[Transcript of Episode 17 (Series 2, Episode 1): ‘#OscarsSoHonky’ from 02/26/18]

https://youtu.be/HIPubYKbXVM

INTRO

 Welcome, I’m the Conspiracy Man.

 Having survived three assassination attempts over the winter break, I’m back. With the 90^th Academy Awards coming up next week let’s cover the big controversy from a 2 years ago about the lack of black acting nominations. That went away after last Moonlight, a film with a mainly black cast, won several awards for acting and best picture. This year’s nomination includes several African-Americans in the directing and acting categories.

 What do the numbers say?

THE SPREADSHEET

 Let’s have a look at the 5 main individual awards – Best Director, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress and check their ethnicity and nationality. For nationality I’m going to count it as where their career started. For example, Mel Gibson is an American, but started his career in Australia so I’m counting him as an Aussie.

 For our data we’ll look at this century only, from 2000 to 2016, when the controversy broke. I ignored the last two years since that was after the furore over the 2016 awards, so it’s hardly a shock that more black people have been nominated after that, since the Academy was probably mindful of it. Which certainly benefitted movies which starred black people made in these years.

 The first thing I noticed is the horrible ‘cultural cringe’ Americans have when it comes towards British people. British people are massively overrepresented in these awards, because they are classy, and we are Philistines. Must be because they do Shakespeare – are other countries not allowed to put on productions of Shakespeare’s plays? There are quite few Aussies and Kiwis but they really count as Brits anyway.

IS IT BECAUSE I’M BLACK?

 From 2000-2016 black people represent 10% of winners and 7% of nominees. For African Americans, counting only American actors and Canadians since they are basically Americans, they make up 16 % winners and 9% of nominees. As a percentage of the American populace they make up around 13-4%.

 Black directors missed out, with only 2 black nominees out of 85, 1 English and 1 African-American. But in acting 13% of winners and 9% of nominees. Excluding foreigners, 19% of winners and 11% of nominees.

 In the last 2 years (2017 and 2018) of the 50 nominations in the big 5 categories, 12 (24%) have been black, and 3 of 10 winners (30%). Now you might argue small sample size and just a case of some very good roles and movies featuring black people such as Moonlight and Fences. But couldn’t you just make a similar argument of sample size and such for those 2 years without African-American nominations?

 Interestingly this century the first decade was better for African-Americans than this decade. You had those 2 years without black nominees but even the year before, 2014, there were four black nominees but not African-Americans, they were overseas actors.

 What about black representation in other Oscar categories? This century in original screenplay no black people got nominated, for adapted screenplay only 2 nominations although both did win, sound editing 1 nomination and win. In editing nothing, best score none, for original song 7 nominations and 2 wins.

NO ES BUENO

 But what about Hispanic-Americans? Hispanic people make up around 18% of the population of the United States and about 2/3 thirds of those are born here, but Hispanic-Americans are almost completely missing from the Oscars. And they struggle to get roles, even when real-life Hispanics are portrayed.

 Now, you might bring up several examples of Latinos who have won Oscars – Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Salma Hayek, and directors Alfonso Cuaron and Alejandro Iñárritu. They are not Hispanic Americans – they are Spanish or Mexican and started their careers there.

 There is only 1 Latino who is actually from the US and started their career in the US – Benicio Del Toro, who has been nominated twice for Best Supporting Actor, winning once. He’s from Puerto Rico, which yes, Donald Trump, is in America.

 In fact, before him the last Hispanic-American nominated was Rosie Perez for Fearless, in 1994, 24 years ago, for Best Supporting Actress, but didn’t win.

 To find a winner In the Best Actor/Actress category you have to go back to 1951 when Puerto Rican Jose Ferrer won Best Actor for his role as Cyrano De Bergerac. That was so long ago that Kirk Douglas was in the prime of his life.

 What about other American minorities? Asians, yes, but no Asian-Americans. People form the Middles East, yeah, but no Arab-Americans. People, with Indian background? Yes, but no American-Indians. And no American Indians.

SO MUCH DIVERSITY

 Why are African-Americans represented better, if still somewhat underrepresented, compared to other ‘non-White’ ethnic groups in America? For mine, I think it’s because African-Americans, while ‘not white’ are very much an ‘American’ minority. Their language is English, their culture is ‘American’, making it an easier choice to cast if you want to put some token diversity in. While Hispanics, Asian-Americans and the rest have more of a connection to foreign countries and their cultures and languages. Weirdly this applies to Native Americans, who aren’t an ‘American’ minority, even though they are literally the least foreign.

 There is also the benefit that a lot of films about real American people will be about black people – such as Malcom X, Muhammad Ali, Ray Charles.

 Hollywood won’t not cast people of other races, but the lack of roles and recognition make it easier for people from foreign countries, who have already forged a successful career in their own country’s industry and will take any jobs for those type of minorities.

NEXT TIME …

 Provided I am not taken out by the powers that be I shall return. So long as I’m not outed for sexual harassment. What conspiracy will I nominating? Well, let me just say – Nibiru is coming. Scared – you should be?

Best Actor: Me

Best Original Screenplay: Me

Best Director: Me

Best Supporting Actress: Me