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Racial Bias And Discrimination Of Hollywood : Race And Racism In Hollywood

Decent Essays

Hollywood has been poisoned by racism to a point where it is unacceptable. For years, the entertainment industry has treated colored actors in an unjustifiable way and consistently put them in discriminatory situations. The racial bias and unfairness present in Hollywood have been seen through factors such as Oscar nominations and casting, as well as the actions of filmmakers.
For two consecutive years, the Oscars excluded non-white nominees from the four acting categories, resulting in a nation-wide uproar. The question hanging in the air–Is Hollywood racist?–was answered by host Chris Rock with a straightforward, firm yes, when he stated, “‘You’re damn right Hollywood’s racist, but not the racist that you’ve grown accustomed to. Hollywood is sorority racist’” (Griggs 1). Rock didn’t refer to the entertainment industry as malicious, but rather immature and picky, and in doing so quickly simplified the complexity of this disgusting example of favoritism. Nevertheless, the 2016 Oscars was a time for everyone, actors and fans alike, to take a stand for the disturbing lack of equality. The angered messages peopled shared on a global scale reflected James Baldwin’s words in his “A Talk to Teachers”, as he explained, “The obligation of anyone who thinks of himself as responsible is to examine society and try to change it and to fight it–at no matter what risk. This is the only hope society has. This is the only way societies change” (Baldwin 679). Baldwin emphasized the

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