O.J. Simpson received renewed attention over the past year, thanks to the miniseries “American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson” and the Oscar winning documentary “O.J.: Made In America.” And now it seems like things are good for the former NFL star and accused murderer; TMZ reports that many reality TV producers are scrambling to sign him if he is released early from prison in October. According to TMZ, some production companies reacted with disgust to the suggestion, while some were pretty eager to capitalize on Simpson’s fame.

Simpson is currently behind bars for armed robbery and kidnapping, which he was convicted of in 2008. He was supposed to serve 33 years, but he is now scheduled for a parole hearing in July that could lead to an early release. Simpson is not new to the reality show sphere; apart from starring in some movies and TV shows, he also participated in an early prank show called “Juiced.”

The talk about a new reality show is only speculative for the moment, and it is far from certain that he will be released in October, but the reports have already created some mixed feelings on social media.

@TMZ @vibe ESPECIALLY IF HE’S BEHIND YOU BUYING SOME GLOVES

— Morris Corley (@avenger2000es50) March 10, 2017

@HOT97 WTF i just woke up what is going on here

— Princyboy (@princyboy71) March 10, 2017

@CNN just let him out. Who really cares, #Trump is President, and the @Cubs won the @WorldSeries. The end of the world is clearly near.

— The Politcal Pulse (@Politicalpulse1) March 8, 2017

A reality show with Casey Anthony and OJ Simpson called “Killin It”

— Ryan Broems (@ryanbroems) March 2, 2017

Simpson also wrote a memoir, called “If I Did It,” which bizarrely went through how he would have killed his ex-wife Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman, if he had been the perpetrator. The book was ghostwritten by writer Pablo Fenjves and according to reviews, it read like a confession. Simpson also took part in a TV special for Fox, but it never aired. According to TMZ, the TV episode featured Simpson reading a passage from the book in which he seemed to confess to the murders. Public outcry led to Fox killing the show.

This would probably also be the problem if a new production featuring Simpson became reality–even if someone produced it, there’s the risk that broadcast and cable networks would refuse to air it and it could be hard to find advertisers. But given that these reports appear to be for real, you can never say never when it comes to reality tv.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Would You Watch an O.J. Simpson Reality Show? appeared first on Law Street.

Aside from all the gifs and memes that resulted from Gen-X icon Winona Ryder’s facial expressions, the biggest story of last night’s Screen Actors Guild Awards was the many winners who used their acceptance speeches as a platform to rebuke President Trump’s executive order banning travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries.

The night opened on a political note when Ashton Kutcher, presenting the night’s first award, welcomed “everyone at home and everyone in airports that belong in my America. You are part of the fabric of who we are, and we love you and we welcome you.”

#sagawards pic.twitter.com/3BGDGa0FLC

— SAG Awards® (@SAGawards) January 30, 2017

The night continued with “Veep” star Julia Louis-Dreyfus, accepting the award for outstanding performance by a female actor in a comedy series. In her speech, she called Trump’s immigration ban “un-American” and told her story of being the daughter of an immigrant who fled religious persecution in Nazi-occupied France.

The political focus continued throughout the night. William H. Macy thanked Trump for making his “Shameless” character Frank Gallagher–a perpetually drunk and irresponsible man with a proclivity to go on extended rants–seem normal. “Orange is the New Black” actress Taylor Schilling called on Hollywood to “keep telling stories that show what unites us is stronger than the forces that seek to divide us.” “The People v. O.J. Simpson” star Sarah Paulson requested that everyone donate to the American Civil Liberties Union. And “Stranger Things” actor David Harbour pointed to art’s ability to “cultivate a more empathetic and understanding society.”

The most emotional and perhaps most resonant moment of the night came from Mahershala Ali, who accepted the award for best male actor in a supporting role for his performance in the movie “Moonlight.” “We see what happens when you persecute people. They fold into themselves,” Ali said.

He added:

When we kind of get caught up in the minutiae, the details that make us all different, there’s two ways of seeing that. There’s an opportunity to see the texture of that person, the characteristics that make them unique, and then there’s the opportunity to go to war about it, say, ‘that person is different from me and I don’t like you, so let’s battle.’ My mother is an ordained minister, I’m a Muslim. She didn’t do backflips when I called her to tell her I converted 17 years ago. But I tell you now, we put things to the side, I’m able to see her, she’s able to see me, we love each other, the love has grown. That stuff is minutiae. It’s not that important.

Politics taking a prominent place during awards season has a rich history–one that includes Marlon Brando refusing to accept his Academy Award for “The Godfather” to protest the film industry’s treatment of Native Americans and Michael Moore using his Oscar speech to shame President George W. Bush. If last night was any indication, President Trump is in for a bruising couple of weeks.

Austin Elias-De Jesus

Austin is an editorial intern at Law Street Media. He is a junior at The George Washington University majoring in Political Communication. You can usually find him reading somewhere. If you can’t find him reading, he’s probably taking a walk. Contact Austin at Staff@Lawstreetmedia.com.

The post The Screen Actors Guild Awards Get Political appeared first on Law Street.

Transgender actress, performer, and activist Alexis Arquette passed away on Sunday around midnight at the age of 47. Alexis was the sibling of actors David, Rosanna, Patricia, and Richmond Arquette. The cause of death is not known, but she was reportedly surrounded by family members singing David Bowie’s “Starman” as she passed. According to Alexis’ wishes they all cheered as she “passed to another dimension.”

