The Annual Academy Awards - General Discussion

[CountryGirl]

3 minutes ago, Lady Whistleup said:

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.

I appreciate the segment, if that makes sense, but I do like your idea of talking to those who worked with them in the past.

[susannah]

27 minutes ago, stonehaven said:

If Jada was pissed, she should have gone onstage and slapped him.

Why would that have been one bit better? If you don't like what someone says, you tell them. In private. You DON'T hit them! That is never okay. It would have been teaching her daughter that it's okay to hit someone any time you want. Two year olds have to learn that. I guess these people, or anyone advocating that she assault CR, missed that memo.

[cambridgeguy]

4 minutes ago, CountryGirl said:

I appreciate the segment, if that makes sense, but I do like your idea of talking to those who worked with them in the past.

It's a nice idea, but unless they only focus on a few people or massively extend the runtime you'd just get a few seconds of generic "this person was great!" blurbs.

[cinsays]

3 hours ago, susannah said:

People being seen out and about in wheelchairs is fine, though I can't imagine who hasn't seen people in them anywhere they go. It is NOT fine if the person is mentally compromised, which Liza clearly was, for whatever reason, and I really disliked her being brought out in that way. Yes Lady Gaga was good with her but Liza shouldn't have been there at all.

Maybe Liza had been asked if she wanted to be there and she felt it an honor to be asked.

[ProudMary]

From Vanity Fair:  What You Didn't See on TV.

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/03/oscars-what-you-didnt-see-on-tv

[susannah]

12 minutes ago, cinsays said:

Maybe Liza had been asked if she wanted to be there and she felt it an honor to be asked.

Obviously she was asked. My point is that she seemed to be mentally incapacitated and didn't know what was going on, thusly not able to consent with clarity.

[ProudMary]

Instagram statement from Will Smith:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CbqmaY1p7Pz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Edited March 28, 2022 by ProudMary
Added photo of statement.

[WendyCR72]

The media frenzy must have gotten to Will Smith. He has sent out an apology to Chris Rock.

[Lady Whistleup]

This is what Will's acceptance speech should have been. Straightforward apology.

[ProudMary]

SAG-AFTRA Condemns Will Smith’s “Unacceptable” Oscar Slap On Chris Rock

https://deadline.com/2022/03/will-smith-slap-sag-aftra-response-1234989566/

From the article:

“As the union representing presenters and other performers working on the Oscars, SAG-AFTRA is focused on ensuring our members always work in a safe environment,” SAG-AFTRA said. “Violence or physical abuse in the workplace is never appropriate and the union condemns any such conduct. The incident involving Will Smith and Chris Rock at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable. We have been in contact with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and ABC about this incident and will work to ensure this behavior is appropriately addressed. SAG-AFTRA does not comment on any pending member disciplinary process.”

[Irlandesa]

1 hour ago, susannah said:

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.

People criticizes Smith's homophobia but IIRC, Denzel was the one to tell Smith not to do the kiss. 

Edited March 28, 2022 by Irlandesa

[Bruinsfan]

I give him some side-eye over that, but I suppose he was honestly answering Smith's request for advice about the pitfalls of doing a gay scene in a film. Ultimately it was Will who made the decision that his image was more important than the integrity of the work.

 

7 hours ago, Tachi Rocinante said:

Can you imagine if a male actor had felt up/frisked two female ones?

Yeah, it's not difficult since I saw when Adrian Brody accepted his award from Halle Berry.

 

5 hours ago, KatWay said:

okay, a) nobody is taking Will's Oscar, he wasn't even asked to leave the premises. The Academy doesn't care about this. And b) neither of those actors would take his Oscar as some sort of runner up thing, and I don't get why you'd assume they would. Who on Earth would want to win that way even if it was at all a plausible scenario? This is Will Smith, a huge celebrity of worldwide fame and a black man at that, no other actor would touch that Oscar with a ten foot pole.

I wouldn't count Leonardo Di Caprio out if it comes up...

 

3 hours ago, millennium said:

This has ruined "After Earth" for me.

And seeing the movie didn't? 😮

Edited March 28, 2022 by Bruinsfan

[mojoween]

14 minutes ago, ProudMary said:

Instagram statement from Will Smith:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CbqmaY1p7Pz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

The publicist has entered the chat.

I think I saw this in EW? maybe, that the Jada joke was not in the rehearsed material.  So Chris saw Jada’s shorn hair and made a GI Jane 2 joke on the fly, apparently.

