The Annual Academy Awards - General Discussion

[Racj82]

I'm shocked this is the second lowest rated oscars of all time. General population does not care about most of these movies.

[millennium]

This has ruined "After Earth" for me.

[ProudMary]

Pro-active step to be taken for all future awards shows: An announcement should be made just prior to the show's opening that ANYONE, including nominees, who attempts to access the stage from the audience, unless their name has been called as an award winner, will immediately be met by security guards and escorted from the event.

I mean, it's not the first time this has happened. David Niven and the streaker; Kanye West getting onstage and taking the mic from Taylor Swift. Make it very clear that this behavior will not be tolerated regardless of the status level of the offender.

[Ohiopirate02]

9 minutes ago, Dani said:

This keeps sticking with me. Of course, there were an abundance of “who thought that was a good idea” moments. As a whole the show wasn’t vetted to ensure that blatantly inappropriate (and just not funny) jokes weren’t included. Rightfully, no expected it to go that far but the organization seriously failed on nearly all fronts. 

I would not expect the producers of the event to be completely up on whatever it is that Jada talks about around her red table if this was a night that was designed to celebrate Will.  He and Jada were seated in the first row front and center.  Why the show did not do its due diligence and come up with a no-go list for Will is a failure on their part.  We all know there is a list of topics the hosts are not allowed to make fun of.  We have been naming names on these boards all day--Allen, Polanski, and Weinstein are at the top.  The Academy wants us to forget these men and their literal crimes and other bad behavior.  

[Crashcourse]

Wesley Snipes looked awfully thin.  I wonder if he's ill?

[Irlandesa]

16 minutes ago, Racj82 said:

I'm shocked this is the second lowest rated oscars of all time. General population does not care about most of these movies.

I think the general population doesn't care about awards shows.  Some of these movies on streaming seen quite a bit.

 

[millennium]

2 hours ago, superdeluxe said:

All of this.  This talk about taking away Will Smith’s Oscar is ridiculous considering all of the rapists who have Oscars sitting in their homes right now.  Did anyone call for their Oscars to be taken away?  No.  And all of these loud calls to take away his Oscar is because Will is Black and they didn’t want him to win in the first place.

Is it that?  Or are people just sick and tired of celebrity justice?  With regard to the rapists you mention, I think a difference may be that everyone witnessed the shocking moment with their own eyes.   There was an immediacy here that was absent in those other cases.  It happened in the space of minutes, on live TV

[Guest]

Just a reminder - everyone here is welcome to share their opinion.  You can discuss the various opinions as long as it is done civilly. There is no room for arguing, generalizations, or sniping at other posters.

[Vivigirl10]

I'm surprised the entire auditorium didn't explode like a blood engorged tick, filled with the hypocrisy of the hypocrites who are hypocritical.......

Quote

Will Smiths pathetic non talented son has already praised his dumb ass dad for his violence. Again pathetic.

Jada and Will have successfully and proudly raised two of probably the most intolerable youth on the planet.  I cannot even imagine how they would respond if someone clocked Jaden squarely in the middle of his superior, special snowflake mouth.  

Quote

The entire family is annoying af to me.

Understatement of the year.  

[Racj82]

20 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

I think the general population doesn't care about awards shows.  Some of these movies on streaming seen quite a bit.

 

No I'm correct in general audiences don't care. Most of these are niche movies that don't have a broad audience. Oscar hopefuls used to also be amongst the biggest in box office but also heavily talked about. These are movies mostly just exist. I'm not saying PEOPLE don't watch them. I'm saying most people who watch movies don't watch them or seek them out. Streaming has nothing to do with it. They are almost never the largest streamed movies either.

[Tuneful]

Will Smith must not watch Judge Judy. One of her consistent messages is: never put your hands first on someone [in aggression] and only be physical if NECESSARY for self-defense. Mark my words, there will be a CR lawsuit.

