Amber Ruffin Takes Jabs at DEI Rollback and Elon Musk During African American Film Critics Association Awards
“I have to be honest, things, they feel really bad right now,” comedian Amber Ruffin said in her intro monologue at the 16th Annual African American Film Critics Association Awards, which she hosted in Los Angeles on Wednesday night. “Between the rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion, the price of eggs and the price of Cowboy Carter tickets, it’s insane. Ticketmaster needs to be canceled. I don’t trust anything with ‘master’ in the name.”
Thus began a series of hilarious quips about the country’s socio-political climate from Ruffin, who’s written for Late Night with Seth Meyers for over a decade and hosted her own late-night talk show, The Amber Ruffin Show, from 2020 to 2023.
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“It can be hard to celebrate when it feels like our country is taking one hundred steps back,” Ruffin later stated. “Do you all remember the good old days when you were proud to say, ‘My President is Black?’” she asked before referencing billionaire businessman Elon Musk. “Now, it’s ‘My President is a South African Nazi oligarch.’”
Ruffin continued to receive roars of applause from attendees as she set the tone for the evening’s purpose. “This group proves that no matter what they think they can take from us we will continue to spread joy through the power of faith, and our joy is our resilience. Just like the great Kendrick Lamar said, ‘Hey Drake, I hear you like ‘em young,’ ” said Ruffin, jokingly referencing Lamar’s Grammy award-winning diss track “Not Like Us.” “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Kendrick Lamar said, ‘We gone be alright,’” she corrected herself, alluding to his 2015 single “Alright.” “And we’re going to be more than alright. We create in spite of. We love to tell our stories in spite of. We excel in spite of, and tonight we celebrate with each other in spite of.”
The list of awards and honorees recognized at the ceremony held at the Beverly Wilshire was extensive, with Tyler Perry delivering the Beacon Award tribute to Nicole Avant, who produced his Netflix film The Six Triple Eight. The Piano Lesson’s Malcolm Washington also received the Emerging Director Award. Ray Fisher, who portrayed Lymon in the film adaptation of the August Wilson play, was recognized with the Breakout Performance Award. Academy Award-nominated Wicked costume designer Paul Tazewell was honored with the Innovator Award and Nickel Boys director RaMell Ross the Spotlight Award.
Ross, in his acceptance speech, spoke to the seriousness of some of the sentiments Ruffin made light of in her monologue as he thanked Orion Pictures and MGM Grand Studios, specifically president of publicity Adriene Bowles, for their support of the film adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s novel on the awards circuit.
“I want to thank Adriene Bowles, who has really put her neck on the line inside the studio system to put a campaign behind the film,” Ross started. “In order to have people watch a film that has a logline which normally pushes people away, which is two Black boys, Jim Crow South, reform school — how do you get someone to watch that? You need millions of dollars, really; it’s devastatingly sad, but someone inside that system has to go to those people and say, ‘Hey, do this, it’s worth it, trust me,’ and that’s what Adrienne did.”
“The film ultimately is for the Dozier’s school for boys, in which Colson’s mythology originates, and having their story elevated to a place which cannot be erased by the incumbent clown is really quite astounding of a gesture,” Ross continued referencing President Donald Trump.
Nickel Boys also took the award for best picture and Ross best director with the night’s additional awards being delegated as follows:
Best Actor: Colman Domingo (Sing Sing)
Best Actress: Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Hard Truths)
Best Supporting Actor: Clarence Maclin (Sing Sing)
Best Supporting Actress: Danielle Deadwyler (The Piano Lesson)
Best Ensemble: The Piano Lesson
Best Original Score: The Wild Robot (Kris Bowers)
Best Original Song: “Bricks,” Exhibiting Forgiveness (Andra Day, Cassandra Batie & Jherek Bischoff)
Best Screenplay: Sing Sing (Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar)
Best Documentary: *TIE* Daughters (Netflix), Dahomey (Mubi)
Best Animated Feature: The Wild Robot
Best International Film: Emilia Pérez
Best Independent Feature: She Taught Love
In her acceptance speech, Jean-Baptiste spoke with pride about portraying the complicated character Pansy Deacon in Hard Truths. “To share Mike Leigh’s keen observations of life is a gift,” she began. “While working with him, you’re constantly reminded that film is an art form and as such, while making it, the focus should lie solely in the exploration and discovery, and not in the result. It’s a gift that gives you the freedom to delve into the nuances of your character and the world that they inhabit. It has been a gift to create a film that tells the story of a Black family just living, with all the joy and pain that comes with being human. To hear people say that they recognize Pansy in their sisters, mothers, grandmothers, and aunties, and even that they recognize themselves in her, is a gift.”
The actress then shared what being recognized by AAFCA meant to her. “I’ve lived in the U.S. for 22 years now, and I remember when I first moved out here, I bumped into a group of people who recognized me for being in something and I was kind of surprised because I was new here. They said, ‘Uh-uh, no, we see you.’ And I was like, ‘Ooh!’ ” Jean-Baptiste continued. “But now I’ve heard that on many occasions, and over the years I’ve come to realize that sometimes it’s the only acknowledgment we get. So, with that said, I would like to thank you, AAFCA, for your support of the film and for my performance. Thank you for seeing me.”
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