It's so damned BLATANT. That'd be like if Andy Serkis or Martin Freeman were the only people to win Academy Awards with Black Panther up for a bunch of noms. Like ... REALLY? The ONLY or nearly only white character with time in an otherwise POC movie, takes the Oscar over one of the POC leads in the same film who, from what I hear, did a great job?

So. EFFING. Blatant. This is why I stopped watching the Oscars nearly twenty years ago. That, and I don't find it timely or relevant in anything but its racism and occasional pandering. I didn't even know it'd aired until the next day when I saw posts and articles about Angela Bassett's reaction. Then seeing the clip, and that one actress that mouthed "WTF--" was a far less composed and considerate--though, yeah, genuine--reaction, I was blown away. The media is focusing on Angela Bassett's look of hurt and disappointment as if those aren't natural human emotions that are seen EVERY FEW MINUTES during the Oscars and which no one can always control ... not even an actor or her caliber.AND WHY SHOULD SHE HAVE? Disappointment at the Oscars is why the show gets any ratings at all! SMDH.

"Hey, Auntie..." Warmed my heart and gave me LIFE. I hope that it did the same for Angela Bassett. She is LOVED and those who know her or have even just seen her excellent body of work, respect her and have so much affection and awe for her.

I hope she takes comfort and heart from the fact that when she didn't get the Oscar she'd EARNED with "What's Love Got to Do With It?" then didn't get it again decades later, the level of outrage on her behalf and the behalf of other Black actresses forging paths and breaking barriers was even deeper and stronger. Has even more staying power. She doesn't have an Oscar but she's got a lot of kinfolk, many of whom are skinfolk, that will NEVER not root for her and support her. ESPECIALLY NOW. And that's better than a worthless, throwaway statuette that looks like a Claire's bracelet charm that was too big and tacky to sell for anything but ninety percent off--even among thirteen year olds.

Sorry for the rant ... this all has me feeling a kinda way and I don't even watch the damn Oscars EXACTLY because of this longstanding BS. WONDERFUL, well written article that hit EVERY point it needed to. Thank you for this <3