I've had a couple of car accidents that forced my head and neck wrong ways like that, and I have chronic pain from my upper cervical area into my head, for life, from it.  If you cannot control your temper to not hit someone, you've got a real problem, and all those celebrities work out, WS is strong. It would have been more effective and classy for him to show disgust or disbelief in his seat and give an acerbic statement about CR's "poor joke" to the media. 

In a way it makes me think about the rage and hair-trigger tempers everywhere from the severe national and world problems. Nothing justifies initiating a blow like that. And the show needs to improve its security. 

Edited March 28, 2022 by Tuneful

[Archery]

7 hours ago, wonderwoman said:

exactly — perfect song, focus on those who’ve passed — it ain’t rocket science!

I loved Esperanza’s “Wonderful World” In Memoriam, and also Queen Latifa’s “I’ll Be Seeing You.” Just a stripped down, melancholy song done with no frills by the oldest instrument used to express grief—the human voice. I also love when they include everyone, from major actors and directors to costume designers and sound engineers. 

As a black church girl, I get that they were going for a joyful Homegoing Celebration kind of vibe with the upbeat “choir” medley. But this wasn’t the audience for it. I’m sure there weren’t too many people in that auditorium thinking, Hmm, I could go for some Bapticostal hand clapping and foot stomping to honor these deceased people right now. You could probably do something like that at the BET Awards, but not the Oscars. 

[Guest]

26 minutes ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

I would not expect the producers of the event to be completely up on whatever it is that Jada talks about around her red table if this was a night that was designed to celebrate Will.  He and Jada were seated in the first row front and center.  Why the show did not do its due diligence and come up with a no-go list for Will is a failure on their part.  We all know there is a list of topics the hosts are not allowed to make fun of.  We have been naming names on these boards all day--Allen, Polanski, and Weinstein are at the top.  The Academy wants us to forget these men and their literal crimes and other bad behavior.  

I wouldn’t expect them to be aware if it either. I actually expect them to go one step farther and take a hard look at every joke with consideration of it is generally offensive to a minority group. Failure to do that is a massive failure on their part. The writing was just lazy and not even funny. 

[The Mighty Peanut]

I have alopecia. I wear wigs. It sucks, I can't part my remaining hair or wear it down without huge bald patches showing that derms describe as having a "moth-eaten" appearance, yay. And I realize I don't represent every single person with hair loss but it really isn't the worst thing in the world, just shitty. I am always sad when a stranger asks me why I am wearing a wig, do I have cancer (which happens). You just...deal...because of all the afflictions to have, you have one that doesn't hurt or cause death.

Had Jada was going through chemo it would've been one thing but she's in the top 1%, beautiful, incredibly fortunate, and is not about to be devastated by a bad joke about a movie from 1997 that starred a famously gorgeous woman. Just pissed off. IF it was a genuine reaction by will (I don't think it was), it was completely over the top and uncalled for. And then for him to cry about being a beacon of love and shining light...it all looks like histrionics, in my opinion. Like he realized he's been cultivating a public persona his entire career and realizes he just fucked up and is going in for the save/damage control. Jada was the only one who reacted with dignity.

Edited March 28, 2022 by The Mighty Peanut

[susannah]

1 hour ago, SusannahM said:

I have heard people defend his right to be angry I haven't heard anyone defend him actually going on stage and hitting someone.  What I have heard is that just because Will Smith overreacted that doesn't give Chris Rock a pass on being a jerk.  I'd thought insult comedy died with Don Rickles.  Clearly I was wrong.

Not sure why you thought insult comedy went out decades ago. What do the comedians at the Oscars do if not insult comedy? The A list actors are comedy gold, and they all get jokes made on them at the Oscars. Telling Dame Judi Dench she would succeed if she "moved her ass," repeated several times, etc, wasn't insulting?  Chris's joke "misogynist?" I don't think so. Will was misogynist, IMO because he didn't like the joke that wasn't about him, so he went and hit someone to "defend" her, and didn't let his wife deal with it, or not, like a normal person, since it was about her. Further, in that context, his shouting about "his wife" sounded like nothing more than proprietal ownership of her. The other thing I wonder is how whoever wrote the joke knew beforehand that Jada would not be wearing a wig or anything?

