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CNN political reporter rips 'self-righteous, smug liberals' in Hollywood for Oscars 'lectures
CNN reporter Nia-Malika Henderson (Image source: YouTube)

CNN political reporter rips 'self-righteous, smug liberals' in Hollywood for Oscars 'lectures

CNN senior political reporter Nia-Malika Henderson tore into "self-righteous, smug liberals" in Hollywood Monday for their "lectures" during Sunday's 89th Academy Awards, accusing them of being "hypocritical" when it comes to the issue of diversity.

Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel set the tone for what devolved into a platform for celebrities to vocalize their political opposition to President Donald Trump before millions of Americans on national television.

Kimmel and others repeatedly portrayed Trump as racist and xenophobic, specifically taking issue with the president's controversial executive order that temporarily banned travel to the U.S. from seven countries in the Middle East.

One notable moment from the event came when Kimmel said he wanted to "thank" Trump, referring to last year's "#OscarsSoWhite" controversy, when a number of celebrities, including Spike Lee and Jada Pinkett Smith, boycotted the ceremony for its lack of nominee diversity.

Kimmel went on to say that if each of the "millions of people" watching the Oscars would reach out to "one person" they disagree with, "not as liberals or conservatives," then "we could make America great again."

"And I want to say, maybe this is not a popular thing to say, but I want to say 'thank you' to President Trump," Kimmel continued. "I mean, remember last year when it seemed like the Oscars were racist?"

Other celebrities also took aim at Trump, including Iranian-American engineer Anousheh Ansari, who accepted an Oscar on behalf of Iranian director Asghar Farhadi. Farhadi won "Best Foreign Film" for his production "The Salesman" but did not accept his award in person because of the administration's legally entangled travel ban.

“I’m sorry I’m not with you tonight. My absence is out of respect for the people of my country and those of other six nations whom have been disrespected by the inhumane law that bans entry of immigrants to the U.S. Dividing the world into the 'us' and 'our enemies' categories creates fear, a deceitful justification for aggression and war," Ansari said on behalf of Farhadi, according to Fox News.

Henderson took issue Monday with the Hollywood left's "self-righteous" behavior, noting its own lack of "inclusion" and "diversity":

I think it's also pretty hypocritical. I mean, Hollywood, probably one of the biggest purveyors of racist, ageist, sexist imagery across the globe, across the decades. So this idea that they should get up there and lecture anyone about inclusion, about diversity, I mean, it's laughable. In the history of the Academy Awards, one African-American woman has won Best Actress. The Oscars has been around for 90 years. These sort of self-righteous, smug liberals, I mean, it's really hypocritical.

In 2002, Halle Barry became the first black woman to win the Oscar for "Best Actress," earning the award for her role in "Monster's Ball." A number of black women have won for "Best Supporting Actress."

Multiple black actors have also taken home the Oscar for "Best Actor," including Forrest Whittaker, Denzel Washington, Jamie Foxx and Sidney Poitier.

Mahershala Ali, who is black, became the first Muslim actor ever to win any Oscar. Ali won "best actor in a supporting role" for playing "Juan" in "Moonlight," according to CNN.

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