Stacey Dash calls Oscars boycott "ludicrous"
Stacey Dash has a lot to say on the 2016 Oscars boycott.
On Wednesday, the "Clueless" actor and Fox News contributor took issue with the lack of diversity in this year's list of Academy Awards nominees while chatting with Steve Doocy on "Fox & Friends" - but says the boycott stars including Jada Pinkett Smith have called for won't work.
"I think it's ludicrous," she said. "Because we have to make up our minds. Either we want segregation or integration."
The outspoken actress, who turned 49 on Wednesday, also stated that she's glad the issue has finally received some attention, but in order for things to change, we need to get rid of the "double standard" currently in place.
"If we don't want segregation, then we need to get rid of channels like BET, and the BET Awards and the Image Awards, where you're only awarded if you're black," she explained. "If it were the other way around, we would be up in arms. It's a double standard."
Dash continued on, arguing that because there's no White History Month, a Black History Month shouldn't exist either.
"What I find astounding is that we've had a president who is black in office for the past eight years, who gets most of his funding from the liberal elite in Hollywood," she added, referring to President Barack Obama. "Yet, there are not very many roles for people of color. How can that be? And why is it just now being addressed?"
A few celebrities, including Spike Lee and Jada Pinkett Smith, are boycotting this year's ceremony, as they are frustrated that an all-white list of nominees in the acting categories was announced for the second year in a row. Doocy brought up the fact that he understands why Smith would be angry, as her husband, Will Smith, wasn't nominated for his role in "Concussion."
"He did a great job in the movie, but at the same time, what does that say about how people are selected for these awards?" Doocy asked Dash.
"Right. That's assuming they're selected by race, which I think would be a disservice to the people who are looking at the films and making the choices," she said. "Maybe [the Academy] need[s] to be more, you know, integrated, and there needs to be more diverse people in the process of electing."
Doocy then explained that, although the Academy demographics are kept secret, he claims they are "predominately white males" based on investigations that have come to light.
"I hope they're looking for the best movies and the best actors," Dash said in response to Doocy's statement. "The good news is, there's attention brought to it now. But, like I said, over the past eight years, we've had a president who's black, who gets his funding mainly from Hollywood. 'The elite liberals.' So, it's odd to me that this has now become such an issue."
Following Dash's remarks, BET took to Twitter to respond, writing, "Soooooo @REALStaceyDash can we get our check back... or nah? #Remember #YouWereOnTheGame #AndWeDontMeanTheRapper." The post was accompanied with a screenshot of an episode of "The Game," a comedy series on the network. Dash played Camille Rose on the show from 2009 to 2011.
🤔 Soooooo @REALStaceyDash can we get our check back... or nah?
#Remember
#YouWereOnTheGame
#AndWeDontMeanTheRapper pic.twitter.com/2vWq03J0c9
— BET (@BET) January 20, 2016
This, of course, isn't the first time Dash has spoken out against issues she's passionate about. Last February, she also made an appearance on "Fox & Friends" where she revealed she was "appalled" by the 2015 Academy Awards ceremony, specifically calling out Patricia Arquette for her lack of history knowledge.
Last month, Dash was suspended for two weeks by Fox News after delivering NSFW language on-air while talking about Obama's speech on terrorism one night earlier.
"I didn't feel any passion from him," Dash said. "I feel like he could give a sh*t -- excuse me -- he could care less."
Press play on the video below to hear more.