[susannah]

31 minutes ago, millennium said:

Is it that?  Or are people just sick and tired of celebrity justice?  With regard to the rapists you mention, I think a difference may be that everyone witnessed the shocking moment with their own eyes.   There was an immediacy here that was absent in those other cases.  It happened in the space of minutes, on live TV

 

 

48 minutes ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

The Academy wants us to forget these men and their literal crimes and other bad behavior.  

I am pretty sure that none of these men raped anyone on the stage at the Oscars. Making Smith out to be a "victim" because people want consequences for what HE did on the stage is ridiculous.

[Inquisitionist]

Do women in Hollywood think we don’t realize they have breasts? 🙄

[Peace 47]

23 minutes ago, Archery said:

As a black church girl, I get that they were going for a joyful Homegoing Celebration kind of vibe with the upbeat “choir” medley. But this wasn’t the audience for it. I’m sure there weren’t too many people in that auditorium thinking, Hmm, I could go for some Bapticostal hand clapping and foot stomping to honor these deceased people right now. You could probably do something like that at the BET Awards, but not the Oscars. 

I definitely don’t disagree with you on the whole endeavor striking the wrong mood for this awards show.  But I think that  “Spirit in the Sky” was a particularly poor choice to even try to engender that “celebration of life” vibe they were attempting at the end of the montage, and I that they could have done much better.

It’s a song that many in the audience probably either heard on their pop-rock station or heard on the oldies station (depending on their ages) throughout their whole lives.  It’s like a vibe check song appropriate when you’re driving down a rural highway on a sunny day, contemplating life, not a song that makes you want to lift hands in praise to remember Betty White (speaking for myself).

Edited March 28, 2022 by Peace 47

[RealHousewife]

11 minutes ago, Inquisitionist said:

Do women in Hollywood think we don’t realize they have breasts? 🙄

IKR! For my personal tastes, if you have to tape yourself in or you'll pop out, it's too revealing. But at least they keep the folks who make boob glue in business. 

[scarynikki12]

This kind of detail is what I live for

 

[Ohiopirate02]

2 minutes ago, scarynikki12 said:

This kind of detail is what I live for

 

I expect nothing less from Reba.

[susannah]

1 hour ago, PepSinger said:

I am tired of people thinking it's okay to insult Black women.

So insulting non black women is okay?

 

1 hour ago, Dani said:

This keeps sticking with me. Of course, there were an abundance of “who thought that was a good idea” moments. As a whole the show wasn’t vetted to ensure that blatantly inappropriate (and just not funny) jokes weren’t included. Rightfully, no expected it to go that far but the organization seriously failed on nearly all fronts. 

Generally speaking, isn’t it though? There is entire layer that Black people have to deal with in every situation that others just don’t. I have no problem saying that Black women have it worse dealing with hair generally.  Both because the texture has unique challenges and because of overt and systemic racism. That’s not to minimize the difficulties of anyone dealing with hair loss. 

I am not talking just about hair loss, though in the scope of bad things that can happen to people, that is way down there. No I do not agree that every bad thing that can happen in life is so much worse for black people is true. They are not the only people who ever have suffered oppression, hatred. Nor do I think that black/white racism is more crippling and pervasive than any prejudice against other races, centuries old sexism under male patriarchy that still is alive and well, those with real disabilities, etc. No one who thinks that CR was wrong to dare to make a joke about a black woman, like it is okay to insult others though, has responded to the question asked by several, in regard to a female comedian making the joke, and Will reacting the same way.

26 minutes ago, Inquisitionist said:

Do women in Hollywood think we don’t realize they have breasts? 🙄

I thought the same thing. If we didn't, we certainly do now. I think it is really sad that too many women think they have to be half naked to be attractive, sexy. Societal expectation, I know.

[chediavolo]

49 minutes ago, Kiki620 said:

I'm surprised the entire auditorium didn't explode like a blood engorged tick, filled with the hypocrisy of the hypocrites who are hypocritical.......

