Reel Urban News Exclusive:
L.A. Times’ Tre’vell Anderson: 5-Minute Chris Rock Monologue at Oscars Is “Not Enough”
Tre’vell Anderson believes that “if you’re going to do ‘you,’ let it really be you.” Anderson’s identity is infused in his writing about race, gender and celebrity as a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. “My identity is very important to me,” Anderson tells ReelUrbanNews.com. “The black side, the gay side, the gender non-conforming side and the being-from-a-single-parent-household side.”
Anderson has been outspoken about the response of African American stars to the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences’ failure to nominate a black or minority actor for an Oscar two years running. “When I look at black celebrities they have a tendency to be measured in their responses. Last year you didn’t see many people speaking out about potentially boycotting the Oscars. The second year around, a lot of them are like, ‘OK, hold up!'”
Anderson seems unimpressed that comedian Chris Rock has been chosen to host the Oscars show. “A lot of people say, ‘You will have Chris Rock doing this great five-minute monologue’ but that’s not enough.”
Anderson credits African Americans’ use of social media for keeping the story on the front burner. “Black Twitter took that #OscarSoWhite hashtag and ran with it! Other communities have taken that hashtag because they also feel not represented.”
“#OscarSoWhite … Every day in the newsroom that’s the term we use when we’re talking about these diversity stories.”
For more, watch our exclusive profile with Tre’vell Anderson, Los Angeles Times Reporter and Social Curator, now @ ReelUrbanNews.com.
Photos: Tre’vell Anderson/Michael Reel & Tre’vell Anderson/Davan Maharaj, Editor and Executive Vice President The Los Angeles Times with Michael Reel & Tre’vell Anderson/ Tre’vell Anderson with Reel Urban News Production Crew: Kevin Maxwell, Reggie Simon and Otis Mitchell
Photo By: Otis Mitchell/Reel Urban Images
Profile By: Michael Reel – Reel Urban News
