Ummmmm ...

... did George Clooney just congratulate himself on belonging to an industry that gave Hattie McDaniel an Oscar in 1939 -- for playing a slave? The next award I can think of to go to an African-American actor was to Sidney Poitier for Lilies of the Field and then, decades later, to Denzel Washington for Glory. Washington played -- you guessed it -- a slave (and he was terrific). Now, there's progress. In the meantime, can anyone tell me how many African-American producers and directors have been nominated for Academy Awards over the years by that courageous industry to which Clooney is so proud to belong. Anyone? Anyone?

UPDATE: I guess I should go easy on the guy. It seems he may have injured himself with all that back-patting.