Alexis Arquette: actor and activist dies aged 47 https://t.co/d5oN9e9R5U

— The Guardian (@guardian) September 12, 2016

Her sister Patricia tweeted a link to Bowie’s song early Sunday, with the words “Breaking through the veil singing StarMan.”

Breaking through the veil singing StarMan https://t.co/A3way5S3Lb

— Patricia Arquette (@PattyArquette) September 11, 2016

Alexis was born as Robert Arquette in Los Angeles in 1969. She came from a family full of actors–the siblings’ father and grandfather were also in the business. She was best known for her roles in “Last Exit To Brooklyn,” “Pulp Fiction,” and as a Boy George impersonator in “The Wedding Singer,” with Adam Sandler. The real Boy George expressed his condolences on Twitter.

R.I.P my sister Alexis Arquette. Another bright light gone out far too soon. Love to the family and all that loved Alexis.

— Boy George (@BoyGeorge) September 11, 2016

Alexis knew early on that she was trans. In a 2008 interview with The Times, her sister Patricia said that Alexis started dressing in girls’ clothes at the age of four and later realized that she wasn’t a gay man, she was simply a woman in the wrong body.

Alexis Arquette was also a prominent transgender activist and appeared in VH1’s reality show “The Surreal Life,” which depicted celebrities living together in a Hollywood house trying to decide what their next step in their careers would be. While on the show, she highlighted transgender issues for a broader audience, and continued to do so in the documentary “Alexis Arquette: She’s My Brother” in 2007. The film focused on her transition through her and her family’s eyes. According to the LA Times, she said:

Coming out as transgender in America from a celebrity family is a lot easier than it can be for private individuals anywhere else in the world. In fact, if you come out as transgender in certain parts of the world, you may be murdered in the street.

The Human Rights Campaign acknowledged Alexis’ work for transgender rights and equality on Twitter.

.@HRC mourns the death of Alexis Arquette, an actor & longtime advocate for transgender equality.Our condolences to Alexis’ family & friends

— HumanRightsCampaign (@HRC) September 12, 2016

Alexis’ siblings posted the sad news about their sister’s death on social media, David Arquette calling her his “hero for eternity.”

Thank you all for your love and kind words about Alexis. My hero for eternity pic.twitter.com/Z18xLtYTBv

— David Arquette (@DavidArquette) September 11, 2016

David’s ex-wife Courteney Cox also expressed her grief.

My heart goes out to anyone who was lucky enough to know Alexis.
We will love and miss you forever.

— Courteney Cox (@CourteneyCox) September 11, 2016

The family also said in a statement:

Alexis was a brilliant artist and painter, a singer, an entertainer and an actor. We learned what real bravery is through watching her journey of living as a trans woman. We came to discover the one truth – that love is everything. We are comforted by the fact that Alexis came into our family and was our brother and then our sister, and that she gave us so much love. We will love you always, Alexis. We know we were the lucky ones.

The Arquette family asked for privacy and requested that people wishing to express their sympathies donate money to organizations that support the LGBT community.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Transgender Activist and Actress Alexis Arquette Dies at 47 appeared first on Law Street.

Last week’s top stories on Law Street covered the problems plaguing Washington D.C.’s Metro system, the evacuation of thousands of refugees from Greece, and allegations of sexual abuse and pedophilia in Hollywood. ICYMI, check out the top stories below.

1. Trouble Below: The Problems Plaguing the Washington D.C. Metro

Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx recently promised to close the Washington D.C. Metro system unless it complied with safety requirements. How did it get to this point where the nation’s second-largest mass transit system is on the verge of being shuttered due to safety concerns and a series of mishaps? Read the full article here.

2. From Camp to Camp: Thousands of Migrants in Greece Evacuated

As the buses left the camp, the passengers were met with conflicting farewells: onlookers gently waved and blew them kisses; an olive green tarp on the side of the road read, in white spray paint, “Europe doesn’t care if you suffer.”

The buses–packed with refugees from Syria, Iraq, and elsewhere in the Middle East and North Africa–were headed south from Idomeni, Greece, on the Macedonian border, where a camp that housed thousands of the refugees for months was being evacuated, per directions from the Greek government. The operation to clear all 8,400 people started on Tuesday and is expected to last for up to ten days, government officials said. Read the full article here.

3. Does Hollywood Have a Pedophilia and Sexual Abuse Problem?

In an interview on Sunday, actor Elijah Wood claimed that Hollywood has a pedophilia crisis. He said that the business has a history of scandals and abuse, and that such abuse is probably still happening among Hollywood’s elite. However, he later pointed out that he does not have any firsthand experience with it. Read the full article here.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post ICYMI: Best of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

In an interview on Sunday, actor Elijah Wood claimed that Hollywood has a pedophilia crisis. He said that the business has a history of scandals and abuse, and that such abuse is probably still happening among Hollywood’s elite. However, he later pointed out that he does not have any firsthand experience with it.

Fortunately for Wood, he was protected by his parents when he broke onto the scene as a child, but not everyone is as lucky. Wood stated:

If you’re innocent, you have very little knowledge of the world and you want to succeed. People with parasitic interests will see you as their prey. What upsets me about these situations is that the victims can’t speak as loudly as the people in power.

Elijah Wood: 'Hollywood in the grip of child abuse scandal similar to Jimmy Savile' https://t.co/sQD7SaIuVn pic.twitter.com/QZA4gNVeR2

— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) May 23, 2016

In 2013, actor Corey Feldman released a book detailing how he and Corey Haim were repeatedly sexually abused during their careers as child actors in the 80s, and made to believe it was normal. He said that the number one problem in Hollywood is, and always will be, pedophilia.

