The Oscars. What do we know about the Oscars other than the Hollywood glitz and glam where celebrities prance around on a red carpet in their million dollars tuxedos and dresses. Competing against who can better embody the method of personal acting techniques that might question how far a person might go in order to outshine their trophies at home during hosting house parties.

The frivolous selection of an award host being Hollywood’s funny people that charm an audience to take way the true nature of what really goes on during awards season that we don’t see; and then comes the parties both pre and after. While a vast majority of the prominent Hollywood are invited and many of Hollywood’s desperately acclaimed just crash them to have their sorry glory of saying they rubbed elbows with Hollywood’s elite.

Yeah I’d say that about covers it.

For the most part.

I’ve never engaged myself into any awards season and it’s common antics of putting on a show. Although as a socialite who developed an image long before the fad of reality tv conquering the social scene that I vigorously became accustomed to until a 360° in change, I recently had a sudden change of perception. Everything is a show now and even literally, especially on this particular event.

After a week long event at an exclusive Oscars blogging engagement with Vanity Fair Social Club , I was gearing myself up to the possible chances of aligning myself with the Oscars frenzy. In the midst of deliberation with a friend Jacob in terms of what events to attend and what might be impossible, he invited me to an exclusive dinner gala highlighting the night. This gala was for the rich and prestigious involving themselves in the world of limelight heaven. After making a commitment, Jacob rounded up his group of friends and we all met at his place to attend together.

I’ve been to galas before, though not as a past time hobby, but as a privilege  or in support of a charity such like the  beloved American Dog Hero’s . This wouldn’t have been any different, but with all the Hollywood conspiracy and controversial topics of racial equality and diversity, this one I was particularly interested in.

I met at Jacobs home moments before we were to leave where we finished getting  ready, took photos and talked about how the night would play out.

Photo credit Darius L. Carter
#TheCartersTouch

Just like a moment out of a high school prom night except I wasn’t pampering myself with a room full of women and instead I watched as the guys tightened their bow ties, slick back their hair and toasted to a night of razzle dazzle.

Photo credit Darius L. Carter
#TheCartersTouch

Being the only girl in the room or rather the second after making friends with this fur baby, I entertained myself in watching how a group of guys get ready which is obviously far different from a group of women. One thing is the amount of time which is far less. It’s more so about time management and multitasking as necessary.

Photo credit Darius L. Carter
#TheCartersTouch

After getting picked up, we made our way to the Hollywood hills where we’d get caught in a traffic jam making it almost impossible on the extremely narrow streets of the hills. The gala started at 4 sharp prior to the actual showing of the Oscars being taped live. So we quickly got out, walked our way up and made our way in where we linked up with some of Jacobs other friends to sit at our table.

Outside a small gifting had been set up allowing guest to take home sponsored gifts as well as gift bags that were being generously handed out. The bar hadn’t been opened yet, but that didn’t stop us from taking shots from the sponsored tequila table and filling up on red wine.

Photo credit Darius L. Carter
#TheCartersTouch

Although our group was primarily there to enjoy the actual gala as well as the show, we made the evening into a night of joining together as some of Hollywood’s young elites. We might have not necessarily been on the same stage as the head ponchos, but being associated with the idea of what makes up this city of angels and demons was just enough. We took the city at the palms of our hands and appreciated each others company.

Photo credit Darius L. Carter
#TheCartersTouch

What first looked like a prom started to filter more into Real Glam lives of Hollywood Hills episode. We strayed against the herd and lived by our own boundaries of living.

Photo credit Darius L. Carter
#TheCartersTouch

While we did talk briefly in regards to all the boiling drama in our city, we still made more of an effort to see the beauty in the city that we’re in that allowed us to celebrate with each other in all beauties of our background and color. Especially when it came to the final win of Leonardo DiCaprio

That still won’t stop me from expressing my views from what I’ve observed over threads, conversations, debates and experiences. 

This Oscars brought to light topics that have been snubbed and aggressively ignored in the past continuing in this day and age. That being of diversity; and with the #OscarsIsSoWhite controversy, it has lead to both sides, the consciously aware and the simple-minded oblivion’s being at odds. It doesn’t take a rocket scientists to know and thoroughly understand that this world is filled with racism, bigotry and prejudices with people continuously and ignorantly confusing the terms with one another.

While these terms and descriptions without a doubt correlate with one another similar to the usage of their, they’re and there, there is still that misinformation that makes it impossible to funnel down to the root of the problem as a whole. That being in the action of refusal. Oscars So White is just another reason for individuals to be up in arms about a topic that has yet to be rationally discussed among intellectual people who have a more clear visual of the world they inhabit above the rocks they live under. It’s that “dumbing down” notion that has people upset. It’s by not providing an ample amount of opportunities which then turns into the cycle of establishing  ones own worth of acknowledgments such as BET for those who are repeatedly shunned.

Caucasian actors since the day of movies have played every character outside their racial reality. Could I play a biopic on Queen Elizabeth? No.

Because I’m black and as dark as a snickers candy bar and no amount of baby powder could replicate her fair skin to lighten my own, but when you turn the tables it becomes fair game to that character. An Asian actor isn’t going to correct the characteristic trait of their eyes and dye their hair blonde in order to play barbie. A Native American, I assure you will never want to take away from their heritage to play a white man; and a Muslim might question the integrity of playing a Christian. You see how there’s still a fine line between the integrity of diversity?

Imitation is far from flattery when it’s insulting to be flattered by disgust even in this modern day and age.

For some mind boggling reason with each vocal expression we continue to address we take steps back as a society, it’s as if people choose to ignore that things have yet to change in progress from the full efforts of capabilities. Here as I mentioned in my Anti Black Voices, people subliminally instigate the issue because they refuse to see the bigger picture. They create excuses from the figment of an imagination in order to delude the rationality from the existence in there being a problem. In this case a Hollywood problem.

On the other hand and being a black woman who has been a socialite in what I’ve always stated as “White Hollywood” for years, I’ve had my very own experiences that no one can have the audacity in questioning if they haven’t cloned my steps.

Photo credit Darius L. Carter
#TheCartersTouch

Stemming from my very own personal life and growing up, I have multiple opinions related to magnifying all angles to a spectrum which many have not and cannot do although they try. So I disagreed with certain actions that pertain to the reasoning of common ground yet I also emphasize. Empathy is a hard trait for most to comprehend.

I admire a sense of logic and reason that makes up the core of a debate especially when it’s thought out well enough to see the credibility in ones voice such as those who still found that it’s far more than what initially meets the eye. Kerry Washington addressed that perfectly.

This Oscars had more of a meaning rather than obnoxiously making a mockery of the in depth purpose behind a hash tag. Clearly, even the organizers themselves made it very apparent in how absolutely foolish our society tends to repetitively fall into the butt of all jokes, hence Stacy Dash.

Although these sensitive subjects lack sensitivity in those who throw stones while living in a glass house, we’re still expressing new ways in draining blood out of turnips and as we should all know, there is no blood. Touché

At the end of the day, I’m just living for the swirl.

Xox