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Spike Lee Fears Eastwood Spat Will Cost Him An Oscar

September 14th, 2008 1:00pm EDT Post a comment

Spike Lee fears his public spat with Clint Eastwood may have cost him an Oscar nod. The director criticized Eastwood for the lack of African-Americans in his war epics Flags of Our Fathers and Letters From Iwo Jima,

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28 Member Comments

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Sun Sep 14 2008 14:45:26 By: catinthehat (

1)
In no particular order, as far as truly contemporary American film artists who are bound to survive the litmus of time (dead or alive), there's Altman, there's Scorsese, there's the Coen Brothers (give or take a film or two) and there's Spike Lee. Eastwood's on a different tier, even considering "Bird". Lee's remarks about representations of race in film are legitimate. As far as I'm concerned, he's an expert on race in film and an expert on the importance of using a wide lens to look at various eras ("Summer of Sam", etc.). In other words, it was advice that Eastwood could probably have used.
As far as how often New Yorkers get Oscars for their films, ask Scorsese if this has any bearing.

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Sun Sep 14 2008 15:32:41 By: jd555 (

1)
spike lee is 1 complete idiot? if eastwood were to suffer any disability, lee still cannot compete in any way. lee uses race as excuse for him not having any type of talent.

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Sun Sep 14 2008 15:54:14 By: shabky (

62)
Maybe next time, Lee should remember to think before he opens his mouth.....

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Sun Sep 14 2008 16:27:49 By: artwork (

1)
When does Spike lee not think that it is all a conspiracy? It's old Spike! Can't you just admit that some people just don't like you because you scapegoat everything. If its not because your black, its because your from New York! Get a life and grow up!

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Sun Sep 14 2008 17:09:46 By: Felix Lassiter (

3313)
Ha Ha And Oscar nod is that like poop if it is hes worth and Oscar nod a big piece of Oscar Nod.

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Sun Sep 14 2008 17:28:14 By: grandmother (

36)
Actually I saw driving Miss Daisy and it was an excellent film so what makes him think that his film Do The Right Thing would have won? If he has foul language in his film like he has on this page I would not watch it anyway. I think that he could possibly be jealous and if he carries on the way he does he will never win an Oscar. He must think he is bigger than the film industry. If driving Miss Daisy appears on my T.V. again I will watch it again. So there! He should listen to his wife, she seems to be the one with the brains and not the foul language. Who is Spike Lee anyway? Cheers

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Sun Sep 14 2008 20:17:47 By: Sp0t (

67)
Spike Lee is talented but his whiney racial or sterotypical remarks that seem to follow him everywhere he goes .. will never win him anything. So until he plays by hollywoods rules like everyone else he just wont be excepted.

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Sun Sep 14 2008 20:47:05 By: rational1 (

6)
Spike Lee can not go one day without playing the race card. Nobody with any intelligence takes him seriously. Spike Lee will never get an Oscar, not because he is black but because he has no class.

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Sun Sep 14 2008 20:57:41 By: sardinekey (

1)
I have long felt that the talented Clint Eastwood like the late John Wayne,is racist. We a a people are everwhere and in all facits of life.
So why aren't we in his films ?
I agree with Spike Lee his art should be judged on the same basis as the rest.

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Sun Sep 14 2008 21:44:44 By: judge55 (

25)
Spike seems to be one of those people who think everyone else in the world is responsible for his own stupid screw-ups.
This cry baby needs to get a life or retire from show business. It's obvious that he cannot handle the stress.

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Sun Sep 14 2008 23:01:24 By: largeheart (

9)
Spike, my mother used to tell me, when people around you perhaps consider you a fool, don't open your mouth and remove all doubt. Is the art of being subtle lost on you? No one wants to hear whining and complaining about doing what you love to do and getting paid handsomely for it when you don't honors you think you deserve. Talent will always speak for itself....put away the trumpets.

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Mon Sep 15 2008 08:51:09 By: taralynn (

1025)
as long as he has someone or something to blame he doesnt have to take responsibility for failure. I personally dont think you have to have an award to be good at what you do. If he was happy with himself, self satisfaction would be enough for him. Be he needs reassurance (like a child)

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Mon Sep 15 2008 08:53:54 By: Marcus Garvey (

4214)
im sure these comments really help his case. what an idiot. with that being said, i still am looking forward to his new movie

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Mon Sep 15 2008 09:39:01 By: sstock (

1)
There's a huge "Rocky Horror Show" following and any number of fools watch "Porkies" rather than quality films. Just because its popular, doesn't mean it honor-worthy.