Elijah Wood’s comments come only a few weeks after Woody Allen’s son Ronan Farrow wrote a piece published in the Hollywood Reporter about his father and the danger of not asking uncomfortable questions. His sister Dylan Farrow has accused their father of sexual abuse and has not received much public support. But big-time screen actors and media personalities keep working with Allen, seemingly looking the other way.

Sexual assault allegations against Woody Allen were not completely swept under the red carpet in Cannes this time. https://t.co/6bgsCtydQA

— AJ+ (@ajplus) May 18, 2016

Allen married his  former partner Mia Farrow’s adopted daughter in 1997; she is 35 years younger than him. Allen’s marriage to Soon-Yi Previn was quite the scandal and has led many to believe that the theme of a young woman being courted by a much older man, which frequently has recurred in many of his movies, could be an autobiographical one.

In the reviews of his latest film during the Cannes Film Festival, the storyline was actually criticized and accused of lacking in innovation because it, once again, featured a young woman seduced by an older man. Journalists did finally ask some difficult questions about Allen’s romantic history, and the French comedian who led the opening ceremony of the gala made a very uncomfortable joke when talking about Allen, saying it was “very nice” that he had shot “so many movies in Europe, even if you are not being convicted for rape in the US.” This was reportedly meant to be a reference to Roman Polanski who was accused of rape in California back in 1978, but was still viewed as a hit against Allen.

In recent years more people have spoken up about sexual abuse cases propagated by Hollywood elite. On Tuesday morning, Bill Cosby went to court for an indecent assault case filed against him in December last year, one of a number of accusations against him. But Ronan Farrow’s statement as well as Elijah Wood’s comments about the topic are further reminders that Hollywood should wake up and do more about a traumatizing problem that is rarely spoken about in the open.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

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The award for “most creative vandalism” may have to go to Minnie Driver–the actress has been accused by her neighbor of throwing “baby food jars filled with black paint” against the walls of his property, according to TMZ. Daniel Perelmutter has filed a lawsuit against the “Good Will Hunting” actress, claiming that she has been interfering with construction on his home and causing him a great deal of stress. He also accuses the actress of blocking access to a shared electric gate in front of his driveway.

The baby food paint grenades are just one part of what seems to be an ongoing, bizarre war between Driver and Perelmutter. Driver was granted a temporary restraining order against her neighbor last year, and last week Perelmutter pleaded not guilty to a contempt charge after Driver accused him of “yelling profanities, scaring her children and jumping in front of her car,” according to KABC-TV.

Cops also had to come by and break up a fight between the neighbors last week, after Perelmutter’s delivery truck blocked Driver’s driveway.

Perelmutter fired back against the claims and spoke in front of the courthouse last week, telling a reporter that the actress has wished death upon him multiple times and that she needed to be “institutionalized.” Perelmutter, who recently had a heart transplant and was holding a cane while speaking to reporters, pointed out that he was “in no condition” to leap in front of her car, and alleged that Driver herself was the one who tried to hit him.

Before rushing to judgment, it seems that this isn’t Perelmutter’s first time fighting with a neighbor over property. A 2008 filing shows that he fought with previous neighbors over access to a shared driveway, a case which he appears to have lost.

It remains to be seen who’s truly at fault in this “he-said, she-said” situation, but with a trial set for August, this totally bizarre case is worth keeping an eye on.

Mariam Jaffery

Mariam was an Executive Assistant at Law Street Media and a native of Northern Virginia. She has a B.A. in International Affairs with a minor in Business Administration from George Washington University. Contact Mariam at mjaffery@lawstreetmedia.com.

The post Minnie Driver And Her Neighbor Are In a Bizarre Legal Dispute Involving Baby Food Jars appeared first on Law Street.

A judge just struck down accusations of plagiarism against “New Girl,” arguing that there was not enough evidence for the plaintiffs, writers Stephanie Counts and Shari Gold, to prove that the show’s concept was originally theirs. So, despite the fact that Counts and Gold were asking for the show’s production to cease, it’s safe to say we’ll be all seeing “New Girl” on FOX for at least a little while longer.

Counts and Gold claim that the premise of “New Girl” resembled the pilot of a show they wrote, called “Square One.” In their lawsuit, Counts and Gold posited that there were a few different ways that the people behind “New Girl”–namely Peter Chernin, whose company produces “New Girl,” and showrunner Elizabeth Meriwether–could have seen the “Square One” script.  One was that Counts and Gold showed the script to an independent producer named Holly Harter, who shared it with a the William Morris Endeavor (WME) talent agency. Chernin and Meriweather were also represented by WME at the time–Counts and Gold allege that it could have fallen into their hands through the agency. Another theory presented by Counts and Gold was that Meriweather knew a WME agent named David Karp–they argued he could have somehow given her the script. Either way, Counts and Gold argued that WME was the path that connected their show and “New Girl,” and therefore included WME and several of its agents in the lawsuit as well.

Counts and Gold claimed that the similarities between “Square One” and “New Girl” were obvious. For one, the premise is similar–Counts based her version on her real-life experience of discovering her husband was cheating and then moving into a bachelor pad with three male roommates. That’s almost exactly how “New Girl” starts, although the “new girl” character has a cheating boyfriend, not husband. Additionally, Counts and Gold argue that they actually suggested Zooey Deschanel, the lead of “New Girl” as the start of “Square One,” and that some of the characters featured in the show were similar, including one of the male roommates who is a bartender.

