New York native, Kerry Washington of the hit ABC drama, "Scandal", and late-night talk show host, Jimmy Kimmel announced the 64th Annual Primetime Emmy Nominations last week. While some may have been missing from television's golden list, there was one actor who was undoubtedly snubbed, leaving some calling it a "scandal".
Washington, handpicked by "Scandal" creator, Shonda Rhimes, was overlooked for the Emmy this year. The actress' talent is limitless on the ABC show and deserves as much praise as CBS', "The Good Wife", star, Julianna Margulies who also gives a stellar performance each week. While Margulies plays a wife of a jailed politician, Washington portrays a brilliant, attractive, and hardworking Ms."Fix-it" in the political arena. The character is much like Washington herself: a total package.
There are so many actors, both Black and White, the Emmy has eluded year after year. But when an African-American, particularly a woman, is killing it on television once a week on a well-written, well-directed, and skillfully acted show, the script that we know all too well called "racism", begins to creep into the psyche.
Ok. It's not like the Oscars where you can count on both hands (with fingers to spare) the African-American winners. There have been several Afro-Americans to win the Emmy, but still less than 50. It is not being said here that Washington should win the Emmy to end racism in America. It is to simply state that because there are so little meaty scripts, therefore, sometimes resulting in accolades, being given to Black female performers, when there is an in-your-face outstanding performance by a Black female actor, who has the number one show on television, she should unequivocally at least be acknowledged by the Academy of Television, Arts & Sciences.
Why is this important? Because it is. And it's going to stay important until we no longer see it necessary to count how many Blacks have won the Emmy. Until then, overlooking Black talent should be labeled a "scandal".
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