Director Spike Lee delivered a condemning speech about the lack of diversity in Hollywood Saturday night while accepting his honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards.
In the 17-minute speech Lee stated, "It's easier to be the president of the United States as a black person than to be the head of a studio." Lee also went on to state, "Everybody in here probably voted for [Barack] Obama, but when I go to offices, I see no black folks except brotherman and the security guard who checks my name on the list as I go into the studio. We need to have some serious discussion about diversity and get some flava up in this," the LA Times reported.
The 58-year-old Hollywood veteran was presented with his award by Samuel L. Jackson, Wesley Snipes and Denzel Washington. Washington credited Lee with helping the problem by stating "Spike Lee has put more African-Americans to work in this business than anyone else," reports USA Today.
In front of a crowd of over 600 actors, writers, directors, publicists, executives, press and other guests, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences president Cheryl Boone Isaacs also called on the entertainment industry to start making a change by proposing a new academy initiative. The initiative is a five-year plan calling for a commitment to train, mentor, encourage and hire a diverse workforce.