Jada and Will have successfully and proudly raised two of probably the most intolerable youth on the planet.  I cannot even imagine how they would respond if someone clocked Jaden squarely in the middle of his superior, special snowflake mouth.  

Understatement of the year.  

Love it. Awesome!😆 

Entitled fucks. And I used to like Will Smith when he was younger. Although I do think that he needs to sit down with the counselor because that didn’t come out of nowhere something is seriously bothering him and he also needs anger management of course. People need to be talking more about how he was laughing and then all of a sudden just snapped and went ballistic his wife just gave a “not again” Look. It’s not like she started crying from being cut. 

[debbie311]

8 minutes ago, RealHousewife said:

IKR! For my personal tastes, if you have to tape yourself in or you'll pop out, it's too revealing. But at least they keep the folks who make boob glue in business. 

I think I gasped when I saw Tracee Ellis Ross on the red carpet.  I don't know how she didn't have a wardrobe malfunction.  I was scrolling through the internet at some of the other best/worst dressed on the red carpet and OMG - there were a few they were barely covered.  I so miss the days of real class and elegance.

I think a lot of people I know don't even watch the Oscars anymore and I am almost embarrassed to admit I do.  It used to be like the Super Bowl for me - my wine and snacks ready - I honestly don't know if I will watch anymore. 

I really enjoyed Amy Schummer.  She could have been the lone host and it would have been better. She was funny and looked comfortable.

Maybe the Academy is going to have to go the route of rock concerts and place security at the stage from now on. I REALLY hope there will be consequences for Smith to have to face.

[DrSparkles]

1 hour ago, tracyscott76 said:

Will initially laughing at Chris' joke and then (seemingly) only getting angry after he saw Jada's reaction reminds me of this moment from Lost:

Phew, Josh Holloway 🥵 

Also, every time I’m reminded that Michael K Williams is dead, I want to cry.

[Lady Whistleup]

It's depressing that people think that clocking someone is an acceptable way to "defend your wife's honor." Because honestly, I've seen that sort of toxic masculine rage before, and mark my words, Will Smith doesn't just direct that rage towards smart-alecky standup comedians at awards shows. That gave me serious wife-beater vibes. Someone who shows that much sudden rage can also snap at his wife, his kids, his family, his coworkers. 

The other thing I find depressing is people upset about Liza's appearance. Liza might not be in the best health, and she might not even be all there mentally. But old people, people suffering from mobility issues and dementia shouldn't be hidden away because it makes people uncomfortable. Lady Gaga treated Liza in a kind, respectful way.

Edited March 28, 2022 by Lady Whistleup

[RealHousewife]

2 minutes ago, debbie311 said:

I think I gasped when I saw Tracee Ellis Ross on the red carpet.  I don't know how she didn't have a wardrobe malfunction.  I was scrolling through the internet at some of the other best/worst dressed on the red carpet and OMG - there were a few they were barely covered.  I so miss the days of real class and elegance.

That reminds me of the meme where porn stars dress more modestly than actors/singers/reality stars/models. 

I'm not even against dressing sexy, but I do miss the days when dressing sexy was more like this. You can show off a nice shape without showing tons of skin. I blame J. Lo! lol

[chediavolo]

5 hours ago, bluegirl147 said:

This.

He should apologize to him.  But I for one really don't need to hear from Will about what he did.  It would just be more of I had to protect what was mine and all that bullshit.  

Jaden Smith has made his thoughts on this public.

https://people.com/movies/oscars-2022-jaden-smith-tweets-thats-how-we-do-it-dad-will-smith-oscar-win-chris-rock-smack/

A real gem. ☹️

[susannah]

16 hours ago, buttersister said:

Patriarchy + toxic masculinity + mental illness = Will Smith

Will Smith can go fuck himself. He should have apologized to Chris Rock and you know who else? Questlove, because he shit all over Ahmir's moment. 

