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Do You Think The Majority of Hollywood is Racist? Why or why not?

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dadmonson

Is Black Americans Gripe With Hollywood Justified?  

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  1. 1. Is Black Americans Gripe With Hollywood Justified?

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I was on the fence on this topic until I read this article:. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/working-hollywood-youre-not-white-859697

 

I just want to see what the majority of this board thinks when it comes to this topic. Do you think the majority of Hollywood is racist? Why or why not?  Why do you think no blacks were nominated for this year's Oscars?  What would you tell a young non-white actor who is not getting that many roles or is only getting stereotypical roles? Please read at least half of the article before you post. 

It seems that to make money films have to appeal to a wide range of people this includes appealing to  racists so the bigshots in Hollywood put blacks into stereotypical roles.   It seems also that the potential movies, where blacks are playing regular everyday people (like in a black romance movie) those types of movies rarely gets picked up.  So yes, I think some people in Hollywood are racists.  I would tell the young non-white actor that "yes, it's harder for you because of your race, but if this is what you want then you have to keep at it..."  

Only thing I don't agree with in that article is the notion that blacks can't be racist....  I think a lot of racist blacks are that way because they are insecure for some reason...  What that reason is and what they are insecure about I have no idea, maybe one of you psychology majors can enlighten me.  

Edited by dadmonson
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On 2/3/2016 at 11:11 PM, dadmonson said:

It seems that to make money films have to appeal to a wide range of people this includes appealing to  racists so the bigshots in Hollywood put blacks into stereotypical roles.   It seems also that the potential movies, where blacks are playing regular everyday people (like in a black romance movie) those types of movies rarely gets picked up.  So yes, I think some people in Hollywood are racists.  I would tell the young non-white actor that "yes, it's harder for you because of your race, but if this is what you want then you have to keep at it..."  

 

Interesting choice of words.   It reminds me of the State Science Institute's report on Rearden Metal in AS.  

"It may be possible that after a period of heavy usage, a sudden fissure may appear, though the length of this period cannot be predicted..."

The author wants to imply that Hollywood is a white racist industry without saying for sure.  

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5 hours ago, Craig24 said:

Interesting choice of words.   It reminds me of the State Science Institute's report on Rearden Metal in AS.  

"It may be possible that after a period of heavy usage, a sudden fissure may appear, though the length of this period cannot be predicted..."

The author wants to imply that Hollywood is a white racist industry without saying for sure.  

I don't know for sure if it's racist or not.  

 

Nicky,

that's a good question. It probably is more of a demographics issue and less of a racist issue...  The majority in the U.S. Is white so that is why there are not that many minority films?   I still think it has to be tough being a minority actor... 

What would you say to a minority actor who isn't getting that many roles because there aren't that many roles out there for his race? And the roles that he does get are stereotypical.  

This is important I think because a lot of minority actors are buying the "Hollywood is rigged" notion.

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On 2/8/2016 at 8:44 AM, dadmonson said:

Nicky,

that's a good question. It probably is more of a demographics issue and less of a racist issue...

Then you should answer it. It's not a demographic issue. There are millions of blacks in the US. More than enough to make a good movie.

Was there a black film-maker or actor who created something worth nominating for an Oscar, over the current nominees? Yes or no, and if yes, who?

On 2/8/2016 at 8:44 AM, dadmonson said:

The majority in the U.S. Is white so that is why there are not that many minority films?  I still think it has to be tough being a minority actor... 

What would you say to a minority actor who isn't getting that many roles because there aren't that many roles out there for his race?

I would tell him the same thing I tell anyone who complains about not being able to find a job: jobs are infinite. Grab a camera and a few friends and make a movie. There you go, you just got a role in a movie. Hollywood doesn't have to give you a job, to have a job.

Which brings me back to my original question: has any black film-maker or actor done that, and created something better than the stuff that's nominated? Keep in mind that I don't care about production values or special effects. I'm perfectly open to a $10,000 movie, if the people making it/ in it are talented and have done a good job. In fact there are lots of cheap movies that I absolutely love, to the point where I might actually be biased towards cheap movies (and I'm not alone, many people are).

The movie Primer for instance cost $7,000, won at Sundance, and made a lot of money (half a million in theaters alone...many times more on DVD, I'm sure). So why do you need Hollywood to give you a job? Make a movie like that, and then ask Hollywood for a job. If they still won't give you one, then I'll start entertaining the notion that they're racist.

 

Edited by Nicky
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1 hour ago, Nicky said:

Then you should answer it. It's not a demographic issue. There are millions of blacks in the US. More than enough to make a good movie.

Was there a black film-maker or actor who created something worth nominating for an Oscar, over the current nominees? Yes or no, and if yes, who?

I would tell him the same thing I tell anyone who complains about not being able to find a job: jobs are infinite. Grab a camera and a few friends and make a movie. There you go, you just got a role in a movie. Hollywood doesn't have to give you a job, to have a job.

Which brings me back to my original question: has any black film-maker or actor done that, and created something better than the stuff that's nominated? Keep in mind that I don't care about production values or special effects. I'm perfectly open to a $10,000 movie, if the people making it/ in it are talented and have done a good job. In fact there are lots of cheap movies that I absolutely love, to the point where I might actually be biased towards cheap movies (and I'm not alone, many people are).

The movie Primer for instance cost $7,000, won at Sundance, and made a lot of money (half a million in theaters alone...many times more on DVD, I'm sure). So why do you need Hollywood to give you a job? Make a movie like that, and then ask Hollywood for a job. If they still won't give you one, then I'll start entertaining the notion that they're racist.

 

 I didn't know any black movies or actors that should replace the current nominees that is why I didn't answer your question outright. It made me think more about the issue, that is why I said that it was a good question...  You could say that I should've thought about it more before I asked the question on here but I didn't.

I don't care if people dislike me on here because I ask questions such as this... my emotional knee-jerk response when I heard Jada Smith complaining was something like: "She's just whining and pulling the race card!" but I can't form a good opinion on an issue based on just a knee-jerk emotional response such as that.

Playing a devil's advocate of sorts have served me well and I'm going to continue to do it.

From Ayn Rand Answers

The Best of Her Q & A

 

Is there any validity to the technique of the devil’s advocate?

 

AR: Yes, it’s very valuable. Playing devil's advocate means assuming a role opposite to your own conviction; advocating ideas the "devil" would throw at you. This technique trains you to answer every objection to your position. It's a good way to test your ideas, because if you encounter an objection you can't answer, you better find the answer or correct your thinking. (pgs. 178-179)

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  • 1 month later...

I would just add one more thing to my above post: Hollywood (the big production companies) are not hiring newcomers, black or white. They hire proven talent.

The only realistic way to get hired by Hollywood is to make it some place else, first. Indie movies, cable television, theater, stand up comedy, etc. Then you can become a movie star or famous filmmaker.

It used to be that people with no experience would pack up and move to LA, spend years in menial jobs, going to interviews, hoping to get "discovered". And I'm sure some still do that. But, these days, it's a terrible idea, because there are so many better options...LA is no longer the only place where good entertainment is produced, now, with technological advances, it can be, and is being produced, everywhere. Which doesn't just mean that you don't have to move to LA and hope Hollywood gives you a job, it also means that doing that is pointless. Hollywood no longer needs to search for hidden talent, because there's plenty of talent out in the open (people who have shown their abilities by working outside of Hollywood). If you're an extra in Hollywood movies, you're going to stay an extra forever. They won't bother evaluating and grooming you to be something more.

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