Actress Stacey Dash Criticized Over Call To End Black History Month

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Stacey Dash, best known for her role in the 1990s flick "Clueless," is under fire after remarks she made in response to allegations over the lack of diversity among Oscars nominees.

"We have to make up our minds," Dash said. "Either we want to have segregation or integration, and if we don't want segregation, then we need to get rid of channels like BET [Black Entertainment Television] and the BET Awards and the Image Awards where you're only awarded if you're black."

"If it were the other way around, we would be up in arms," she said. "It's a double standard. Just like there shouldn't be a Black History Month. We're Americans. Period. That's it."

The 49-year-old Dash made the statements while appearing on a segment for Fox News, where she serves as a contributor, according to The Los Angeles Times.

She later took to Twitter, defending her statements:

Her statements came in the wake of the unveiling of another all-white slate of acting nominees for the Oscars, which has led many to express their displeasure and issue calls for a boycott of the Academy Awards.

The Rev. Al Sharpton called the lack of diversity among the nominees for the second straight year a "cultural insult." He upped the ante and called for viewers to tune out this year's Oscars.

Spike Lee, Jada Pinkett Smith, Snoop Dogg and Michael Moore have said they will not attend this year's ceremony nor will they be watching it next month.

"You can't say hocus pocus, presto changeo, and the [Academy] membership is gonna change overnight," said Lee who explained that he has not called for a broader boycott, but on "Good Morning America," said the lack of diversity in the nominations is an example of systematic problems in Hollywood.

Dash's comments, though, had many taking to Twitter:

Stacey Dash also needs to know niche programming isn't segregation either. Telemundo, WE, LOGO all niche but just get rid of BET? LMAO. Ok.

— Charlamagne Tha God (@cthagod) January 20, 2016

Debra Lee, the chairman and CEO of the BET Network, sent CBS Los Angeles a statement that said in part: "African American contributions to American culture are countless and we cannot and should not wait for anyone to acknowledge them … "

In looking at the number of actors and directors recruited to the Academy in 2015, 33 percent were non-white, as compared to 16 percent in 2014, and 49 percent in 2013.

The president of the Academy says change is not coming fast enough and will push for more diversity among the new members this year and beyond.