Violence in response to a comment is never acceptable. It was Denzel Washington and Sam Jackson talking to (not with) Will Smith during the break. Denzel's comment didn't mean the devil made him do it, it meant this is your moment and you're fucking it up, son. I'm wondering if they or someone (from Scientology) spoke with Chris Rock about letting this go from a legal standpoint.

I never cared that much for Jessica Chastain, but her acceptance speech made me a fan. Violence all around us indeed.

Oh, and WTF Keith Urban spending half of the show on the stage? No more front row seat for you, dude, stfd.

I have so much respect for Denzel but I am not liking the reports that he was "comforting" and hugging Will. If he is a mentor, he should have had a real come to Jesus meeting with him. Instead, we got the teary, self absorbed, endless speech that completely omitted apologizing to Chris and taking responsibility for what he had done. I also am not rushing to think that Will is mentally ill. Some people are just jerks who feel entitled to do and say whatever they want to at any and all times. I know that people can't believe everything they read, but apparently Will has bragged about all the girlfriends he's had in their "open marriage," but after Jada had ONE outside relationship, in the same "open marriage" where marriage should not be a "prison," he was all bent about it and called it her "transgression." I think he = toxic masculinity 100%.

[Pickles Aplenty]

14 minutes ago, DrSparkles said:

Also, every time I’m reminded that Michael K Williams is dead, I want to cry.

You and me, both. :(

I have not seen Encanto, but I wasn't impressed by that Bruno song everyone has been talking about.  I heard it wasn't performed very well, but the catchiness and the fun of the song really didn't come through, for me.

Edited March 28, 2022 by Pickles Aplenty

[chediavolo]

2 hours ago, The Mighty Peanut said:

This is what gets me.

 

He played it off like he was in a rage black out, fugue state. He clearly wasn't. He laughed. He realized Jada is pissed. He walked to the stage. And in his rage blindness this man who played Mohammed Ali and knows how to punch, slaps Chris Rock, which will play differently than giving him a black eye. I don't think it was 100% a publicity stunt, but that he felt his manhood (NOT Jada's feelings) was threatened and he took a calculated risk.

Jada just rolled her eyes, she didn't fall to pieces. It would have sufficed to roll his eyes too and tell Jada that after the show he was going to rip CR a new one. Or let Jada do it herself. Whatever happened in that moment was not chivalry.

Yes! There’s something deeper going on here . 

[PepSinger]

25 minutes ago, susannah said:

2 hours ago, PepSinger said:

I am tired of people thinking it's okay to insult Black women.

So insulting non black women is okay?

That is an entirely new sentence. 

[Thumper]

1 hour ago, Racj82 said:

I'm shocked this is the second lowest rated oscars of all time. General population does not care about most of these movies.

It’s a ritual for me each year.   I have only seen one of the movies — Belfast.  Shallowly, I like to watch to see what everyone is wearing and who wins.  😁.   I learn about movies I might want to watch, too.

[susannah]

8 minutes ago, Lady Whistleup said:

The other thing I find depressing is people upset about Liza's appearance. Liza might not be in the best health, and she might not even be all there mentally. But old people, people suffering from mobility issues and dementia shouldn't be hidden away because it makes people uncomfortable. Lady Gaga treated Liza in a kind, respectful way.

I disagree with your interpretation of Liza's appearance. I don't know if it made people uncomfortable for themselves, but I was certainly uncomfortable with it for her. As I said, she didn't seem to know where she was or what she was doing at some moments. I certainly don't think that anyone of able mind would want to have themselves brought out in international tv when they are not of able mind, and don't seem to know what is going on. Would you? Also, "hidden away?" People with dementia are in facilities or homes that can care for them. Where would you rather see people afflicted with it? Lady Gaga was good to her but the fact that she had to keep whispering to Liza, telling her what was going on, etc, was pure indication that Liza should not have been there and may not have been able to truly consent to being there. Mobility issues and dementia/Alzheimers are apples and oranges.

[Avaleigh]

33 minutes ago, susannah said:

Making Smith out to be a "victim" because people want consequences for what HE did on the stage is ridiculous.

