Hollywood, the time is now for allyship
Doesn't it feel like a revolution has begun?As much as we have been here before — with protests and calls for change — right now feels different on so many levels.In the midst of a rapidly evolving culture, we've started this newsletter by yours truly. We'll be popping into your inbox with the latest entertainment happenings and how they reflect these times, when we all need to step up and stand up for what's right.The death of George Floyd didn't just break hearts, it appears to actually be spurring people to action.Even in Hollywood, the land of make believe, people are getting real about racism.Just this week Jimmy Kimmel apologized for performing in blackface and both "30 Rock" and "Scrubs" pulled episodes containing scenes with blackface.Seriously though, who ever thought blackface was funny? Apparently, most of Hollywood because folks have STILL been doing it. Perhaps no more.More than 300 performers and execs with the Hollywood4BlackLives initiative are calling on the industry to put some work into being anti-racist by investing in the careers of Black people working in entertainment, as well as the Black community.The initiative is a part of the BLD PWR organization founded by actor/activist Kendrick Sampson, who currently stars as Nathan on the HBO series, "Insecure."Nathan is that cutie many viewers are pulling for to win back Issa's heart on that show, but in real life Sampson is a passionate activist who was beaten with a baton and shot by rubber bullets during a recent demonstration in Los Angeles. Also this week, Jenny Slate and Kristen Bell announced that they were leaving their roles on animated series to make way for actresses of color.Slate said she was stepping aside from voicing a mixed-race character on Netflix's "Big Mouth" because "Black characters on an animated show should be played by Black people," and Bell dipped out of a mixed-race character role on "Central Park" on Apple TV+, citing "a lack of awareness of my pervasive privilege."Come through, allyship! People don't willingly mess with their coins unless they are serious about making a change.
Speaking of allies…
Legendary country stars The Dixie Chicks have dropped the "Dixie." While the "Dixie" part denotes the glory of the South to some, let's just say "the good ol' days" weren't so good for all. The Chicks — as they will now be known — are keeping pace with the winds of change.Kind of like the newly contextualized "Gone With the Wind," which returned to HBO Max this week with a disclaimer regarding the classic film's inadequate portrayal of "the horrors of slavery" and two extras about why the film was pulled from CNN's sister streaming service in the first place.
Get into 'The Zone'
My colleague Brian Lowry has a look at the second season of "The Twilight Zone" reboot, which drops Friday on CBS All Access.I loved his exploration of the original series and how it "dealt with issues that resonate to this day.""Those include, in no particular order, racism, loneliness, the fragile nature of society, and the enduring notion that tRead More – Source
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