Wow, there were a lot of black faces in the front rows of the Dolby Theatre on Sunday night.
The producers of the Academy Awards reacted to complaints that none of the 20 acting nominees this year were African-American by prominently featuring as many dark complexions as possible.
Host Neil Patrick Harris did bits with David Oyelowo, Chiwetel Ejiofor and, most tediously, Octavia Spencer. Presenters included Viola Davis, Lupita Nyong’o and Idris Elba.
(While we are spell-checking, what’s with Hollywood giving so many great black roles to British actors? Aren’t there enough African-American actors to play African-Americans?)
Common and John Legend sang “Glory” to a tearful standing ovation and then won Oscars for the song from “Selma.”
Viewers might not have realized that the movie industry is dominated by old, white men. The members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences shamefully are 94 percent white, 76 percent male and an average of 63 years old.
The altacockers were, mercifully, hidden away in the back and the balcony.
When Harris made a joke no one got, singling out Oprah Winfrey and calling her “rich,” she looked like she wanted to strangle him with his tighty-whities.