It's already begun: the tongue wagging about the Oscar Awards. Here's the break down - The Academy is satisfied and very pleased with itself for "giving" what was rightfully ours years ago. Denzel and Halle are long over due for an Oscar. Had it not been for Hollywood's sweetheart, Ms.-Can-Do-No-Wrong-Julia Roberts being so verbal and drawing attention to the racism that exists, I think Denzel's fine ass would have had to wait yet another year.

This award was not for Training Day - but in some sense for his entire body of work. His outstanding ability to hurl himself into his character and the complexity of past roles, that has made him not just one of the best African-American actors in Hollywood, but one of the top 5 actors in Hollywood regardless of race. The man is up there with Tom Hanks, Russell Crowe, Robert Deniro, and anyone else you want to bring to the table. Hollywood knows this, his fellow colleagues have known this for sometime, and now he has an Oscar to show that the Academy is still full of shit but when you are as good as him, they can't ignore you forever. This was an acknowledgement of his talent that could no longer be denied or go unnoticed. It just happened to be at a time, when the movie that he won the Oscar for was good and entertaining, but we all know that the character that he played was not his most complicated role. This nomination was not about Training Day, in fact - it showed me, just how fixed all of this award shit truly is. Did they all sit around at a table over Sherry and Cuban cigars and argue about giving "Us" our day like they did in various states about observing Martin Luther King's Birthday as a national holiday? Hell, they killed 2 birds with one stone giving Halle her props. Everyone is mistaken- if Blacks think that we got the shit on lock now and the Academy will recognize us for the next 73 years and Whites are mistaken to think that we should be pacified cuz neither is the case.

Blacks should not think that for now on, we will be leading contenders for high-ranking awards. And I don't think there are too many that truly believe that these awards aren't fixed and politically biased. It's easier to get an invitation to the White House than it is to be recognized by this racist ass "Academy".

Whites should know that if you give us an inch, we'll want a mile, which was most likely, the reasoning behind years of neglect by the "Academy". Yes, Halle and Denzel's awards will go down in the history books, but they're not consistent with real life.

As for Halle Berry, I have to say that she is a wonderful actress, I have thoroughly enjoyed most of her movies but I am not surprised that she was finally the one to break "the glass ceiling". If you read my review of Monster's Ball on playahata.com, you will see why I feel this way - but for your benefit - I will reiterate my opinion J

Halle is talented, that goes without saying. She is beautiful, that also is a given, Halle is biracial which gives her a uniqueness and accessibility that not all Black actresses and actors have. Halle's type of beauty is seen by Hollywood to appeal to all races of men and women alike. She is safe for Hollywood and at many times is like a blank canvas - she can reflect visually whatever is the call of the day. She doesn't challenge barriers and she doesn't perpetuate any stereotypes. She has "mass appeal" and much like the India Arie vs. Alicia Keys controversy - she is more marketable - [however that is the end of the comparison]. Angela Basset, who is also a superbly talented actress, did not have this appeal or so Hollywood thought, but since when did White men become open about what they find truly sexy and stimulating? We all know, as also explained in Monster's Ball, that white men have had a fascination with black women for centuries. And not Halle Berry/Alicia Keys Black women - but Whoopi Goldberg/Angela Basset/Cicely Tyson Black women but still maintained they hated Black people. How is that possible? It is the duality on which this country was built and has since operated.

Halle can act, was this her best role to date? - HELL NO! I would say that is wasn't by far. Hollywood is the one with the fucking hang-ups. They get away with bullshit all the time and sit back and allow the public to argue with one another because they know, that no form of organized resistance will be implemented to deal with the heart of the problem - which is racism. Once you start to chip away at the foundation of anything it will crumble but ONLY if the change has been through public outcry and internal restructuring. This shit isn't going to stop because this Academy is still allowed to GIVE awards. Nothing has been done to alter the STRUCTURE! Give me a damn break; they might throw us a fucking cookie for now on, just to keep us quiet.

The common denominator to both movies in which an Oscar Award winning African-American actor and actress won, was the fact that each of the awardees portrayed a demeaning black character - a stereotype. Halle was a single mother, married to a death-row inmate who was a convicted cop killer of a white policeman. She dressed provocatively and seemed to be in heat like an animal - and I still liked the movie - if you can believe it. Denzel played a dirty ass cop, who was profane, ghetto-fabulous, and was the stereotype of all black males accept he had a badge. THIS IS WHAT WON THE OSCAR AWARDS LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!

Congratulations to both Halle Berry and Denzel Washington who both deserve their awards, just not on the basis in which they were awarded or the roles for that matter either ....

The views and opinions expressed herein by the author do not necessarily represent the opinions or position of Playahata.com.