Veteran freelance publicist Lloyd Leipzig, who has hosted and attended decades of Academy screenings himself, agreed with Bart's description. Yet Leipzig still contended that the voting is reflecting more youthful thinking. As for racial diversity, Pavlik said, the Academy doesn't track it. In other words, the makeup of the Academy membership and awards recipients mirrors that of the industry, which remains largely white and mostly male. Overall, Bart said, he considers the Academy little changed over the years.
Comedies tend to get the back of the hand.
Gray, however, argued that sweeping conclusions about the Academy membership are hard to make.