Will Emmy recognize this fall's diverse TV talent?

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Regina King is mad. The veteran actress and star of the TNT drama Southland recently penned a blog for The Huffington Post condemning the Emmy Awards for their lack of recognition of non-white actors in their ceremonies. She pointed out the fact that, since 1986, of the 1000 nominations that have been handed out in the top four acting categories (best actor/actress, best supporting actor/actress) only 53 have gone to non-white actors (only eight have won).

A cursory glance at the latest prime-time Emmy Awards ceremony would easily reveal what King claims: the Emmys are as “white as ever.” There were numerous people of color in attendance that night, but they only ever graced the stage as presenters. The work of non-white television actors was, and has been for some time, severely overlooked.

However subjective the award process may be, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (the body that awards Emmys) failed to recognize the talents of quite a few deserving actors and actresses of color. Nelsan Ellis and Rutina Wesley (who was wrongly identified as Regina King in a caption that ran as she appeared on screen, King was not in attendance) have done commendable work on HBO’s hit series True Blood, especially Ellis who brings life to arguably the most compelling character the show, Bon Temps resident chef/drug dealer/entrepreneur/all-around bad ass, Lafayette. Yvette Nicole Brown, Danny Pudi, and Donald Glover all turned in amazing comedic performances in the first season of NBC’s quirky hilarious sitcom Community and any of them could have easily received an Emmy nod. The Academy saw differently.

They can make the argument that there simply aren’t many roles being filled by non-white actors and as such finding actors and actresses to honor proves itself a difficult task. And surveying the lineups of major and cable networks, I would be inclined to agree. Black people in particular seem be more widely represented on “reality” TV shows/competitions, especially on VH1 which serves as home to a slew of reality dating competitions featuring black folks, as opposed to scripted dramas and comedies. Those who do manage to land roles on scripted shows are often auxiliary characters and not given the opportunity be featured prominently enough for Emmy voters to take note.

While that argument could weight for he current landscape, the “53 out of 1000” statistic accounts for every year since 1986. The “invisible wo/man” theory doesn’t hold up when looking at the post-Cosby show boom in representation of people color on television. It’s hard to believe that during their runs, show such as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Living Single, Martin, Girlfriends, Moesha, Half and Half, The Parent ‘Hood, Sister,Sister, The George Lopez Show, and a plethora of other simply flew under the Academy’s radar. So even when there was a ready pool of non-white candidates from which to choose, the Academy neglected to offer up even the hopes of nomination.
But these are a meritocracy, so we’re led to believe. They are awarded not on the basis of politics, a sense of entitlement, or some sort of obligation, but because of the quality of the work. If this is the case, then the onus is on non-white actors and actresses to choose (from their often limited options) quality roles and within those real create memorable characters, displaying the skill and range the Academy is prone to awarding.

If this is the case, however, how then does one explain how HBO’s The Wire, a show that remained critically-acclaimed throughout its five season run and is widely heralded as one of if not the greatest television series of all time, only managed to garner two Emmy nominations in duration of its time on the air (both of which were in the writing category)?

Not once did the Academy see fit to nominate Idris Elba, who was iconic as Stringer Bell, a drug kingpin with dreams of becoming a legitimate businessman, or Michael K. Williams who portrayed Omar Little, an unforgettable thief who inspired fear in the hearts of every dope dealer and hustler in Baltimore (the show’s setting) all while gaining the trust and respect of many members of the police department. Williams crafted one of most complex characters in television history: a likable anti-hero that challenged perceptions of homosexuality and traditional notions of masculinity. Apparently, the Academy needed more.

King is right to be upset and brave to speak out against the industry while being an active actress who depends on this line of work to make a living. Some could argue that she’s complaining about non-white actor not being rewarded when they should be grateful that the jobs are even there. But the lack of respect for the work of non-white actors and actresses displayed by Emmys is something worthy of critique. These awards and nominations are vital in the life of an actor, and if groups of people are being excluded and the only basis for that exclusion seems to be skin color, an adjustment needs to be made.

This fall season, there will be an influx of people of color on television. Next year, we’ll see how the Emmys respond.