However, in a decision handed down just before the new year, U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson proclaimed that Counts and Gold didn’t have enough evidence to show that Meriweather or others involved in the production of “New Girl” could have accessed the “Square One” script. Additionally, he pointed out that the similarities alleged by Counts and Gold weren’t very strong, writing:

Moreover, even assuming arguendo that a triable issue of access exists, no reasonable jury could conclude that there are substantial similarities in the plot, sequence of events, characters, mood, pace, setting, theme or dialogue between ‘Square One’ and ‘New Girl.’ For these reasons, the Court grants Defendants’ motion for summary judgment

So, the lawsuit has been essentially stopped in its tracks–Counts and Gold won’t get the money they were looking for, or the cessation of all future episodes. It’s certainly good news for “New Girl’s” fans–and good timing too, as the show returns to FOX tonight with a new episode.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post “New Girl” Plagiarism Lawsuit Shot Down by Judge appeared first on Law Street.

In what seems like an action that should have been taken decades ago, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) launched an investigation this month into the hiring practices of Hollywood; specifically, how many female filmmakers are being excluded from the job pool based on gender bias.

The EEOC reportedly sent a letter out to about 50 women filmmakers, requesting interviews to see what actions could be taken against the worst offenders of gender discrimination in the film industry.

They have a lot of work to do.

The numbers have always been discouraging for women who want to pursue careers behind the camera. In an annual study released by San Diego State University’s Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, in 2014 women represented just 17 percent of “behind-the-scenes” roles in the 250 top-grossing films. These roles were defined in the study as including directors, writers, executive producers, producers, editors, and cinematographers. Even more disheartening is the proportion of female directors for those films: just seven percent.

Television hasn’t fared much better. The Directors Guild of America (DGA) released its annual report on the demographics of television directors in August. It found what the DGA is calling “modest improvement”: out of nearly 4,000 episodes produced in the time span studied, 16 percent of those episodes were directed by women (this was a “modest improvement” from last year’s 14 percent). Only three percent of that 16 were minority women.

“The uptick in the number of episodes directed by women–modest but hopeful–is just a drop in the bucket of what needs to be done…before we can begin to realize equal opportunities in television for our members,” said DGA President Paris Barclay. “Without employers making a concerted effort to bringing a more diverse mix of new entrants to the hiring pool, we won’t see meaningful and lasting change.”

Just how can we tell if employers for films and television are open to diversity? Hopefully, the EEOC will find out in its interviews. Obviously, we don’t want companies hiring women just to fill a void. Directors, writers, producers, etc. should be hired based on merit and creativity. However, that huge gap indicates a problem that can’t be explained away by “maybe men are just better at [insert job description here].”

Those percentages are just the tip of the iceberg in indicating how male-centric Hollywood–and media in general–actually is. It doesn’t just apply to women behind the camera. Going back to those studies conducted by SDSU, just under half of major television characters (42 percent) are women, with the majority of those characters belonging to ABC–thank you, Shonda Rhimes. That is a really positive number, but diving a little deeper into it, we start to see the inequality in that misleading 42 percent. According to the study, most of those female characters belonged to reality television programs, were younger than their male counterparts (very few of them were over 60), and 77 percent of them were Caucasian. So, you see, it isn’t just about the numbers. Representation can also be discriminatory.

We see these issues the most in film. With only 12 percent female protagonists in the top 100 films of 2014, a bias toward male characters is obvious.

Now, how many of those films with female protagonists can actually pass the well-known Bechdel Test? All it calls for are two female characters (they don’t even have to be named) talking to each other about something other than a man. It is surprising how many films fail such a simple criteria. While the Bechdel Test may not be a champion for feminist ideals or for great filmmaking, it is a good jumping-off point to see the commonality of gender stereotypes.

So what can the EEOC do with all this information, and the insights it will gather from its upcoming interviews? Class action lawsuits are the most likely,  and unfortunately, it might not even come to that. What truly can affect change will be the actions of the women already in the industry. They can move forward with their own careers while reaching out to more women like them–hopefuls wanting to direct, write, produce, or act. Writers can create more dimensional parts for women. Producers can push for shows with more accurate female representation. Actresses can refuse parts that stereotype them. The more everyone becomes aware of the gap, the more we can all work together to close it.

Morgan McMurray

Morgan McMurray is an editor and gender equality blogger based in Seattle, Washington. A 2013 graduate of Iowa State University, she has a Bachelor of Arts in English, Journalism, and International Studies. She spends her free time writing, reading, teaching dance classes, and binge-watching Netflix. Contact Morgan at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Gender Discrimination in Film is Still the Norm appeared first on Law Street.

It’s a night of fanfare, excitement, and glamour. It’s also a night to celebrate the best of the best in the filmmaking industry. But it’s not that simple, either. Without further ado, let’s open up the envelope and check out the top political moments of last night’s Oscars.

Patricia Arquette’s Call for Pay Equality

Patricia Arquette took home a big yet predictable win as Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film “Boyhood.” But in her acceptance speech she did something equally big–she used her platform to speak out for pay equality. Arquette said:

To every woman who gave birth to every taxpayer and citizen of this nation we have fought for everybody’s equal rights. It is our time to have wage equality once and for all and equal rights for women in the United States of America.

This speech, in addition to being awesome and dead-on, gave rise to quite possibly one of my favorite .gifs of all time–Meryl Streep and J-Lo cheering Arquette on.

