Snoop Dogg is the latest celebrity to throw shade at the Academy Awards. He posted a profanity-laden video last night, saying “Somebody asked me ‘was I gonna watch the muthafuckin’ Oscars?’ Fuck no. What the fuck imma watch that bullshit for?” He goes on to specifically call out the lack of black actors and actresses nominated this year. 50 Cent also entered the conversation, posting a photo of Chris Rock and pleading with this year’s host to bail on the awards show.
With posts like Snoop and 50 Cent’s floating around the internet, it’s going to be an uphill battle for Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs, who released a statement last night in response to flak the Academy has been receiving in news media and social channels. The statement admits there is a diversity issue in Hollywood, and promises “big changes.” Isaacs, who is the first black woman to be appointed president of the Academy, says that “the Academy is taking big steps to alter the makeup of our membership.” Read the full statement above.
The Academy president's statement jives with something Spike Lee said in his Instagram post yesterday, as the Academy tries to put more minority voices in places of power (in this case the Oscar voting members). No matter what changes are made, this years’ nominees are not going to be among them.