[shantown]

40 minutes ago, Lady Whistleup said:

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.

36 minutes ago, CountryGirl said:

I appreciate the segment, if that makes sense, but I do like your idea of talking to those who worked with them in the past.

I wouldn't mind just a "floating heads powerpoint" during the show and a longer version available online afterwards. I think it's nice to have everyone honored during the show itself, but I feel weird about only some being worthy of applause, or real-person intros, or even video clips vs just a name and photo. The more in-depth tribute with the former costars or colleagues would be nice to watch later when it's not 10:30pm and I'm falling asleep. 

But I'm also someone who likes some of the stupid comedy bits they put in between. If it was all "read a list of nominees, winner gives a speech, read a list of nominees, winner gives a speech, wash rinse repeat" it could get incredibly boring. But the bits should tie in to the actual show more. The costumes bit where the hosts were Richard Williams and Tammy Faye and Spiderman would have made more sense leading into the award for best costume design for example. When it's literally something thrown in between BTS talking about Aladdin (WTF?) and Best Original Screenplay... well 2 out of 3 of those things should have been cut for time.

 

[Bruinsfan]

Chris Rock ought to thank Will's management for the well-written apology.

[susannah]

11 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

People criticizes Smith's homophobia but IIRC, Denzel was the one to tell Smith not to do the kiss. 

Yeah, I googled that. That is what Smith said Denzel told him. I would trust it more coming from Denzel

[kib]

22 minutes ago, ProudMary said:

Instagram statement from Will Smith:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CbqmaY1p7Pz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Too bad he couldn't have done it while 15 million people were watching on ABC and several millions of others in international markets.

I just learned Rock and JPS have something of history.  From an AP report:

Rock has also previously joked about her. Rock hosted the 2016 Oscars, when some were boycotting the ceremony over the #OscarsSoWhite group of nominees, including the Smiths. Said Rock: “Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. I wasn’t invited.”

The burn that keeps on giving...

Edited March 28, 2022 by kib

[Lady Whistleup]

5 minutes ago, mojoween said:

The publicist has entered the chat.

I think I saw this in EW? maybe, that the Jada joke was not in the rehearsed material.  So Chris saw Jada’s shorn hair and made a GI Jane 2 joke on the fly, apparently.

Yeah the thing is ... it looked rehearsed. Maybe not the exact GI Jane line, but Will Smith with JPS because the cameras were right on them. Maybe Chris Rock did ad lib it the way comedians are wont to do. But most of the Oscars "joke" gags are actually extremely rehearsed.

[chediavolo]

2 hours 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.

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.

She looked ridiculous. Give us back real glamour & fashion. Now it’s just finding ways to keep your boobs from falling out of your dress, seeing how naked you can get without getting arrested on the street even if you’re pregnant etc. etc. A classless society for sure. 

[susannah]

5 minutes ago, mojoween said:

The publicist has entered the chat.

I think I saw this in EW? maybe, that the Jada joke was not in the rehearsed material.  So Chris saw Jada’s shorn hair and made a GI Jane 2 joke on the fly, apparently.

Methinks Will should spend some time around people with REAL disabilities and illnesses that severely impact and/or end their lives. Maybe talk to Billie Eilish, who gave of her time to meet a dying 17 year old and bring such joy to her by doing that.  Maybe talk to Troy Kostur about what it is like to be profoundly deaf all of your life, or what it was like for his father to be deaf and then be no longer able to sign. I can't imagine how difficult that would be. How could he communicate? Maybe talk to parents of severely disabled children that need total care 24/7. Then Will should go back and think how he assaulted someone over a comment about his wife losing her hair.

[backgroundnoise]

The apology tweet was fine, except he forgot to add: "My son is wrong.  That is NOT how we do things."

[Lady Whistleup]

3 minutes ago, chediavolo said:

She looked ridiculous. Give us back real glamour & fashion. Now it’s just finding ways to keep your boobs from falling out of your dress, seeing how naked you can get without getting arrested on the street even if you’re pregnant etc. etc. A classless society for sure. 

Well the thing is ... stars don't actually choose their red carpet outfits. For the most part they are given a gown by a designer and told to wear it. They might have some discretion in the sense that there will be a choice of gowns. But it's actually a business arrangement in that the star plugs the designer in exchange for wearing the fancy gown. We found this out the year Anne Hathaway suddenly changed gowns and it was because she thought it was too similar to another actress's gown.