If you say something that causes Meryl Streep and J-Lo to react like their team just won the Super Bowl, you know you’re doing something right.

Arquette’s call to action on pay equality came just a few months after the revelation that in some cases, women in blockbusters weren’t being paid as much as their male counterparts. This realization came out of of the much-publicized hack of Sony Entertainment emails. And speaking of Sony…

President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Speaks Out Against Sony Hack

Cheryl Boone Isaacs, the President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences made a short speech last night, and much of her focus was on the importance of avoiding censorship, a clear reference to the Sony Hack and ensuing concerns about airing “The Interview.” Boone Isaacs exclaimed that as a film industry, everyone has “a responsibility to ensure that different opinions can be shared without fear of personal or professional attack. A responsibility to protect freedom of expression.”

“CitizenFour” Wins the Best Documentary Award

Although this wasn’t an obviously political moment, it definitely said something. “CitizenFour” chronicled the story of Edward Snowden and the leaks that he disclosed in 2013 before fleeing the country. Say what you want about Snowden, whether good or bad, it’s clear that his actions certainly changed the quality of American discourse about privacy and surveillance.

Director Laura Poitras accepted the award, lauding Snowden for his actions. She stated:

The disclosures that Edward Snowden reveals don’t only expose a threat to our privacy but to our democracy itself. When the most important decisions being made, affecting all of us, are made in secret, we lose our ability to check the powers that control. Thank you to Edward Snowden, for his courage, and for the many other whistleblowers. I share this with Glenn Greenwald and other journalists who are exposing truth.

Regardless of whether the “CitizenFour” choice was a political move, Poitras’ speech almost certainly was.

Sean Penn’s Greencard Comment

Of course, not all speeches and moments at the 2015 Oscars were political in a good way. Take Sean Penn’s asshole remark, for example. Penn was announcing the Oscar for Best Picture, which went to “Birdman” by Director Alejandro González Iñárritu, who is originally from Mexico. Sean Penn opened the envelope, looked at it, then said “Who gave this sonofabitch a Greencard” before announcing “Birdman” as the winner.

Now, Iñárritu has said he wasn’t offended by Penn’s joke; the two men have worked together in the past and are friends. That being said, the Oscars got a lot of flak this year for the vast majority of its nominees being very, very white. Penn’s joke made that whiteness even more noticeable, by pointing out that in many ways, Iñárritu is an “outsider” in comparison to the norm of the nominees this year. While Iñárritu may have found it funny, it was not the time or place to make such an off-color joke.

Graham Moore’s Beautiful Speech

Graham Moore wrote the adapted screenplay for “The Imitation Game,” and when he came up to accept his award gave an amazing acceptance speech. If you missed it, I’d highly recommend taking a look:

Mental health issues, particularly depression and suicide, are something that are often talked about in hushed whispers or not at all. For Moore, a now-Oscar winning writer, to get up and talk about his own struggles with mental health sends a powerful message to anyone who may be struggling.

Common and John Legend’s “Glory” Acceptance Speech

Recording artists Common and John Legend won the Oscar for their song “Glory” from the movie “Selma.” Given their moving acceptance speech at the Golden Globes, everyone was expecting the same at the Oscars, and they did not disappoint.

While receiving their Oscar, Legend pointed out two of the most maligned issues in America today: restrictions in voting rights and the high level of black men who are incarcerated.  Legend stated:

We live in the most incarcerated country in the world. There are more black men under correctional control today than there were under slavery in 1850.

The Oscars had many failings this year–the Academy’s approach to race being first and foremost. That being said, there were also a lot of great moments when those who work in the industry took matters into their own hands during acceptance speeches. Pay equality, mental health awareness, freedom of speech, and institutionalized racism are all pressing issues in this nation. The Oscar speeches won’t solve any of them, but I applaud all those who took a stand for being very public voices for truly noble reasons.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Top Political Moments at the 2015 Oscars appeared first on Law Street.

Now that awards season is officially in full swing, it means that red carpet season is upon us as well. And as we watch the red carpet coverage there seems to be only one question that reporters are interested in asking female attendees: Who are you wearing?

This year, The Representation Project launched a campaign promoting the hashtag #AskHerMore. The idea is for red carpet reporters to ask female actors and entertainers about anything other than their appearance.

The whole reason I write here on Law Street is because I am in fact a woman who is interested in business, politics, and law (and yes I do identify as the “F-word”). But I’m a little different from most of the other Law Street ladies (and men), because I work in the fashion industry as well. While many might argue that law and fashion are like apples and oranges, my career is focused around fighting against that notion. That said, can #AskHerMore and the fashion industry exist in solidarity? Absolutely, but allow me explain why.

The main reason most attend a red carpet event is that their work is nominated or because they are being celebrated in some shape or form that evening. While reporters may want to ask first-time nominees what it feels like to be recognized, they’re not going to ask someone like Meryl Streep the same questions for the umpteenth time. Asking what they’re wearing can serve as a sort of ice-breaker for any nominee. I’m not so sure, however, that “What are you wearing?” should be the only question women or men on the red carpet are asked.

Also, the fashion and entertainment industries are both based on artistic forms of expression. You can’t really have one without the other (Ahem, best costume design award?). But you also can’t have art without politics either. In fact, the reason behind a given celebrity wearing a certain designer is strictly business. These celebs have contracts with fashion houses that require them to wear designs that are meticulously picked out and designed for a given public appearance. In turn, these designers get calls from clients the second the celeb reveals to the reporter what he or she is wearing.

