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Stacey Dash Explains Why She Made That Bizarre Oscars Cameo

By Victoria Miller
Published on: 23:48 PST, Feb 28, 2016

Stacey Dash was probably the last person anyone expected to see at the Oscars, but the Clueless actress turned up as part of Chris Rock’s opening monologue in what was by far the most cringe-worthy part of the annual awards show ceremony. Just one month after she publicly called the #OscarsSoWhite boycott “ludicrous,” Stacey Dash walked across the stage to poke fun at the Oscars boycott and at her own public comments about the controversy.

In the awkward opening segment, Stacey Dash was introduced by Oscars host Chris Rock as the “new director of our minority outreach program.” Dash walked onstage and said, “I cannot wait to help my people out. Happy Black History month.” No one laughed.

For the millions of viewers who were confused by the bizarre bit, they may have missed Stacey’s interview with Fox & Friends last month. In the interview, Dash called the #OscarsSoWhite controversy “ludicrous.” Stacey also slammed the BET Awards for giving out awards to only black stars, and she said Black History Month should be eliminated.

“We have to make up our minds. Either we want to have segregation or integration, and if we don’t want segregation, then we have to get rid of channels like BET and the BET Awards and the Image Awards, where you’re only awarded if you’re black. If it were the other way around, we’d be up in arms. It’s a double standard.”

Dash caused further outrage by saying that Black History Month should be abolished. The 49-year-old actress later defended her controversial comments by pointing out that respected actor Morgan Freeman made similar remarks about the annual February remembrance.

“There shouldn’t be a Black History Month. We’re Americans, period.”

After her joke at the Oscars fell flat, Stacey Dash attempted to explain her appearance via an entry on her Patheos blog. In her post, Dash wrote that people slammed her for supporting Mitt Romney instead of Barack Obama in 2012 and that after being “blamed, mocked, and ridiculed in the press,” she has spoken out a lot of other things that blacks try to “stuff down” her throat.

Stacey went on to write that blacks should stop complaining about “white people oppressing us,” and that they should have supported Chris Rock as host of the Oscars instead of boycotting the 88th annual Oscars ceremony over the fact that no minority actors were nominated in any major categories for the second year in a row. Dash also explained that while she’s sure some of her black peers didn’t appreciate her Oscars cameo, she did it as a tongue-in-cheek way to prove her point that “ideological diversity” is harder to talk about than skin color.

“When they added ME to increase the diversity, I’m sure many black people rolled their eyes. I’m not ‘black enough,’ they say. But guess what? I’ve heard that all my life. I would rather be a free thinking, black than a cookie cutter black who thinks – and votes – just like all my friends.”

Stacey Dash also wanted to realize her own dream of setting foot on the Oscars stage. She’s done that now, so mission accomplished.

“Yes, I’m the actress from the South Bronx who has always dreamed of winning an Oscar. But God has a great sense of humor and this is my first encounter with one of my dreams of destiny. Bringing diversity to Hollywood… not merely because of color, but politics as well.”

Of course, reaction to Stacey Dash’s Oscars appearance was overwhelmingly negative. Based on the audience’s reaction (Chrissy Teigen’s face was priceless) and the scathing social media posts from movie fans, this will probably be the last time Stacey Dash sets foot on the Oscars stage.

Take a look at the video below to see Stacey Dash’s awkward Oscars appearance in its entirety and for more on why she did it.

[Photo By Kevin Winter/Getty Images]

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