[chediavolo]

33 minutes ago, ProudMary said:

Instagram statement from Will Smith:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CbqmaY1p7Pz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Now he needs counseling . Personal & marriage. 

[Macbeth1966]

2 hours ago, susannah said:

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?

I love that joke about Judi Dench.  She already won a supporting Oscar for Shakespeare in Love.

And Judi Dench loved that joke.  Because its based on a falsehood.  She has worked all the the time.  She's 87 so she's beginning to slow down now.  But I watched Tea with the Dames.  Besides Dench it also had Maggie Smith, Joan Plowright and Eileen Atkins.  And all 3 complained that Judi gets all the roles.  They had to wait for her scraps.  

Here's a trailer for the movie.  They talk about Judi getting all the roles at the end.  It was a very enjoyable film.

 

 

[chediavolo]

5 minutes ago, Lady Whistleup said:

Well the thing is ... stars don't actually choose their red carpet outfits. For the most part they are given a gown by a designer and told to wear it. They might have some discretion in the sense that there will be a choice of gowns. But it's actually a business arrangement in that the star plugs the designer in exchange for wearing the fancy gown. We found this out the year Anne Hathaway suddenly changed gowns and it was because she thought it was too similar to another actress's gown.

I bet you they have the right to say no I’m not wearing this particular dress because my tits are gonna fall out on the red carpet and I’m not a Former streetwalker.  

[MerBearHou]

30 minutes ago, Lady Whistleup said:

This is what Will's acceptance speech should have been. Straightforward apology.

Someone made him write this.  Academy and his publicist team.  It is good to see an apology but it is way too late.

[millennium]

Smith shouldn't have tried to justify the act in his apology.  Yeah, it was wrong and I'm sorry but you all get why I did it, right?

 

[Crs97]

Loved that film!

Tracee’s dress reminds me of Lady Gaga’s dress for the Critics Choice, but Lady Gaga inexplicably landed on everyone’s best dressed list.

[Ohiopirate02]

4 minutes ago, Crs97 said:

Loved that film!

Tracee’s dress reminds me of Lady Gaga’s dress for the Critics Choice, but Lady Gaga inexplicably landed on everyone’s best dressed list.

Tracee's dress did not work for her body because designers are incapable of making dresses for women with breasts larger than a C cup.   Sizing up to accommodate doesn't always work.

[susannah]

12 minutes ago, Macbeth1966 said:

I love that joke about Judi Dench.  She already won a supporting Oscar for Shakespeare in Love.

And Judi Dench loved that joke.  Because its based on a falsehood.  She has worked all the the time.  She's 87 so she's beginning to slow down now.  But I watched Tea with the Dames.  Besides Dench it also had Maggie Smith, Joan Plowright and Eileen Atkins.  And all 3 complained that Judi gets all the roles.  They had to wait for her scraps.  

Here's a trailer for the movie.  They talk about Judi getting all the roles at the end.  It was a very enjoyable film.

 

 

I think the point of the joke was missed here. Of course it wasn't true. Dame Judi has worked all of her very long life. That was the joke. If they had left it at the first line, "she doesn't work hard enough," that was funny. To tell her repeatedly that she needs to "move her ass" I felt was not funny or respectful. Also, just because people laugh at the jokes doesn't mean they like them. Not sure how you would know she "loved" it.

1 minute ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

Tracee's dress did not work for her body because designers are incapable of making dresses for women with breasts larger than a C cup.   Sizing up to accommodate doesn't always work.

Tracee's dress did not work because there was essentially nothing to it on the top except for a couple tiny squares of cloth.

[susannah]

24 minutes ago, Lady Whistleup said:

Well the thing is ... stars don't actually choose their red carpet outfits. For the most part they are given a gown by a designer and told to wear it. They might have some discretion in the sense that there will be a choice of gowns. But it's actually a business arrangement in that the star plugs the designer in exchange for wearing the fancy gown. We found this out the year Anne Hathaway suddenly changed gowns and it was because she thought it was too similar to another actress's gown.

Told to? I don't think so. I am pretty sure stars pick what they want to wear.

[Artsda]

Will held court and partied all last night, now only after the Academy and SAG statements he's suddenly apologetic?

Such a fake PR team move. He doesn't mean a word of it and it's only being released because of the investigation and backlash. 

