Spike Lee told magazines and newspapers that if they wanted to interview him regarding his film Malcolm X they would have to send a black journalist. He did this to highlight that many major magazines and newspapers don't have black staff members. But Lee turned down a request for an interview by the only black writing film criticism for a national publication. David Ehrenstein interviewed Lee twice for the now-defunct Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, but now he can't get to the director. Ehrenstein suggests that maybe it's because he now works for The Advocate, a gay and lesbian journal.

†