Age is just a state of mind. Sure. That crafty conceit may work at yoga class, but if any place stomps hardest on the fallacy it’s Hollywood. After a Golden Globes celebration that seemed to usher in a new era of equality, freedom and powerful roles for women in Hollywood, we get the Oscar nominations. The much praised Selma was snubbed, sparking the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag. (#Don’tDisOprah didn’t have that viral zip.) And to make matters worse, the Academy also had the audacity to snub The LEGO Movie in the Best Animated category.
Speculation is that Selma may have been subconsciously undervalued for racial reasons by an Academy whose membership is 94% white. But a theory about The LEGO Movie‘s almost unbelievable slight reveals another damning detail about the Academy of Motion Pictures. It goes like this: The LEGO Movie came out way back in February and most members of the Academy, which has a median age of 62, can’t remember that far back! So Lego play time–same as it ever was–once again gets crushed by a senior moment. Hey it’s a youth culture–hasn’t anybody heard? These guys are older than the US Senate. The Academy is 94% white. 77% male. Median age: 62. That’s no state of mind. Or is it?
