NAACP Awards Seem to Ask, ‘What Progress?’

At the NAACP’s 31st Image Awards on Saturday night, more than a few individuals on stage confronted (or mocked) what they saw as the grudging agreements this winter by four major television networks to inject diversity into their ranks.

Television personality Steve Harvey and his colleague, Cedric “the Entertainer,” ad-libbed a sketch about their desire to find qualified white people to work in Hollywood. With straight faces, the duo said they had established an outreach program--one of the items the studios agreed to this winter after months of negotiations with a large minority coalition.

As the audience applauded and laughed, the men said they had already looked inside country clubs, the Republican National Convention and expensive clothing stores for “young, talented white folks to train.”

Later in the program, late-night comedian Jay Leno told the crowd at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium that he was glad to be back at this year’s Image Awards, “even if it’s just to comply with the networks’ diversity agreements.”

The biting humor helped keep the audience in good humor throughout a four-hour taping of what will be a two-hour prime time telecast April 6 on Fox. The crusade for the diversity agreements began last summer, after NAACP President Kweisi Mfume and leaders of Asian Pacific, American Indian and Latino coalitions learned that not one of the networks’ new shows included an actor of color in a lead role.

There was a poorly orchestrated nationwide viewer boycott to protest the “whitewash,” an act of defiance that gained a good deal of press but otherwise had little impact. Over the next few months, coalition leaders reached agreements with the networks that included minority writing programs and minority recruitment. In the past few weeks Fox, NBC and CBS agreed to hire vice presidents of diversity who would report directly to the president of each network.

But for people of color in Hollywood, the attitude toward the agreements is anchored in cynicism. The industry, many reminded the audience, has not extended itself to nonwhite stories. After winning for outstanding actor on a drama series, Eriq La Salle of NBC’s “ER” dedicated his statue to the struggle of breaking into white Hollywood.

“If they’re only letting a few of us enjoy success, then it ain’t real success,” he said.

Denzel Washington won the last individual award of the evening as best actor for his portrayal of wrongly convicted Rubin “Hurricane” Carter in the film “The Hurricane.” Many in the audience cheered for his low-key acceptance speech. Others warmly heckled him with “Oscar,” the award whose nominations will be announced Tuesday morning. But even as he posed for photographs with his wife backstage, one of the most successful black actors said he was wary of the far-reaching effects of the diversity agreements.

“Time will tell,” Washington said. “Everyone gets so excited when someone pokes them. Let’s see.”

Director Steven Spielberg issued a mandate to Hollywood as he accepted the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People’s Vanguard Award for his pioneering courage and creativity. It was Spielberg’s first public appearance since doctors removed a kidney earlier this month.

“I’ve also come to realize that it’s my responsibility--and it’s our responsibility as picture-makers, as network executives, as studio heads--to continue to expand the opportunities for the portrayal of diversity in all media,” Spielberg said. “And we still must acknowledge the painful absence of racial diversity within our very own industry.

“We need to hire studio executives of color. Most important of all, we need to hire more minority writers. We have to make sure that the faces of the future, shown to all the wonders of technology, are not just the faces that represent mainstream Hollywood, but faces that represent you and your families and their stories.”

It was in that spirit that actress Halle Berry became the NAACP’s Entertainer of the Year. She was honored primarily for her determination to bring to the small screen a film about the life of Dorothy Dandridge, a black entertainer who never found true acceptance within white Hollywood.

Among the evening’s other winners were Nia Long, who was named outstanding actress in a film for her performance in “The Best Man,” which won best picture.

Jurnee Smollett was named best youth actor for her stint in “Cosby,” while twins Tia and Tamera Mowry were named outstanding actress in a comedy series for “Sister, Sister.”

Della Reese took home best actress in a drama series honors for “Touched by an Angel,” while the HBO film “Introducing Dorothy Dandridge” was named outstanding TV movie.

“The Steve Harvey Show” was named outstanding comedy series, Harvey received the top comedy actor award and Cedric took home best supporting honors for his work on the WB comedy.