The Oscars are a commercial event. Getting nominated is worth money. The idea that voters do not consider the economic consequences of their votes to their friends and enemies is naive not only in that it misjudges the people but in that it misjudges the exercise itself. The problem is not that the artistic choices are not diverse; it’s that the business opportunities flowing from them are not diverse.

Stephen King may not have such things in mind. He may think that the Oscars are about artistic achievement. That’s his privilege. Outliers gotta outlie. But home field advantage is a thing because it sells tickets to the hometown crowd, not because it makes the game “better.” Under-represented groups need the benefits of Oscar recognition, so some race and gender “norming” seems a perfectly acceptable approach, so long as we pretend that it isn’t.