quote: Chris Rock at the Oscars

[orangerful]

I didn't watch The Academy Awards this year. Actually, I haven't watched in awhile because I don't have a antenna on my TV so I don't get any network channels.

But I did Google Chris Rock's opening monologue this morning because I was curious about what he had to say. This is the quote that stood out for me:

Hey, if you want black nominees every year, you need to just have black categories. That’s what you need. You need to have black categories.

You already do it with men and women. Think about it: There’s no real reason for there to be a man and a woman category in acting.

C’mon. There’s no reason. It’s not track and field.

You don’t have to separate ‘em. You know, Robert De Niro’s never said, “I better slow this acting down, so Meryl Streep can catch up.”

No, not at all, man. If you want black people every year at the Oscars, just have black categories like Best Black Friend.

Comments

[c-hrista.livejournal.com]

I feel like he could've been so much more meaningful in his speech and that he played it really safe.
Also I was really annoyed with this portion of it:
Another big thing tonight is — somebody told me this — you’re not allowed to ask women what they’re wearing anymore.

There’s this whole thing, “Ask her more. You have to ask her more.” You know it’s like, You ask the men more.

Everything’s not sexism, everything’s not racism.

They ask the men more because the men are all wearing the same outfits, O.K.? Every guy in there is wearing the exact same thing.

You know, if George Clooney showed up with a lime green tux on, and a swan coming out his ass, somebody would go, “What you wearing, George?”

Because I felt like he was SUPER OVERSIMPLIFYING things. Like, he's all "we ask ladies about their clothes because they wear different fancy clothes" but I wish he thought about WHY women do that and the objectifying and fashion standards and the fact that all a lot of people would even mention about the Oscars later on would be "DID YOU SEE SO AND SO ON THE RED CARPET HER DRESS LOOKED TERRIBLE". Ugh.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

AGREED! I didn't like that part of the speech at all and it felt like, honestly, typical man missing out on the casual sexism that he was JUST ADDRESSING with the casual racism. HE JUST EXPLAINED casual racism earlier in his speech, this sort of "well, it's not really that hurtful, is it?" attitude. And then he undercuts himself by saying this.

So, yeah, he missed a huge opportunity. Rock used to be edgy, at least, I thought he did. But I feel like in these past few years, he has made statements like this that I can't quite figure out.

[c-hrista.livejournal.com]

Someone mentioned that they wished Kevin Hart had hosted instead and I kind of wish the same. Chris Rock seems to be playing it safe lately.

Kevin Hart gave a little speech before some performance, and it seemed way more meaningful and genuine than anything Rock had recited:

With that being said, I want to applaud all of the actors and actresses of color that didn't get nominated tonight. The reason why I say that is because I want them to understand that tonight should not determine the hard work and effort that you put into your craft.
[...]
At the end of the day we love what we do, we're breaking major ground doing it. These problems of today will eventually become problems of the old. Let's not let this negative issue of diversity beat us, let's continue to do what we do best."

I still think his speech was also a little dismissive of white-washing in the awards show, but IDK I liked what he was saying more than Chris Rock's weird back and forth nonsense.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I see what Hart was trying to say there but, at the same time, if we don't address the problems of today, they are not going to become the problems of old. I don't think any problem has ever solved itself, especially one of inequality. :-\

I wouldn't call "diversity" a negative issue, the issue is LACK OF diversity. Poor choice of words that comes off more as dismissive rather than encouraging.

[c-hrista.livejournal.com]

I definitely agree with that! I get what he was saying but wish the phrasing had been a bit better. It was definitely a little dismissive (much like Chris Rock's seemed to be at parts) but I'm glad that he didn't pull a BUT SEXISM TOO :|

There were so many POC in movies this year and it BAFFLES ME that none of them got awards and that for a second it seemed like nobody was going to say anything about it. I get mad at the "JADA'S ONLY BOYCOTTING BC WILL DIDN'T GET A NOM" because I hope hope hope that's not REALLY why she's on the #Oscarssowhite wagon.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

I read reviews of 'Concussion' when it came out and while they said the movie wasn't that great, they said Will Smith was fantastic. So she can be pissed he didn't get nominated, not just because he's her husband but because he did get lots of acclaim.

(and while I loved Mad Max and appreciate the nomination of Danish Girl, even if I know it had it's own issues, both of those very "white" movies could have been replaced with something of higher quality and with better representation. Old Hollywood is Old and it shows on Oscar night. I'm sure they thought both of these movies were "edgy" for nominations, but they are not, the world at large is not impressed. The rest of us know how much more there is out there. I'm not saying these should just pick something because it is diverse, but there are plenty of quality films that are being overlooked probably because of htat.)

