The Help is biggest story in nomination process

By Ben Wrobel

Special to the NNPA from the NAACP

On Friday, February 17th, artists and entertainers will gather on the red carpet for the 43rd NAACP Image Awards. The two-hour star-studded event will air live on February 17th at 8:00 p.m. (7:00 p.m. central) on NBC.

The NAACP Image Awards is the nation’s premiere multicultural awards show. It celebrates the accomplishments of people of color in the fields of television, music, literature and film, and also honors individuals or groups who promote social justice through creative endeavors.

The winners in 53 categories are decided by votes from members of the NAACP. This year’s nominees were announced at a January press conference led by Vanessa Williams, Tracee Ellis Ross, Corey Reynolds and Craig Robinson.This year’s list of nominees reminds us how many talented artists of color are working today,” said NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous. “Many of these nominees use the creative process to advance the cause of social justice. The NAACP Image Awards is the ideal platform to highlight their often-overlooked perspectives.”

The biggest story in the nomination process was the success of “The Help”, which earned eight nods including Outstanding Motion Picture. The film, which examines the relationship between a white woman and two black maids during the Civil Rights era, grossed over $150 million at the box office. Rounding out the Outstanding Motion Picture category were “Jumping the Broom,” “Pariah,” “The First Grader” and “Tower Heist.”

In the television category, “The Game” and “Grey’s Anatomy” both garnered six nominations, including Outstanding Drama and Comedy, respectively. “The Game”, which follows the lives of professional football players and their significant others, also earned nods for the performances of its stars Pooch Hall (Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series), Tia Mowry-Hardrict and Wendy Raquel Robinson (Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series).

Leading the pack in music nominations were Beyonce and Jill Scott, who are both competing in the categories of Outstanding Female Artist, Outstanding Album, Outstanding Music Video and Outstanding Song. Mary J. Blige snagged three nominations, and Adele had two. The Outstanding New Artist category included fresh faces like Diggy Simmons and Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr.

Notable nominations in literature included Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention” by the late Manning Marable; “My Song” by Harry Belafonte, and Toure’s “Who’s Afraid of Post- Blackness?: What It Means to Be Black Now”.

“The NAACP Image Awards is an important American award show,” said NAACP Hollywood Bureau Executive Director Vicangelo Bulluck, who serves as executive producer of the awards telecast. “It is important to recognize positive images and accurate portrayals of our diverse culture, and to acknowledge the artistic achievements of those telling stories that resonate with our community.”