That’s not to say, however, that even celebrities aren’t fed up with being asked about their appearance. Last month during the Golden Globes, several celebrities chose to pass on partaking in E! News’s “mani-cam.”

While I don’t think there’s anything wrong with reporters asking celebs what they’re wearing, the idea behind #askhermore is that it shouldn’t be the only thing they’re asking. But what else are they supposed to ask in the few seconds that they have to interview them? I’m not sure. If it were up to me, I would just get rid of E! News’ red carpet coverage altogether. It all gets covered online anyway. That way we can focus on the actual show and honoring these women for their work, while still preserving the Old Hollywood tradition or seeing celebs all dolled up in their best evening wear.

Katherine Fabian

Katherine Fabian is a recent graduate of Fordham University’s College at Lincoln Center. She is a freelance writer and yoga teacher who hopes to one day practice fashion law and defend the intellectual property rights of designers. Contact Katherine at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

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Awards shows usually operate as a superficial yet entertaining public relations platform. Events range from the fashionably clad stars’ “who are you wearing” banter on the red carpet, to the 30-second movie clips dispersed throughout the show highlighting what movies you “should be watching.” Last night’s 72^nd Annual Golden Globes Awards, however, shocked us by getting pretty political.

With all that’s been happening in the news recently involving attacks on media, from the Charlie Hebdo shooting to the Sony Pictures hack, Hollywood had a lot to say in defense of the First Amendment. The tone of the show was set in motion by a 10-minute opening monologue from the always-hilarious comedy duo Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, who hosted the Globes for their third consecutive and final year. Fey started off:

Tonight we celebrate all the great television shows that we know and love, as well as all the movies that North Korea was ok with.

The Golden Globes, judged by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), didn’t just use the monologue to mock North Korea. Actress and comedian Margaret Cho, dressed as a pale-faced North Korean general and new HFPA member, posed for an awkward selfie with Meryl Streep and joined Fey and Poehler on stage.

Cho, a Korean-American, is no stranger to controversial roles. She dressed as former North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il on NBC’s “30 Rock,” for which she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. I guess critics didn’t find the same pale-faced broken-English impersonation as funny this time, taking to Twitter to call it racist. A debate quickly ensued, with some finding it highly offensive, while others defended it as comedic satire. Was her acting offensive? It was definitely stereotypical and dragged on for far too long, but personally I didn’t find it any more offensive than those parodies shown in “The Interview,” which has reportedly been downloaded or rented more than 4.3 million times online since its Christmas debut.

why is Margaret Cho doing this weird…uncomfortable…racist caricature thing; can this not be a thing

— Lindsay Crockett (@lindsaymcroc) January 12, 2015

Chill on Cho, twitterverse. Her NK satire was brilliant. Not racist. Jennifer Lopez tried to steal @goldenglobes But @margaretcho did.

— Emil Guillermo (@emilamok) January 12, 2015

Nothing was off limits for Fey and Poehler, including rape jokes when they transitioned into Pudding Pop-like impersonations of accused sitcom star Bill Cosby. “I put the pills in the people,” impersonated Fey, “The people did not want the pills in them!”

The Bill Cosby jokes didn’t stop there. When talking about new movie musical “Into the Woods” Poehler joked:

Cinderella ran away from her prince, Rapunzel was thrown from a tower . . . and Sleeping Beauty just thought she was getting coffee with Bill Cosby.

Too soon? After I’d picked my chin up off the floor, I registered just how ballsy the night was getting in terms of comedy risks.

On a more serious note, HFPA President Theo Kingman gave an inspiring mid-show speech reminding the crowd of the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack in Paris. His words were met with a standing ovation from the entire crowd. His speech included:

As international journalists we also understand the importance of freedom of expression, as not only an integral part of the American fabric, but a beacon that is reflected across the globe. Together, we will stand united against anyone who would repress free speech, anywhere from North Korea to Paris.

Rapper Common also shared some uplifting words in his acceptance speech for best original song in a motion picture for his and John Legend’s work in the civil rights drama “Selma.” His words were met with tears from the film’s producer Oprah. Common stated:

As I got to know the people of the civil rights movement, I realized, I am the hopeful black woman who was denied her right to vote. I am the caring white supporter killed on the front lines of freedom. I am the unarmed black kid who maybe needed a hand but instead was given a bullet. I am the two fallen police officers murdered in the line of duty.

Overall, the playful parodies of some current hot button issues upstaged big winners like “Boyhood” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” livening up the relatively boring telecast. The comedy teetered the line of what is offensive, without truly crossing it, and showed that Hollywood still has a sense of humor after an embarrassing and arduous few months.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

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A California federal court dismissed a trademark lawsuit last week that John Wayne Enterprises brought against Duke University. The case was dismissed based on lack of jurisdiction and improper venue.

Actor John Wayne, born Marion Robert Morrison, had several nicknames that contained the word “Duke,” such as Duke Morrison, Duke Wayne, and The Duke. John Wayne Enterprises was created to “preserve and protect the name, image, and likeness of John Wayne by associating the John Wayne brand with quality and timeless products and experiences that embody the spirit of John Wayne and give back to the community.” In July 2013, the organization filed a trademark application with the Patent and Trademark Office to use the trademarks “Duke” and “Duke John Wayne” on all alcoholic beverages except beer. Last July, the organization sued Duke University for infringing its Duke trademark on alcoholic bottles.