[c-hrista.livejournal.com]

I'm not saying these should just pick something because it is diverse, but there are plenty of quality films that are being overlooked probably because of that

YES, this. In an ideal world, people would be able to fairly nominate without their own personal biases impacting who goes home with an award but I'm sure that's not a new wish, nor is it something that's easily changed.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_profiterole_/]

Are Black categories a thing that Black people would want, though? I'm truly asking, because it seems like a half-good, half-bad idea. Also, if we're going to implement something rather than just changing the composition of the jury a little bit and hoping for the best, quotas sound like a more practical way to do it, because what about Hispanics, Asians and all the other POCs?

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

I don't think anyone would want it, honestly. I don't even think the men/women thing makes sense...except when you sit back and think about it you realize that they would probably never nominate women then.

It's like why they made a "Best Animated Movie" category. Animated movies are deemed "lesser" than live action films so when things like 'Beauty and the Beast' would get Best Picture nominations, it didn't stand a chance. So then they created the 'Best Animated Picture' and Disney pretty much sweeps it 9 outta 10 times.

It's like this in other things too. I feel like it's a band-aid approach. Instead of fixing the real issue, working on creating a better system of film selection (because, really, we know that not EVERY movie is viewed, there are a bajillion movies made each year) they just pander by creating a new category.

I don't think Rock was seriously suggesting it, I think he was pointing out how ridiculous it all is and that it is all screwed up, that the racism and sexism is ingrained (though when I read the rest of his transcript, I wasn't sure if he *was listening to himself*. It was like about halfway through he started to backtrack and go for the comedy instead of the truth)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_profiterole_/]

It's such a difficult issue. Separating the men and the women seems less strange to me, but is it because it's objectively less strange or is it because it's a historical distinction in all awards that I have internalised as normal, who knows?

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

I feel like we have internalized it as normal. Like Chris Rock points out - why is that a thing? Why can't we pit Meryl Streep in her most serious moments against Sean Penn crying in a jail cell? Is it because "people" feel like a grown man crying is "better acting" than Meryl Streep being a badass?

There is a similar issue in the publishing world right now, where male authors get more credit (and money) for writing family sagas than women. But why should it matter? Why is a man's book about a family called "literary fiction" but a female author's book is "chick lit"?

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

Why is a man's book about a family called "literary fiction" but a female author's book is "chick lit"?

Exactly! Or 'moving drama' versus 'romantic flair'. UGH.

[ragnarok-08.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I didn't watch them either.

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

Actually, Chris (though I can see from the comments he missed some of his own points later), has a good point right there. The system of awards shows is polarized and politicised. One of the main reasons I don't watch. It is not a circle of inclusion and recognizing ALL TALENT. It is a dog and pony show of favoritism and since that didn't sit well when I was in high school, it doesn't sit well with me now. Now and again, they get it right. But 1 out of 10 is not a hundred. Not in my book. And I suck at math.

*HUGS*

[eowyn.livejournal.com]

I'm not a Chris Rock fan usually, but I loved him hosting. He really nailed it, and his speeches were just spot on.

[aliens.livejournal.com]

Hey, if you want black nominees every year, you need to just have black categories. That’s what you need. You need to have black categories. i honesty feel like he was being sarcastic with this and has a real point tbh. this stuff tends to be very polarized :\ i've never really liked the idea of "awards" in general as a concept, especially as so many people are obnoxious about it like "INSERT FILM NAME HERE won # of oscars and you don't like it?! ignoramus!" and all that jazz. that being said, i'm a leonardo dicaprio fan and i'm glad he won finally mainly so that whole leo and oscar meme can finally die because it annoyed me so damn much! i didn't watch it either but i watched leonardo's speech online last night and really enjoyed it too.

[twissie.livejournal.com]

I think these two tidsbits were my favourite.





His comedy was so on point, it was amazing. AND THE GIRL SCOUT COOKIE THING THO, JESUS. Have you seen the pictures of the celebs nomming away on them? I'm laughing so hard.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

I did see those pictures floating around LOL.

Some of the things in Rock's monologue but other parts made me cringe, like the fact that he was trying to point out how this not nominating actors of color was casual racism but then back pedaling a few seconds later and committing casual sexism when making the joke about not asking women about their clothes. In the end, I almost feel like he played it too safe. But, then again, it's the Oscars not a roast. Or is it?