Thursday, April 9, 1998
Latinos scrutinize show business
RACE: Initiative On Race talks explore accusation that media
ignores the underrepresented
By Luan Huynh
Daily Bruin Contributor
Wanda DeJesus has played Helen of Troy and considers herself an
actress first and a Latina second, but being a Latina has made
offers for roles like that of Helen rare.
DeJesus joined politicians and people involved in the
entertainment industry for a town hall meeting about Latinos in the
arts. The meeting was held in the Young Grand Salon.
The panelists discussed discrimination, the negative portrayal
of minorities, and also thought up ways to increase and widen the
scope of representation in film and television.
"We do not seriously talk enough about who writes, acts and
directs in films that shape American lives daily," said Dennis
Hayashi, counselor to the deputy secretary of the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services.
The lack of conversation is indicative of the lack of
representation of Latinos in the entertainment industry. In 1996
only four percent of performers in feature film and television were
Latino, while 79 percent were Caucasian.
Compare this to the current population in America, which is 11
percent Latino. Furthermore, the 1997 Census data estimates that
Latinos will make up 25 percent of the population by 2050.
"We have to support our own communities. If we build it, they
will come," said Michael DeLorenzo, actor on New York Undercover.
DeLorenzo believes that there is a market out there but no one has
tapped into it yet.
According to Loretta Sanchez, congresswoman for the 46th
district, Latinos have a buying power of $460 billion. "It is
imperative to understand culture and diversity to serve that
market," Sanchez said.
Some of the panelists agreed that the industry is no longer
about the arts, but rather about business.
Many on the panel agreed that something must be done within the
Latino community to increase representation, rather than wait for
the entertainment industry to change. "(Entertainment corporations)
have to be convinced that it is the right thing to do," said Diane
Medina, director of diversity programs at the Walt Disney
Company.
Panelist Greg Amerson, manager of marketing and operations at
HBO agreed. Thirty percent of subscribers to HBO are people of
color.
"We are not even depicting reality anymore," Medina said. Medina
gave an example of a film shot at Cedars-Sinai Hospital where there
was no depiction of Latino doctors, although they are present in
real life. The only time Latinos were shown throughout the film was
in a park, begging for money.
Julie Friedgen, chair of the Committee of Latino Writers
recounted being told that her pilot was one of the best that ever
crossed the producers’ desk at NBC; however, they were "not sure
about casting. Jimmy Smits was already taken."
DeLorenzo can remember going to casting calls for a role. All
the Latino actors would come for the same role, as just one example
of the intense competition within the Latino entertainment
community for the few jobs that are available.
"There was a lack of fusion. We didn’t help each other,"
DeLorenzo said.
That is the nature of the business, said Kyle Booser, president
of Res Ipsa Media, a talent agency. "The entertainment industry is
not about coalition. It’s about every individual being in it for
themselves."
However, the panelist agreed that individuals have to take the
representation of the community into consideration.
Friedgen said there are only 54 Latinos in the writers’ guild of
more than 10,000 writers. Only 13 of them worked for television and
only one of them wrote a script for a top-10 show last year.
Amerson pointed out that it is important to have minorities in
the business side of the industry to "green light" projects.
Otherwise, minority representation is at the mercy of those who are
ignorant and are more willing to stereotype.
The panelists expressed concern with the admissions statistics
coming out of the University of California. As it is, only 65
percent of Latinos graduate from high school. However, the
reduction in admissions due to Prop. 209 made the future of
minorities in entertainment even more dismal than it already
is.
Many of the speakers see education as the answer to the problem
of underrepresentation. President CLinton apparently feels the same
way. The event was part of Clinton’s Initiative on Race, which is
taking place in 500 schools across the nation.
"Colleges play hero in the success of the goal (to lift the
burden of race), and student involvement is essential," said
Hayashi.JAMIE SCANLON-JACOBS/Daily Bruin
Dennis Hayashi from the department Health and Human Services
addresses a town hall meeting on Latinos in the arts.