Dear Mr. Seth Rogen,
I am very annoyed with you.
In fact, I am livid.
Mr Rogen, you enjoy a position in the entertainment industry that most of us can only dream of. Most of us, of course, being women and people of color.
You are lucky enough to be a straight white dude. Sure, you’re Jewish, so some bigots don’t think that you are white, but hey, they are bigots. You’re white. Now, that has given you a leg up on most of us. You are also funny and have a loyal audience. Studios take big risks with you! Ones that they would never take on others. Having the unique position you do, you are able to speak up. Not only can you speak up, people will listen to you! Man, I don’t even know what that’s like. Again, most of us don’t and will never know what that’s like.
You’re probably asking yourself, “Why is this bitch so mad at me? I’m not The Hollywood Reporter!” Correct, you Mr. Rogen are not The Hollywood Reporter. However, when you stepped onto that magical photo shoot, participated in that roundtable discussion about animation, you had an opportunity. You had a chance to use your Successful White Dude Card for something good. Something bigger than yourself.
In a perfect world you would have walked onto that set, seen that there were just SIX OTHER WHITE DUDES and said, “You know what, I don’t want to be a part of this, unless you can find at least one person of color and at least one woman.”
That’s it! That’s all you had to do! Take a stand. If white dudes stay silent about the diversity problem in Hollywood, than it will NEVER get fixed.
Sure, THR would have been like, “Sorry Mr. Rogen, we just have these five other white dudes.” Great, perfect time for you to call them out on that! Get on Twitter, tell everyone what just happened. Hold them accountable! Or do you think that there are no women or people of color in the world of animation? Because, sorry boo, there are some of us working in that field and we could use your help.
In fact, after Sausage Party, a film that was widely seen as racially insensitive and sexist – YOU OWE US.
Now before you assume that most of us, again women and people of color, aren’t working as hard as you did/do, I beg you to shut up and keep that thought inside that big old head of yours. We are working our asses off. We are working jobs on top of other jobs, so that we can interview to be a production assistant on your next movie. In fact as I type this, I am at my day job, the baby is taking a nap, so this is when I get to write. And then I have to write a million call sheets for another job, which in reality is like five jobs in one.
Oh hey, I just had to take a three hour break, you didn’t know that, why would you? But I’m telling you to show you, that I have to work a real job, two in fact, while my passion sits on the back burner. My passion being, telling dudes to sit the fuck down.
But, I do not want you to sit down Mr. Rogen. Do the opposite. Stand up and fucking say something, you turd. Don’t participate in events where there is no one there to represent women and people of color.
This week, Mr. Rogen, I do say “NAW. DUDE.” to your behavior, but I am willing to give you a chance to correct it. Be our ally. Be a champion. Don’t be a turd. Cause that’s what you were, a big old turd, participating in that nonsense.
Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for a Healthy 2017,
Rebecca Edwards