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AFRICANGLOBE – Sony pictures has found itself embroiled in a fiery race row after a series of racist emails were leaked following an apparent cyber attack on the major Hollywood studio.
In one exchange between Sony Pictures chair Amy Pascal and film producer Scott Rudin they joked about the President Obama’s race, claiming that he would prefer movies featuring Black actors.
The offensive conversation was sparked by Pascal’s planned visit to a fundraising dinner held by DreamWorks Animation’s Jeffrey Katzenberg, who is a major contributor to the Democratic Party.
The fundraising breakfast’s guest of honour was President Obama.
Pascal asked Rudin: “What should I ask the president at this stupid Jeffrey breakfast?”
Rudin replied: “Would he like to finance some movies?”
Pascal then wrote: “I doubt it. Should I ask him if he liked DJANGO?”
Rudin replied with “12 Years”, referring to Steve McQueen’s slavery movie.
Pascal then cited several other films starring Black actors such as The Butler.
Rudin finished the exchange with: “Ride-along. I bet he likes Kevin Hart.”
According to a report on BuzzFeed the emails formed part of the November 24 cyber attack on Sony Pictures.
Kevin Hart, a popular comedian and actor, became the target of another leaked exchange between Sony Pictures studio executive Clint Culpepper, Pascal and Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton and was allegedly branded a “money wh**e”.
Culpepper complained that Hart made up to $7 million for his last two Sony films, yet when he was asked to tweet out a plug for latest release, believed to be Think Like a Man Too, his agent declined because he felt his client’s expertise in social media was worth additional money.
“I’m not saying he’s a whore, but he’s a whore,” Culpepper is believed to written in the offending email, according to Gawker.
“We paid for his ability to open a film which included his social media savvy. I feel like this is something that should be negotiated going into the film as opposed to after the fact. It feels tantamount to buying a car and then upon picking it up being told that the engine will cost extra. I’m tempted to suggest we call his bluff,” Culpepper wrote.
“If he doesn’t do his normal routine, his film will not open as well and his brand will appear diminished and he will- in fact – be fu**ing himself because we have his next 2 immediate films. And then there’s the social media precedent we’re setting…especially in light of the fact that Channing [Tatum] is at the same agency.”
According to BuzzFeed Sony declined to comment and Rudin did not respond to their questions. Both Hart and President Obama have remained silent about the latest leak on social media platforms.
Black Men Stop Whining about Media & Build Your OWN – – Here’s How – THEBLACKCHANNEL.NET
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