ABC: Even the GOP Candidates are More Diverse Than the Oscars

January 15th, 2016 11:33 AM

The journalists at Good Morning America on Friday joked about just how white the Academy Award nominations are. According to Chris Connelly, they are less diverse than the Republican presidential field. 

Offering, perhaps, a back-handed compliment, a sarcastic Connelly quipped, “Just saying, the seven-person lineup for last night's A-list Republican candidates debate was more diverse than the Academy Award 20 acting nominations. None of which went to a person of color for the second year in a row.” 

One thing Connelly didn’t point out: The GOP field, which contains an African American and two Hispanic candidates, is more diverse than both the Oscars and the very white Democratic presidential field. 

A transcript of the brief exchange is below: 

GMA
1/15/16
7:16:02 to 

ROBIN ROBERTS: Now to the Oscars and for the second year in a row, backlash over who was not nominated. The front page this morning's L.A. Times saying it all, asking the question where is the diversity? And ABC's Chris Connelly is here with that story. Good morning, Chris. 

CHRIS CONNELLY: Good morning, Robin. And what we saw, not people attacking this nomination or that nomination but asking questions, again, about the process and about the industry. Just saying, the seven-person lineup for last night's A-list Republican candidates debate was more diverse than the Academy Award 20 acting nominations. None of which went to a person of color for the second year in a row.