Was Selma's best picture nomination a "make up" call?

Unless you've been asleep for the last 24 plus hours you have heard or read the uproar over the lack of Oscar nominations for Ava DuVernay's movie, Selma. Although the picture was nominated for best picture, it missed out on what many thought would be sure bets for best director (Ava DuVernay) and best actor (David Oyelowo). Now some thinks it's due to racism at worst or the lack of diversity among the Academy Awards voters at best. (I personally think it's because the voters couldn't properly pronounce their names.) Most of the voters are white males over 65, so it goes to figure that the overwhelming majority of those nominated or white and male.

Now I know some are asking, "Well George if that's true how in the hell did Selma get nominated?"

Well I'm glad you asked that. If you have ever watched a basketball game you know there's something known as a "makeup" call. That's when the referees make a bad or questionable call on one team and then make it up to that team by making a bad call the other way. No referee will admit this happens, but we all know that it does. I think that's what happened with Selma getting a best picture nomination.

To be honest I don't even think that Selma was originally among the best picture nominees. I think that after the tallies were done someone looked at them and said, "Hey guys we didn't nominate any black people for sh*t!"

In my mind the conversation, after that was discovered, went something like this:

Old White Guy #1: What's that you say?

Old White Guy #2: We didn't nominate anyone of color.

Old White Guy #3: What about that black director that made that movie about Martin Luther King?

Old white Guy #4: You mean Spike Lee?

Old White Guy #2: Are there any other black directors?

Old White Guy #1: Well just put Spike's name up there.

Old White Guy #3: What about the voters?

Old white Guy #4: Trust me, they won't notice. It's not like they actually read the ballot.

Old White Guy #1: Hey wait a minute we can nominate up to ten movies for best picture, and we only nominated eight!

Old White Guy #2: Great idea, we just need a movie with black people.

Old White Guy #4: Oh, I vote for Ride Along!

Old White Guy #1: Didn't Tyler Perry make a movie this year?

Old White Guy #2: Guys! We can just put the Martin Luther King movie in that spot, and we will have added a tad of diversity. It's not like it will win anyway.

Old White Guy #1: Agreed!

Old White Guy #3: Agreed!

Old White Guy #4: Agreed!

Yup, that what I believe happened. Selma's addition to the Best Picture category was a makeup call. What do you think?

George L. Cook III, AfricanAmericanReports.com Email: georgelcookiii@gmail.com

Spike Lee Comments On ‘Selma’ Oscar Snubs

During an interview with Marlow Stern at The Daily Beast film director Spike Lee commented on the Oscar snubs of Selma for best director. Read his colorful comments below:

“Join the club!” Lee chuckled, before getting serious. “But that doesn’t diminish the film. Nobody’s talking about motherfuckin’ Driving Miss Daisy. That film is not being taught in film schools all across the world like Do the Right Thing is. Nobody’s discussing Driving Miss Motherfuckin’ Daisy. So if I saw Ava today I’d say, ‘You know what? Fuck ’em. You made a very good film, so feel good about that and start working on the next one.”

“Anyone who thinks this year was gonna be like last year is retarded,” said Lee. “There were a lot of black folks up there with 12 Years a Slave, Steve [McQueen], Lupita [Nyong’o], Pharrell. It’s in cycles of every 10 years. Once every 10 years or so I get calls from journalists about how people are finally accepting black films. Before last year, it was the year [in 2002] with Halle Berry, Denzel [Washington], and Sidney Poitier. It’s a 10-year cycle. So I don’t start doing backflips when it happens.”

Read the full article here: Spike Lee Blasts ‘Selma’ Oscar Snubs: ‘You Know What? F*ck ’Em’

Slain French police officer, Clarissa Jean-Philippe awarded Legion of Honor

27 year old Clarissa Jean-Phillippe was one of three police officers killed last week by terrorist in France. She along with officers Ahmed Merebet and Franck Brinsolaro were awarded France's highest honor, the Legion of Honor by President François Hollande during a memorial ceremony in their honor.

Clarissa had only been on the job for 15 days and had not even received her diploma certifying that she had met all of the requirements to become a police officer. Her mother will receive her diploma. RIP Officer Jean-Philippe and her fallen comrades.

President Holland awarding Legion of Honor to Officer Jean-Philippe.

OWN to premiere follow up to Dark Girls titled Light Girls January 19, 2015

On January 19, 2015 OWN will premiere Bill Duke’s newest foray into complexion issues, Light Girls. The film is Bill Duke's follow to last years Dark Girls documentary. Watch the trailers below:

Kamala Harris announces run for US Senate.

California Attorney General Kamala Harris has announced that she will run for Sen. Barbara Boxer's seat after the announcement that Boxer will not be running again. Harris released the following statement via her campaign website today:

I’m excited to share with you that I’m launching my campaign to represent the people of California in the United States Senate.

Your support has been crucial to me every step of the way, and I’m asking you to help me build a grassroots campaign that reaches every community of California.

From my first days as a prosecutor in Alameda County, to my work as San Francisco District Attorney to my current service as California Attorney General, I have worked to bring smart, innovative and effective approaches to fighting crime, fighting for consumers and fighting for equal rights for all.

I want to be a voice for Californians on these issues and others that impact our state in the U.S. Senate. I will be a fighter for the next generation on the critical issues facing our country. I will be a fighter for middle class families who are feeling the pinch of stagnant wages and diminishing opportunity. I will be a fighter for our children who deserve a world-class education, and for students burdened by predatory lenders and skyrocketing tuition. And I will fight relentlessly to protect our coast, our immigrant communities and our seniors.

California has been incredibly well served by the transformational leadership of Senator Boxer and the continued service of Senator Feinstein. With your help, I hope to build on their legacies in the U.S. Senate.

I’m looking forward to seeing and talking with you in the coming days and months. In the meantime, I hope you will join me on this journey. We will do incredible things together.

Thank you,