John Wayne Enterprises argued that Duke University does not own the word “Duke” for use for all purposes’ however, the university argued that John Wayne Enterprises’ use of “Duke” on alcohol beverages caused consumer confusion, which trademark law is designed to prevent. According to the Los Angeles Times, John Wayne Enterprises’ “Duke” trademark is “a label on a bottle of bourbon stamped with a silhouette of the movie star in a cowboy hat, clutching a gun. The name ‘DUKE’ is stamped over his thighs, and John Wayne’s signature is reproduced near his feet.”  The John Wayne Enterprises logo can be seen here.

John Wayne Enterprises tried to gain personal jurisdiction over Duke University in a California federal court because “the school actively recruits students there, raises money there, maintains alumni associations there and sells university-related products there.” However, U.S. District Judge David Carter dismissed the Wayne estate’s lawsuit for lack of jurisdiction and said the case belonged in front of the Patent and Trademark Office Trademark Appeal Board in Alexandria, Virginia.

The court believed that “Duke was aware of John Wayne Enterprises’s presence in the state, but that there was no showing how Duke [University] purposefully directed its conduct at California by filing an opposition to trademarks in Virginia [the location of the Patent and Trademark Office.]”

John Wayne Enterprises and Duke University have battled over the use of the “Duke” trademark before. A July article in the Hollywood Reporter cites conflicts over using the name “Duke” in restaurant services, gaming machines, and celebrity licensing services. Thus, Judge Carter’s dismissal is likely not the end of this case. John Wayne Enterprises can always bring a suit against Duke University on the East Coast.

It’s rare to see John Wayne on the losing-end of a battle, but I am sure that John Wayne Enterprises is already preparing its next move to prevail in the end.

Joseph Perry

Joseph Perry is a graduate of St. John’s University School of Law whose goal is to become a publishing and media law attorney. He has interned at William Morris Endeavor, Rodale, Inc., Columbia University Press, and is currently interning at Hachette Book Group and volunteering at the Media Law Resource Center, which has given him insight into the legal aspects of the publishing and media industries. Contact Joe at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

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Movies are supposed to be an escape–a medium of entertainment where the viewer can suspend their own reality and delve into another. However, recently complaints have arisen that movie executives have stretched audiences’ imaginations too far. Instead of problems with the content however, these critics take issue with the actors who are delivering the performances. The silver screen continues to be inundated with white, heterosexual, male actors despite the diverse population of the United States and the world. Read on for an analysis of the racist, sexist, and discriminatory tendencies of the modern entertainment industry.

Race

When 44 percent of movie tickets are purchased by non-white customers, it would be plausible to think the ethnicity of actors on screen would reflect the diversity of the viewers. That is simply not the case.

American movies have a history of being dominated by caucasian actors and actresses. As a study by University of Southern California discovered:

• Out of the 565 directors of the 500 top-grossing movies from 2007 to 2012, 33 of them were black–and only two were black women.
• In 2012, the speaking characters of the top 100 grossing films were 76.3 percent white, 10.8 percent black, 4.2 percent Hispanic, 5 percent Asian, and 2.6 percent other ethnicities or mixed race.
• Hispanic actors and actresses are the most underrepresented group on screen.
• From 2007-2012 the ratio of non-black directors to black directors was 16:1.

Halle Berry became the first African-American to win an Academy Award for Best Actress in 2002. During her acceptance speech she reflected on her achievement and what it will mean for other minority women. She opined, “this moment is so much bigger than men…it’s for ever nameless, faceless woman of color that now has a chance because this door tonight has been opened.”

However since this momentous achievement, every other recipient of the award has been white.

Unfortunately, that is not the only acting category lacking diversity. In 2001, Marcia Gay Harden and Benicio del Toro won Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actor respectively, and there has not been a Latino, Asian, or Native American winner in any acting category since.

Juliet Lapidos of The New York Times pointedly stated,

“Hollywood’s great at congratulating itself for diversity; it’s just not great at actual diversity.”

Whitewashing

Although blackface is no longer deemed as acceptable, the entertainment industry continues to inaccurately depict minorities in films. In part this is done by whitewashing–casting white actors as characters in roles that were written for minorities.

There’s a very long history of white-washing in Hollywood–West Side Story, winner of 10 Academy Awards and one of the most beloved musicals of all time, is a famous example. Natalie Wood (who is of Russian decent) played the leading female character Maria, who is supposed to be Puerto Rican. Disney has also received some criticism for similar portrayals–Aladdin is a good example. The voice of the film’s protagonist is provided by Scott Weinger who, unlike the title character, is not of Arab decent.

More recently, Jake Gyllenhaal as Dastan in Prince of Persia, Ben Affleck as Tony Menendez in Argo, Rooney Mara as Tiger Lily in a new Peter Pan project, and rumors of Angelina Jolie being cast Cleopatra are all examples of roles being white-washed.

In addition to being offensive, white-washing diminishes roles–leading to non-Caucasian performers being cast as minor characters that serve to supplement a white lead.

Gender

Women make up slightly more than 50 percent of the population in the United States, yet they continue to be sidelined by the entertainment industry.

Some findings surrounding the inequalities are:

• Women in the top 100 films of 2012 only made up 28.4 percent of roles with speaking parts.
• In 2013, 30.2 percent of women were dressed in sexualized clothing compared to 9.7 percent of men.
• A recent study of films from the past six years showed that 29.5 percent women and 11.7 percent men were shown partially or fully nude.
• In 2013, 16 percent of films had a balanced cast; an increase from 2010 when it was just 4 percent.