I agree that it seems some (not necessarily saying anyone in this thread) are ignoring the primary point of what happened last night and are instead getting sidetracked with whataboutism. Will did the wrong thing when he decided to hit a fellow human being. He hit a person and hasn't paid any of the consequences that a regular person would have to pay if they'd done the same thing. It doesn't matter what Chris said. We all know that it isn't okay to respond to a bad joke or any other stupid comment with violence. 

I don't need to see Will stripped of his Oscar. Agreed that the award isn't for being the best human being. Same goes for all of the other criminal douchebags who happen to have one. However, there should be real consequences for Will (and anyone else who thinks the rules don't apply to them.) Will doesn't think he's done anything wrong in this situation and that's hugely problematic to me. Furthermore the Academy need to make it clear that they have a zero tolerance policy for something like this so that it never happens again. 

Presenters and comedians shouldn't have to worry about somebody in the audience physically attacking them for any reason. 

I'm amazed that there are people who are not only defending Will but making it seem like he's the real victim here and that the people who think there should be consequences for what he did are only calling him out because there's some racial element at play. Some of us think that Will should have to face consequences because what he did was wrong and should not be tolerated. 

[Teriacky]

Many people have commented about Will Smith not apologizing to Chris Rock during his acceptance speech. 
I don’t recall  this Rock apologizing to Jada (or Will) while he was still on stage post slap.

[Lady Whistleup]

1 minute ago, Teriacky said:

Many people have commented about Will Smith not apologizing to Chris Rock during his acceptance speech. 
I don’t recall  this Rock apologizing to Jada (or Will) while he was still on stage post slap.

I don't think Rock owed Chris an apology. He did just get decked. Will Smith is lucky Chris didn't deck him back.

[susannah]

1 minute ago, Teriacky said:

Many people have commented about Will Smith not apologizing to Chris Rock during his acceptance speech. 
I don’t recall  this Rock apologizing to Jada (or Will) while he was still on stage post slap.

Why should he? He made a joke. All of them made jokes. He didn't hit anyone. Why should he ever apologize to Will?

[Archery]

12 minutes ago, Pickles Aplenty said:

You and me, both. :(

I have not seen Encanto, but I wasn't impressed by that Bruno song everyone has been talking about.  I heard it wasn't performed very well, but the catchiness and the fun of the song really didn't come through, for me.

Pickles, get thee to YouTube and find a video with subtitles, asap! I avoided it for a long time cuz I don’t have toddlers, but when I finally caved, I was hooked. It’s so catchy and clever, and the animation is the bomb. That travesty last night was a crime. 
 

(You’ll want to watch Surface Pressure, too.). The actual nominated song, Dos Orugitos, needs a bit of context from the rest of the film to fully understand. 

[susannah]

6 minutes ago, Avaleigh said:

I agree that it seems some (not necessarily saying anyone in this thread) are ignoring the primary point of what happened last night and are instead getting sidetracked with whataboutism. Will did the wrong thing when he decided to hit a fellow human being. He hit a person and hasn't paid any of the consequences that a regular person would have to pay if they'd done the same thing. It doesn't matter what Chris said. We all know that it isn't okay to respond to a bad joke or any other stupid comment with violence. 

I don't need to see Will stripped of his Oscar. Agreed that the award isn't for being the best human being. Same goes for all of the other criminal douchebags who happen to have one. However, there should be real consequences for Will (and anyone else who thinks the rules don't apply to them.) Will doesn't think he's done anything wrong in this situation and that's hugely problematic to me. Furthermore the Academy need to make it clear that they have a zero tolerance policy for something like this so that it never happens again. 

Presenters and comedians shouldn't have to worry about somebody in the audience physically attacking them for any reason. 

I'm amazed that there are people who are not only defending Will but making it seem like he's the real victim here and that the people who think there should be consequences for what he did are only calling him out because there's some racial element at play. Some of us think that Will should have to face consequences because what he did was wrong and should not be tolerated. 

