Diversity at Emmys is skin deep

On Sept. 17, the 69th Emmy Awards celebrated the talent of an array of entertainers in television. Like any other large scale award show, the Emmys try to appear progressive every year. Unfortunately this is displayed by exemplifying the power of the white hands it is in.

One way is having a handful of “black firsts” at every ceremony.

So many subcategories allow for more attempts to diversify headlines.

Actress Lena Waithe is the first African-American woman to win Outstanding Writing for Comedy Series.

It has always been seen as a feat for black people to do the same things white people do.

If we want to get so specific, why not give her three separate awards for being the first black gay woman to win in this category?

Sterling K. Brown’s acceptance speech for Best Actor in a Drama was cut short by the orchestra, then his mic was cut off completely after assuring the audience that he was not going to let the music drown him out.

Meanwhile, fellow white recipients in other categories were allowed extended speeches.

African-American actress Gabrielle Union shared in a passive-aggressive tweet that she had been invited to the Emmys for the first time after being in movies and TV for more than 20 years and was still not nominated for an award, but called upon to present one.

“Overnight success!” she wrote with a smiley emoji.

The show reached an ultimate low point when Sean Spicer, former White House secretary, took the stage and delivered a short speech mocking his press conferences about the size of Donald Trump’s inauguration crowd.

“This will be the largest audience to witness an Emmys period, both in person and around the world,” Spicer said.

Anti-Trump America does not appreciate Spicer lying in front of the entire country from the White House and then trying to turn his former propaganda role into a lighthearted joke, as if he never backed the words of this dictator.

Spicer, who resigned from his position in July due to his objection of Anthony Scaramucci being hired as White House communications director, brought his resentment from the job to the Awards.

The insensitivity of this joke sat well with followers of “Saturday Night Live,” showing that the powers that be do not care about the emotional well-being of its viewers.

The only concern is appeasing the audience and maintaining the glamorous, white demeanor of the Emmy Awards.

The powers that be never have to see the faces of people watching at home, whom statements like this affect. Only the porcelain smiles that reflect approval onto the stage.

The Awards’ progress in diversity will remain stagnant until the stakeholders of the Academies’ almost entirely white boards that present the Emmy’s use their power to show true support for its whole audience.

Representation of all people is required to relate to them.

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Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the Campus Times Editorial Board.

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