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Mon Sep 15 2008 17:56:35 By: janetkirk (

1087)
I thought at least, he was trying to dress better, Judge...
BALIFF next!

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Mon Sep 15 2008 21:33:48 By: tan4007 (

523)
"Do the right thing" dude and stop whinning.

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Tue Sep 16 2008 08:37:56 By: RASHARPE (

755)
THESE ARE EXCUSES HE USES, THE TRUTH IS OTHER MOVIES AND DIRECTORS WHERE BETTER.

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Tue Sep 16 2008 15:30:30 By: janetkirk (

1087)
Hey, Tan if I have the "parts" to be a Dude, you are looking at the wrong girl...the comment was not directed at you. OK Marcus, when do you want to arrange the catfight?

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Tue Sep 16 2008 20:24:50 By: tan4007 (

523)
Janet, you think everything is about you. I was addressing the comment by SPIKE LEE and being "witty" ya know, his movie, Do the Right Thing and his whinning to his wife, read the post. Keep up will ya.

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Wed Sep 17 2008 03:45:41 By: tiggerandjasper (

201)
Spike Lee definitely sounds a little racist. Who's to say Eastwood didn't try to cast more African Americans but none came to try out? But why is he all hot under the collar about the color of who's in the film? The fact that he's in New York has nothing to do with winning anything. If he produces a good movie, then it's a job well done and has nothing to do because of his color. I'm tired of whites being accused of being racist about blacks when clearly blacks are racist about the fact they are black. I hear more complaints from blacks than I do whites. And I'm sick of saying "caucasion" or "African American". It's white and black.

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Wed Sep 17 2008 09:05:31 By: max298 (

13)
Spike Lee is a racist!

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Wed Sep 17 2008 20:54:37 By: davecrover (

2)
fair play to spike lee. I don't really know any of spike's work but fair play to him for speaking out in the name of all good people. I bet he's bang on. I'm proud of spike for this. Eastwood is a good actor in some movies. Ain't no hero though. I'd have him on the floor in a second with regards to the manhood (or at least in most films I've seen cint acting). He's one of those people who appeals to people who are cool and almost cool in the important way. Thanks spike. Bless you sir

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Wed Sep 17 2008 21:04:34 By: davecrover (

2)
'spike lee is a rascist'. God, that sounds like any white person said for hundreds of years when they had nothing to say and decided to be moronic. 'X X is rascist!". Lets shoot the nigro.
Spike lee, in this case is making a valid point. Too bad some white people with voice in the media don't publicly say it so he can chill out as he deserves too instead of have all you haters dissing him. I respect him for this particular comment he decided to make. I am white 25 yr old by the way. Love you all. White or black or any colour. Just gets me annoyed you can be so dumb fellow whites. How am I to feel upbeat when I see so many comments against him here. It's sad.

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Thu Sep 18 2008 21:40:26 By: baikencrook (

13)
How many blacks were in the Japanese army in WW2? Zero?
Maybe that's why "Letters" lacked black actors Spike.
Loved "Malcolm X" and liked some of his other flicks but his comment was just dumb.

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Fri Sep 19 2008 08:38:48 By: johnjack (

2)
SPIKE WHO ??????

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Fri Sep 19 2008 13:08:47 By: artzjohn (

2)
Spike Lee is a bigot as is Jessie Jackson. they hate white people. Let's have a white people film awards and see what he says. Why do Maraya Carrey and Halley Barry consider thereselves black, when each has one white parent.
I was raised in L.A. in the 50's and 60's. Attended mt. vernon jr. high and Los angeles high school. In some classes, I was the only white boy in the class. 65% of the blacks failed all of my classes. If that is a biggoted statement, I apologize. In English Lit...out of 32 students, 4 showed up for class. I was one of them. I think Spike Lee can direct, but he is not in the league of a Clint Eastwood.

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Fri Sep 19 2008 14:16:46 By: Jamilyn (

5)
He needs to stop worrying about Oscar nods and just make his films. I haven't heard of Eastwood complaining about the lack of white people in Spike's films. It seems he's always got something to complain about. I think he's a talented filmmaker and have enjoyed his movies over the years, but his constant whining is enough to stear me away from his films. Grow up Spike and concentrate on making good films and don't worry about the awards.

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Mon Oct 6 2008 16:54:34 By: johnboy123 (

1)
Spike Lee is and always will be a jerk! To think any of his movies deserve an oscar is pure fantasy. His latest movie has already gone down the toilet. No one is paying to see it. Soon he'll be gone as he won't be able to get any producer to waste money on his crap movies. Good riddance!

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