#OscarsSoWhite-debatten dominerede dette års Oscar-show, hvor de fleste af vært Chris Rocks oneliners og flere prisuddelere fokuserede på den betændte debat.
Flere har siden bemærket, at mangfoldighedsdebatten ikke handler kun om sorte, men også om hispanics, native americans og amerikanere med asiatisk afstamning. Og den asiatiske minoritet så i hvert fald intet tegn på forandring ved årets show, hvor Chris Rock fremstillede asiatiske børn som matematikgenier, og Sacha Baron Cohens gjorde grin med »those yellow men with tiny dongs – you know, Minions«.
I et brev til Akademiet er et stort antal asiater i filmindustrien gået sammen for at gøre opmærksom på problematikken. »Vi vil gerne vide, hvordan så smagløse og anstødelige sketches kunne foregå, og hvilke forholdsregler I tager jer for at undgå så ubetænksomme eller direkte fordomme og racisme mod en hvilken som helst gruppe i de fremtidige Oscar-shows«, skriver de. Brevet er underskrevet af filmskabere som Ang Lee og skuespillere som Sandra Oh og George Takei.
Oscar-akademiet har svaret på brevet, og svaret er kommet frem i medierne: »Akademiet værdsætter de bekymringer, der er rejst, og fortryder hvert aspekt af Oscar-showet, der var anstødelige. Vi er forpligtede til at gøre vores bedste for at sikre, at materiale i kommende shows vil være mere kulturelt fintfølende«.
Læs det fulde brev herunder og se også Chris Rock og Sacha Baron Cohens optræderne, der skabte grobund for brevet.
March 9, 2016
Cheryl Boone Isaacs, President
Dawn Hudson, CEO
Members of the Board of Governors
Reginald Hudlin and David Hill, Oscars® Producers
Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences
8949 Wilshire Boulevard
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
RE: “Oscars: Why Make Cheap Jokes at the Expense of Asians?”
(Hollywoodreporter.com)
“The Oscars anti-Asian racism was alive and well.”
(PsychologyToday.com)
“Asian-American Jab at Oscars reveals deeper diversity woes”
(Associated Press, Salon.com)
Dear Cheryl, Dawn, Members of the Board of Governors, Reginald and David:
We are writing as Academy members of Asian descent to express our complete surprise and disappointment with the targeting of Asians at the 88th Oscars telecast and its perpetuation of racist stereotypes.
In light of criticism over #OscarsSoWhite, we were hopeful that the telecast would provide the Academy a way forward and the chance to present a spectacular example of inclusion and diversity. Instead, the Oscars show was marred by a tone-deaf approach to its portrayal of Asians.
We’d like to know how such tasteless and offensive skits could have happened and what process you have in place to preclude such unconscious or outright bias and racism toward any group in future Oscars telecasts.
We look forward to hearing from you about this matter and about the concrete steps to ensure that all people are portrayed with dignity and respect.
We are proud that the Oscars reach several hundred million people around the world of whom 60% are Asians and potential moviegoers.
Sincerely,
Don Hall, Sound Branch, John A. Bonner Medal of Commendation, Academy Governor, 18 years
Freida Lee Mock, Documentary Branch, Academy Award@ winner, Academy Governor, 6 years
Arthur Dong, Documentary Branch, Academy Award@ nominee, Academy Governor, 4 years
Ang Lee, Directors Branch, Two-time Academy Award@ winner
Chris Tashima, Shorts and Feature Animation Branch, Academy Award@ winner
Christine Choy, Documentary Branch, Academy Award@ nominee
David Magdael, Public Relations Branch
France Nuyen, Actors Branch
George Takei, Actors Branch
Janet Yang, Producers Branch
Jessica Yu, Documentary Branch, Academy Award winner@AMPAS
Jodi Long, Actors Branch
Laura Kim, Public Relations Branch
Marcus Hu, Executives Branch
Maysie Hoy, Film Editors Branch
Nancy Kwan, Actors Branch
Peter Kwong, Actors Branch
Renee Tajima-Pena, Documentary Branch, Academy Award® nominee
Rithy Panh, Documentary Branch, Academy Award® nominee
Ruby Yang, Documentary Branch, Academy Award@ winner
Sandra Oh, Actors Branch
Steven Okazaki, Documentary Branch, Academy Award® winner
Teddy Zee, Executives Branch
William Hoy, Film Editors Branch
Yung Chang, Documentary Branch