Jesse Jackson’s boycott of the Academy Awards at the 11th hour proved not only how he has become a caricature of the leader he once was but also how he manipulates his followers to his own self-aggrandizing end.
Had the absence of black nominees really weighed heavily on Jackson’s mind, he would have protested months ago, when the nomination announcements were made. As it turned out, Jackson’s ill-timed and foolish “protest” highlighted the Oscars to his disadvantage–after all, Whoopi Goldberg was hostess, Quincy Jones was producer, Vanessa Williams sang an award-winning song, Oprah Winfrey was “official greeter” and a black a capella group presented a medley of nominated songs before the announcement of the winning tune (as well as other black “Oscar moments”). All of this made Jackson’s protest an exercise in triviality.
Since the more notable black films of 1995 included Eddie Murphy as a greasy-haired “Vampire” (scaring audiences of all races away from theaters), more brainless, stereotypical destructive films by the Wayans brothers and other black “spoof” films better left on cutting room floors (or not filmed at all), perhaps Mr. Jackson’s protest was the start of political pressure for next year’s nominations.
Out of the thousands of performances in hundreds of films brought to the screen last year, only 10 actors, 10 actresses and five films were nominated; if black actors and actresses are to be nominated solely on their skin color and awarded for standards less than those already set for other actors and actresses, the future of acting’s integrity will be lost forever.
What an insult Mr. Jackson proposes to those truly talented black actors who have delivered passionate and unforgettable performances worthy of the honor.
