NAACP show expects sparks, not fireworks from #OscarsSoWhite

Following the 9-11 p.m. ET live telecast of the 47th NAACP Image Awards hosted by Emmy Award-nominated actor Anthony Anderson, TV One is also premiering a sneak peek of new comedy series Here We Go Again and Born Again Virgin at 11 p.m. ET and 11:30 p.m. ET, respectively. On Friday, the 47th NAACP Image Awards will feature some of the industry’s most talented artists like Will Smith, Kerry Washington, Gabrielle Union and Oprah Winfrey.

Despite the heated talk about racial diversity in Hollywood following the Academy Awards’ mostly white array of nominees for the second year in a row, organizers of the NAACP Image Awards expect energy, not preoccupation at Friday’s ceremony honoring people of color in entertainment. The same goes for the NAACP Image Awards, where this year’s nominees include Gina Rodriguez, Guillermo Diaz, Hudson Yang and Jill Soloway.

In the aftermath of the complete blackout in the Oscars nominations debacle, the 2016 NAACP Image Awards in suburban Los Angeles had an extra flair and buoyancy to it.

“Hollywood needs to know that this is what diversity is supposed to look like”, a more serious Anthony told the crowd at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in California.

On the TV side, “Black-ish” swept the TV comedy categories with Anderson winning the award for Outstanding Actor, while the show was selected as Outstanding Comedy Series and his co-star Tracee Ellis Ross was honoured as Outstanding Actress.

“I certainly didn’t expect that”, said the Rocky star, who forgot to thank co-star Michael and Creed filmmaker Ryan Coogler in his acceptance speech after winning a Golden Globe as best supporting actor.

The NAACP awarded John Legend with the President’s award. But Leonard James, who serves as chairman for the Image Awards at the NAACP, says that’s been the goal for years. The award giving body also honors individuals or organizations who promote social justice through their works.

“Despite the daunting problems, I am hopeful that our generation will demand and achieve radical change in our lifetime”, he said.

“I think Hollywood should take notes from this awards show”, said “Scandal” actor Guillermo Diaz on the red carpet before the show.

But that doesn’t mean the controversy will be ignored at the ceremony, which is presented by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.