BET Founder Suggests Hollywood Studios Should Lose Money, Because Diversity

Yesterday, we brought you hand-wringing from Hollywood over the lack of diversity in this year’s nominations for the Academy Awards. Today, we bring you reaction from Black Entertainment Television founder Robert L. Johnson, care of Variety, who suggests:

Engage the studios to encourage the casting of more African-Americans in films with black themes. “For example, why were ‘Gladiator,’ starring Russell Crowe, or ‘Braveheart,’ starring Mel Gibson, both greenlit, but not films based on the true story of the African general Hannibal or the African chief and warrior Shaka Zulu?” Johnson asked, in a prepared statement. “If the answer is financial or there is a belief that there is a lack of cultural interest or identity in those stories, those issues need to be addressed with the studios.”

What does that mean? Is Johnson suggesting that studios be encouraged to make less money for the sake of diversity? It certainly appears so.

As noted previously, folks have abandoned reason in the quest for diversity. Their chief concern isn’t whether studios churn out the best product or otherwise run a good business, but that they serve a social agenda that only profits the fragile egos of Hollywood liberals.