The amount of women represented behind the camera faired even worse in 2013:

• Only 1.9 percent of directors were female
• Just 7.4 percent were women
• Women made up 19.6 percent of producers

While accepting her award for Best Actress during the 2014 Oscars, Cate Blanchett remarked:

For those of us in the industry who are still foolishly clinging to the idea that female films with women at the center are niche, they are not! Audiences want to see them and in fact they earn money. The world is round, people!

Actress Olivia Wilde is known for being a feminist and has spoken out multiple times about the quality of roles available to actresses in Hollywood. In the video below, she further explains the differences between roles normally crafted for male and female roles.

Bechdel Test

In 1985, Alison Bechdel created the cartoon Dykes to Watch Out For. From the comic strip the Bechdel test was created, which is a list of standards that determines gender bias in entertainment. Many feminists use it to analyze various forms of media.

The basic principal of the Bechdel Test it that the women depicted in Hollywood should not be clichés, but character who express genuine feelings about diverse areas of their lives.

The rules for the Bechdel Test are that the film:

1. Has at least two women
2. Who talk to each other
3. About something besides a man

Magazine editor Nikki Baughan offered insight as to the importance of the test:

The Bechdel test acts as a magnifying glass; by breaking down a film in these simple terms, it draws attention to the shocking gender disparity that exists in the majority of cinematic narratives.

LGBT

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community is incredibly underrepresented–and oftentimes misrepresented–in Hollywood. When an LGBT actor or character is written into a movie, they often serve as a token member of the ensemble. Their purpose is to represent the stereotypical trait habitually accompanied with their identity in the media.  

Depiction of race in LGBT characters does not differentiate greatly from heterosexual characters. In a study conducted by GLAAD, it was found that the races of LGBT characters were 76 percent white, 12 percent black, 8 percent Asian, and 4 percent Latino.

Derived from the Bechdel Test, GLAAD created the Vito Russo Test to examine the presence of LGBT characters in movies.

In order for the film to pass the Vito Russo Test, these qualifications must be met:

• The film contains a character that is identifiably lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender.
• That character must not be solely or predominantly defined by their sexual orientation or gender identity.
• The LGBT character must be tied into the plot in such a way that their removal would have a significant effect.

Out of the films GLAAD assessed using the Vito Russo Test, less than half passed.

Rayon

Although hailed by mainstream critics, the recent movie Dallas Buyers Club received a combination of praise and condemnation from the LGBT community. The focus of criticism fell upon Jared Leto for his Oscar-winning portrayal of Rayon, a transgender woman.

Steve Friess of Time accused Leto of pandering to the transgender stereotype, stating, “she’s a sad-sack, clothes-obsessed, constantly flirting transgender drug addict prostitute…There are no stereotypes about transgender women that Leto’s concoction does not tap.”

Advocates were also dismayed that an actual transgender actor was not cast in the role. Since Rayon is a fictional character, the casting directors had a wide breath of opportunity and freedom in choosing an actor for the role, yet they chose not to include a transgender actor.

However, Mara Keisling, executive director at the National Center for Transgender Equality, had a contrasting view, saying, “to the film’s credit, I think it accurately showed what the life of this brave person [Rayon] must have been and how she was treated.”

In his Oscar acceptance speech, Leto took a moment to recognize the LGBT community, stating, “to those of you out there who have ever felt injustice because of who you are, or who you love, tonight I stand here in front of the world with you and for you.” Despite his accepting comments, reception to the portrayal remains mixed.

Oscars 2014

The 2014 Academy Awards appeared to be a step in the right direction. The year before, Cheryl Boone Isaacs became the first African American and third woman to ever be elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Not only did the Academy itself get a shake up, but the recipients of the awards did as well.

The movie “12 Years a Slave” won Best Picture, one of the most coveted awards. This was a significant victory, because before this film, a movie featuring a black leading man had not won Best Picture since 1967. Steve McQueen–the director, and co-producer–is the first director of African descent to have a movie win in the Best Picture category. The 2014 Best Director award went to Alfonso Cuaron, the first Mexican director to win the category.

Conclusion

In an industry that has such a drastic impact on our culture, it is disheartening to see Hollywood fail in diversity both in front of and behind the camera. Hopefully, future films will be created that cast individuals who accurately represent the audience viewing the films.

Resources

Primary

University of Southern California: Race/Ethnicity in 500 Popular Films: Is the Key to Diversifying Cinematic Content Held in the Hand of the Black Director? 

University of Southern California: Gender Inequality in Popular Films: Examining On Screen Portrayals and Behind-the-Scenes Employment Patterns in Motion Pictures Released between 2007-2013

Additional 

New Yorker: Lessons From Late Night

Mic: 6 Disney Films That Are Undeniably Racist and Sexist

The World Bank: Population, Female (% of Total)

Metro: The Bechdel Test and Why Hollywood is a Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World

GLAAD: 2014 Studio Responsibility Index

GLAAD: The Vito Russo Test

KPCC: Oscars 2014: 8 Ways They Made Diversity History

TIME: Don’t Applaud Jared Leto’s Transgender ‘Mammy’

IndieWire: 10 Trans Actors Who Could Have Played Jared Leto’s Role in ‘Dallas Buyers Club’

Huffington Post: Jared Leto’s Oscar Win For ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ Criticized by Transgender Community

Alex Hill

Alex Hill studied at Virginia Tech majoring in English and Political Science. A native of the Washington, D.C. area, she blames her incessant need to debate and write about politics on her proximity to the nation’s capital.

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