I agree with every single word, just excepting whether his Oscar should be revoked. He committed a criminal act onstage, and I don't know what else would really get across to him that it won't be tolerated. Words won't do it.

[Iguana]

My take on this year's Oscars:

- After making one of the worst decisions in Oscar history in order to have the show come in on time, they still went over by more than half an hour.  All those tributes and "comedy" bits were not a fair exchange for the 8 awards not on the show.

- Most of the ladies were either clearly relying on tape to keep away nip slips, or going in the opposite direction by wearing a whole lot of fabric.  Jada's dress looked like she was slowly being swallowed by bright green quicksand.  (by making this joke, I am now eligible to be slapped in public by her husband, apparently)

- Kristen Stewart is still trying way to hard to pretend she isn't trying hard at all.  Short shorts are never the right call for anything but beaches and 70's retro parties.

- The hosts were mainly okay, if you don't count the Brolin/Mamoa groping, which was a very bad idea.  I REALLY hope the guys gave consent ahead of time.

- Amy Schumer's post slap "Did I miss something?" is why having a host is the right approach, since they can make jokes that aren't pre-scripted.

- I'm pretty sure that making a joke, even a mean one, is not actually a crime.  Slapping someone is assault, which is actually a crime.  Guess which guy I think comes off worse in the Will Smith v Chris Rock "slap heard 'round the Dolby" fiasco.

[susannah]

5 minutes ago, Archery said:

Pickles, get thee to YouTube and find a video with subtitles, asap! I avoided it for a long time cuz I don’t have toddlers, but when I finally caved, I was hooked. It’s so catchy and clever, and the animation is the bomb. That travesty last night was a crime. 
 

(You’ll want to watch Surface Pressure, too.). The actual nominated song, Dos Orugitos, needs a bit of context from the rest of the film to fully understand. 

Then, if you want to see something I think is great, go to Youtube and put in the song and include makaton, by melodysigns. She is a young woman who signs to songs, with a different "sign and speech" method, not ASL. She does all the characters!

[stonehaven]

Maybe I'm weird but the whole notion of it being some kind of holy act in "I'm standing Up For m wife" is such bullshit in this day and age. Women don't need men to "protect or stand up for us". That implies weakness on our parts and also we'll let someone else do the dirty work.  It reinforces the notion that men STILL have to make the choices for us. If Jada was pissed, she should have gone onstage and slapped him. I could almost agree with that but Will defending Jada's honor and protecting her from a joke??? A joke??? Chris didn't physically or verbally assault her but a joke was made at her expense and she needs protecting from that?

I would also add the thought of Will not being the best role model for his kids but that ship sailed long ago.....

It's not even 24 hours and I'm already sick of talking and thinknig about it....

 

[Lady Whistleup]

I forgot to add: all the positive press around CODA made me wish I ... actually liked it more than I did. But I didn't. I found it to be somewhat weak and cheesy. Hell, I even liked the sugarcoated biopic King Richard more than CODA.

[cardigirl]

4 hours ago, superdeluxe said:

Okay, they take his Oscar away and then what?  Give it to Andrew Garfield or Benedict Cumberbatch?  Knowing how thirsty they are, they would probably take it, too.  What would that say about them?

Not sure what makes them especially thirsty about an Oscar, but I doubt that IF the Academy rescinds Will's Oscar, they would award it to anyone else.  The award is tainted now. They would probably just take it back and not have a Best Actor Oscar winner for 2022.

I was rooting for Benedict, I thought Power of the Dog was magnificent and he was magnificent in it. (Apparently, the Academy did not agree, as it only won Best Director.)

I would have been fine with Andrew Garfield too. 

I don't hate Will Smith, but the role he won for was not that great. It was a cumulative award for his career, I guess. However, I was really upset to see him behave the way he did. Violence is not okay, and regardless of the joke (which was really tame), Will should have exhibited better control of himself. At the very least he should apologize to Chris Rock for not dealing with the situation like an adult. His behavior demonstrated a need for "dominance" and "ownership" as in property, rather than respect for Jada's right and ability to respond as she felt necessary. It informed the audience that women and people with disabilities (is alopecia a disability?) need someone to fight for them, and that they can't do it for themselves. It's toxic masculinity. 

