedia company from scratch just like three wealthy White Jewish men named Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen successfully created DreamWorks SKG! Perhaps, you haven't been paying attention, but this is exactly what the Chinese have been doing, duh! Just like Lenovo acquired IBM's personal computer business in 2005 and acquired its Intel-based server business in 2014, all of the following companies are Chinese owned and controlled.

Chicago Stock Exchange	The Waldorf Astoria
AMC Theatres	Strategic Hotels & Resorts
Smithfield Foods	Riot Games
Legendary Entertainment Group	Ingram Micro
GE Appliances	Motorola Mobility

So, don't blame White people, especially White men, for the perpetual "stupidity" of Black people, other minorities, and women to constantly feel-the-need to have White men to validate their creative and technical accomplishments. Again, don't blame White people, especially White men, for the perpetual "stupidity" of Black people, other minorities, and women to constantly feel-the-need to have White men to validate their creative and technical accomplishments. For example, consider the perpetual lily-Whiteness of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's "Golden Globes" award ceremony (click graphic below).

For more information about the Golden Globes, click here.

Unfortunately, far too many Black people, other minorities, and women feel-the-need to have White people, especially White men, to validate the existence of their creative and technical accomplishments. Therefore, consider the following alternative version for a "politically correct" inclusivity-based presentation of the 2020 Academy Awards®.

THE ACADEMY AWARD® FOR
Best White Actor Joaquin Phoenix for "Joker"	Best White Actress Renée Zellweger for "Judy"	Best Supporting White Actor Brad Pitt for "Once Upon A Time In Hollywood"	Best Supporting White Actress Laura Dern for "Marriage Story"	Best White Film "The Irishman?"
THE ACADEMY AWARD® FOR
Best Black Actor	Best Black Actress Yara Shahidi for "The Sun Is Also A Star"	Best Supporting Black Actor	Best Supporting Black Actress	Best Black Film
THE ACADEMY AWARD® FOR
Best Latino Actor Antonio Banderas for "Pain and Glory"	Best Latina Actress	Best Supporting Latino Actor	Best Supporting Latina Actress	Best Latino Film
THE ACADEMY AWARD® FOR
Best Asian Actor Charles Melton for "The Sun Is Also A Star"	Best Asian Actress	Best Supporting Asian Actor	Best Supporting Asian Actress	Best Asian Film
THE ACADEMY AWARD® FOR
Best Native American Actor	Best Native American Actress	Best Best Native American Supporting Black Actor	Best Best Native American Supporting Black Actress	Best Native American Film
THE ACADEMY AWARD® FOR
Best LGBTXYZ Actor	Best LGBTXYZ Actress	Best Supporting LGBTXYZ Actor	Best Supporting LGBTXYZ Actress	Best LGBTXYZ Film

By the way, this alternative version for a "politically correct" inclusivity-based presentation of the annual Academy Awards® will require no less than a continuous twenty-(20) hour televised broadcast. You'll be needing several "No-Doz Maximum Strength 200mg Caffeine Caplets."

In summary, Black people, other minorities, and women, can continue to allow White people, primarily White men, to unilaterally control, define and appraise their worth - and continue to constantly whine and nag about not being "included," or, Black people, other minorities, and women can produce, distribute, exhibit, market, and award their own films.

I welcome your feedback.

Trip Reynolds
trip.reynolds@yahoo.com

Reynolds' Rap February 14, 2020 © 2017-2020 Tripoetry. All Rights Reserved. First Amendment to the United States Constitution - Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.