[Lady Whistleup]

2 minutes ago, susannah said:

Told to? I don't think so. I am pretty sure stars pick what they want to wear.

It's complicated, but basically it's contractual. Most stars have to wear a brand by a certain designer. It's worked out between their stylist and the designer.

Here's an in-depth article about it:

https://www.vogue.fr/fashion/fashion-inspiration/story/how-the-actresses-choose-their-oscars-gowns-for-the-red-carpet/1318

[greekmom]

59 minutes ago, ProudMary said:

Instagram statement from Will Smith:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CbqmaY1p7Pz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Guess his PR person got to him as well as he sobered up?!?!?

I would have loved to see if Wanda, Amy or Regina made THAT joke.

My boyfriend and I were discussing it.  He misses Letterman hosting and I miss Billy Crystal. Especially when they did that cheesy intro where he would insert himself in the best pictures.

 

[Pickles Aplenty]

I know I said I wasn't going to say anything more about it, but oh well, here are my thoughts...

I didn't expect Will to have a well thought out apology for Chris during his acceptance speech, since he was clearly emotional and probably not thinking clearly.  He's apologized now, good for him.  I really don't care if his publicist convinced him or not, he's obviously going through something and he needs to work it out, so he's taking this first step.  Here's hoping he's okay and is able to process why he did what he did.

If Chris did improvise that G.I. Jane line, that was not cool.  I don't have alopecia, but I can imagine it's not an easy thing to deal with at all, and apparently Jada has talked about how hard it is for her.  Even if Chris didn't know, you should never assume the reason a person is bald.  It could be for health reasons you know nothing about, and it's just not necessary to comment on it.  And the joke isn't even worth defending because it's 30 years out of date and just plain dumb.  Chris Rock is a very funny dude, he is capable of being better than that.

I don't think it is up to anyone else but Jada on whether or not she gets to be offended by a joke made at her expense.  She was offended, she had every right to be, her feelings are valid.  

I like Will Smith.  I like Chris Rock.  I think they are two very talented men, and I hate to see things unfold this way.  What happened was unfortunate, and any act of violence can be hard for some people to see.  However, I do not think this is an event that *made* the Oscars "bad".  As others have pointed out, actual rapists, pedophiles, and abusers have Oscars, and no one is crying for their awards to be taken away.  I can't help but think this attitude is very hypocritical, but that is JMO.  Anyway, those are my thoughts on what went down, and Will's apology.  *shrug*

Edited March 29, 2022 by Pickles Aplenty

[PepSinger]

34 minutes ago, susannah said:

Methinks Will should spend some time around people with REAL disabilities and illnesses that severely impact and/or end their lives. Maybe talk to Billie Eilish, who gave of her time to meet a dying 17 year old and bring such joy to her by doing that.  Maybe talk to Troy Kostur about what it is like to be profoundly deaf all of your life, or what it was like for his father to be deaf and then be no longer able to sign. I can't imagine how difficult that would be. How could he communicate? Maybe talk to parents of severely disabled children that need total care 24/7. Then Will should go back and think how he assaulted someone over a comment about his wife losing her hair.

Absolutely no one else gets to define or tell someone else what a “real” disability is. Sometimes disabilities are visible; other times, they aren’t. Not to even mention that some members of the Deaf community do not consider their deafness a disability. To minimize someone else’s pain because they don’t fit our preconceived notions is something that I wish people everywhere would refrain from doing.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Artsda said:

Will held court and partied all last night, now only after the Academy and SAG statements he's suddenly apologetic?

Such a fake PR team move. He doesn't mean a word of it and it's only being released because of the investigation and backlash. 

Yeah. An carefully written apology issued nearly 24 hours later when we saw everything unfold live is meaningless. He felt perfectly justified in what he did when he was surrounded with people placating him. Then this morning hit and real world reactions has made him sorry and it still took him hours to apologize.

The Academy’s statement that they don’t condone violence is also meaningless. They watched a nominee hit a presenter and did nothing. I could give them leeway if this happened at the end of the night but they had time between it happening and Will’s category to act. Instead they choose to have Amy make a joke about the mood change. 

Edited March 29, 2022 by Guest

[greekmom]

One more thing...

This whole fiasco took away from a more important matter.

How a wonderful film like CODA won for best picture.