Chris Rock should get some credit for not hitting him back or arguing with him on camera. I feel very strongly that he should have been protected more.  

I watch the Oscars to see film clips.  And every year, they show fewer and fewer.  Might be time for me to stop watching. 

Edited March 28, 2022 by cardigirl

[CountryGirl]

2 hours ago, PepSinger said:

Thank you. I don't understand why this entire situation needs to be viewed in absolutes. Chris Rock was wrong for his shitty, misogynoir joke. I don't fucking care if he didn't write it; he's Chris Rock. If he didn't want to tell that shitty joke, no one would have forced him to say it. Will Smith was wrong for slapping a man on live TV and didn't even have decency to apologize to him in his speech. He should've been removed. I'll tell you one thing, though, I am tired of people thinking it's okay to insult Black women. I am also tired of people coming in hot on Will Smith, going so far as to advocate for him to lose his award, and I find myself asking where was this heat for Roman Polanski, Woody Allen, and others who've committed violent crimes against children? I have seen takes on the inter webs  -- particularly Twitter -- that prove to me that some are using this event to air racist takes, and it's really sad.

It was mild *to you*. You were not the one embarrassed on live TV.

I absolutely agree with all of this. 

Very well said.

[Sarah 103]

For anyone who still doesn't understand why some people liked the song, "We Don't Talk About Bruno," the Oscars version didn't help. They didn't do the actual song. They did what I will call a special Oscars version/remix. Here is a clip from the movie Encanto with the full song. 

 

[The Mighty Peanut]

One thing I think we can all agree on is that this mess has brought about some SOLID GOLD SPONGEBOB MEMES AND SHITPOSTS

 

Edited March 28, 2022 by The Mighty Peanut

[Rebecca berkowit]

Several things can be true, of course.  

1.  Will Smith should not have physically assaulted Chris Rock.  There is never a reason for physical violence unless perhaps you are being threatened with violence yourself.  Certainly not at an awards ceremony, in response to a mildly-insulting-but-mostly-hacky  joke.  It would have been forgotten, now it’s all anyone will remember.

2.  Rock should not have made the joke IF he knew about the alopecia.  I have no reason to believe he did. I didn’t.  Not everyone watches her show or whatever.  

3. Something is clearly wrong with Will Smith/that relationship.   Not only the hitting, but the screaming and cursing was very scary.  He came off as a possessive macho a-hole.  And then the speech?  With the angry crying?  Was anyone else getting some serious  Brett Kavanaugh vibes there?

4.  There’s a history there, Rock has made jokes about these two before.   Earlier one of the hosts made a reference to their open marriage, and he didn’t hit her.  So maybe it’s personal for Smith when Rock keeps getting to him.  (Doesn’t negate point number 1.  Nothing does.)

5.  She DID look like GI Jane.  (Does not negate point number 2.)
 

UNRELATED: The In Memoriam segment was totally tone-deaf.  Spirit in the Sky?  Really?  What a bizarre song choice!  Even after that, the songs were way too upbeat, especially with the dancing.   Why not just let us be sad for a minute?  It seemed undignified the way they did it.    If I were a family member, I’d be upset to have my loved one memorialized this way by the academy.  Also, they justify the omission of Ed Asner because he’s associated with television, but they include Betty White?  From the same show?  How many movies was she in?  

 

 

 

 

Edited March 28, 2022 by Rebecca berkowit

[Lady Whistleup]

I wish they'd drop the In Memoriam segment. It's always awkward.

Maybe they could reformat the video with actual testimonials from people who have worked with the people who passed.

Like for instance Sidney Poitier's costars in To Sir With Love are all alive. It would have been meaningful to show some testimonials from them, instead of the floating heads powerpoint it always ends up being.