The recent social media flurry spawned by the dispute between Hollywood director/producer Lee Daniels' and Academy Award winning actress, Mo'Nique, concerning the catalyst of her being blackballed by the movers and shakers in Hollywood, inevitably stirred the all too familiar rhetoric. Black rhetoric, that is.
Whether the topic is Ava Duvernay being overlooked, the lack of depth and diversity in the types of black projects being produced, the absence of authenticity in the re-telling of stories centered around black and/or African history, or the bold perpetuation of shamelessly stereotypical imagery, one utterance will ALWAYS resurface: If we really want to see change, we have to do it ourselves; start producing and directing our own projects. If the topic is fuel for discussion is far reaching enough, we might even see my personal favorite(not really) reiteration: There are enough black people with money and power for us to start our own studios and make the kids of films that we want to see. The BIG problem with that second one is three-fold. One, you cannot earmark someone else's money. Two, who is "us" and "our", and what exactly are the movies that "we" want to see? Judging by the box office "we" aren't making a very strong case for breaking away from formulaic Hollywood and it's stereotype-filled faire.
In any case, there are plenty of black movers and shakers in Hollywood, but the problem is that they are in Hollywood, and Hollywood is not just a place, but a self-contained culture and political system as well. Black actors, directors, and producers, rich and "successful" though they may appear or be, have a tenuous position regardless. Like the plight of any other employee, working for any other company....if your name isn't on the the front of the building that you're working in, you can be replaced if need be, without too much hardship to the company as a whole. There isn't a super-producer, mega-director, or blockbuster film actor/actress PERIOD - black/white/asian/martian, that could create a blip, let alone cripple the Hollywood machine by their departure from Hollywood. That said, let's dial take a step or two back and look at the more insidious problem. Psychology and the need for validation.
There are more than a handful of rich black actor/producers, producer/directors, packagers, writers, publicists, etc. There are enough financiers as well. So really, the issue at hand is a matter of distribution; marketing and dispersing the project at hand accessible to broader audiences. In this day and age, access to internet gives anyone with enough motivation, the ability to distribute a project as far and wide as their money and ambition will take him/her. So Hollywood per se isn't the ultimate stopping block for would be projects desiring to find audiences. The issue is that the vast majority of black actors, directors, producers, would much rather play along within the Hollywood system, in order to have access to the main stream audience(and approval), than step outside of that network and risk the possibility of ruffling the feathers of the power brokers.
Lee Daniels' all but spelled out how one must play the game in Hollywood, and proudly validated his willingness to "sell himself" in efforts to continue in good standing with those in power. He also indicated that Mo'Nique's troubles came about as a result of her not playing the game. It is a rare thing to witness public affirmation of the dynamics that have always been whispered about and suspected, but never revealed.
Every day aspiring actors and actresses make their way to Hollywood to pursue success, and their dreams of stardom. More and more, I find myself wondering what exactly it is that they consider as successful. To be rich and famous, but just another interchangeable cog in the Hollywood wheel, fearful of and beholden to their master(boss)? Or to carve out a career steered by a conscience of integrity, that is both exceptional and unique, and realize the success that accompanies that?
Of course those are rhetorical questions. The continued success and succession of projects by Tyler Perry, Lee Daniels, Kevin Hart, among others of that ilk, provides a clear and distinct answer....albeit an unfortunate one.
Nevertheless, we will continue to fight the good fight, in pursuit of diversity, innovation, and excellence. Let the chips fall where they will.
As our *Mexican revolutionary brother, Emeliano Zapata Salazar once said:
"Prefiero morir de pie, que vivir siempre arrolliado!"
Translation: "I prefer to die on my feet, than to live forever on my knees."
*An often overlooked fact about Emiliano Zapata, is that he was in fact an Afro-mexican. -You can chew on that for now. we'll be covering that subject in an upcoming post on blackness versus nationality.