 

[irisheyes]

3 minutes ago, PepSinger said:

Absolutely no one else gets to define or tell someone else what a “real” disability is. Sometimes disabilities are visible; other times, they aren’t. Not to even mention that some members of the Deaf community do not consider their deafness a disability. To minimize someone else’s pain because they don’t fit our preconceived notions is something that I wish people everywhere would refrain from doing.

Exactly. A friend of mine lost his niece to suicide because she was bullied about her alopecia. I am firmly in the “they were both wrong” camp. Like I told my daughter, if this had happened at school, both kids would be in trouble. Don’t talk about other people that way, and don’t hit people who make you upset. 

[KaveDweller]

54 minutes ago, kib said:

Too bad he couldn't have done it while 15 million people were watching on ABC and several millions of others in international markets.

I just learned Rock and JPS have something of history.  From an AP report:

Rock has also previously joked about her. Rock hosted the 2016 Oscars, when some were boycotting the ceremony over the #OscarsSoWhite group of nominees, including the Smiths. Said Rock: “Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. I wasn’t invited.”

The burn that keeps on giving...

The difference between that 2016 joke and the one last night was the 2016 was for comments she made that a lot of people thought were obnoxious and the one last night was for a medical condition she can't control.

37 minutes ago, MerBearHou said:

Someone made him write this.  Academy and his publicist team.  It is good to see an apology but it is way too late.

I am pretty sure his publicist team wrote it for him and just made him post it.

16 minutes ago, Lady Whistleup said:

It's complicated, but basically it's contractual. Most stars have to wear a brand by a certain designer. It's worked out between their stylist and the designer.

Here's an in-depth article about it:

https://www.vogue.fr/fashion/fashion-inspiration/story/how-the-actresses-choose-their-oscars-gowns-for-the-red-carpet/1318

But that's only for stars who choose to make those deals with designers. If they and their stylist made an arrangement like that, then it is contractual to wear a dress by that designer. But I don't see where in that article it says most actresses do that. Just that some have those deals.

 

Edited March 29, 2022 by KaveDweller

[ProudMary]

Variety reports the line as ad libbed.

https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/oscars-abc-will-smith-slap-chris-rock-rob-mills-1235217294/

Quote from the article:

The “G.I. Jane” quip was an ad-lib not in the script, Mills added. The severity of the situation quickly became apparent when Rock and Smith both started swearing. “You started to realize this is real once Chris, who certainly knows the limits of broadcast standards, said, ‘Will Smith slapped the shit out of me,'” Mills said. “That’s when it became obvious that this was not a joke.”

[ruby24]

I wonder how a host like Billy Crystal would have handled something like this happening on one of his shows. I guess it's hard to imagine, I mean- I believe this is the first time in the history of the Oscars somebody was literally attacked on stage during the ceremony?  

The closest example of this kind of disruption was probably the streaker at the 1973 awards (who was taken down by security!)

[Racj82]

2 hours ago, Thumper said:

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.

I feel like that's pretty on par for the oscars these days.

[debbie311]

I know nothing about alopecia, but I have to wonder why if she is sensitive about it, why she didn't wear a wig (which she most certainly can afford a good one), or a pretty turban, at least for the time that she was going to be on international television.

 

[susannah]

13 minutes ago, ruby24 said:

I wonder how a host like Billy Crystal would have handled something like this happening on one of his shows. I guess it's hard to imagine, I mean- I believe this is the first time in the history of the Oscars somebody was literally attacked on stage during the ceremony?  

The closest example of this kind of disruption was probably the streaker at the 1973 awards (who was taken down by security!)

I wonder what he thinks of this.

[yowsah1]

6 hours ago, millennium said:

I'm not very sure Will regrets anything -- except maybe that he didn't punch Chris Rock harder.   His disgusting behavior is being propped up on Twitter, he's getting the biggest PR of his life, the law is looking the other way, the Academy is talking out of both sides of its mouth and too many people are bending over backwards to give him a pass. 

 

The word to describe all this is "privilege".

[SoMuchTV]

1 hour ago, Macbeth1966 said:

I love that joke about Judi Dench.  She already won a supporting Oscar for Shakespeare in Love.

And Judi Dench loved that joke.  Because its based on a falsehood.  She has worked all the the time.  She's 87 so she's beginning to slow down now.  But I watched Tea with the Dames.  Besides Dench it also had Maggie Smith, Joan Plowright and Eileen Atkins.  And all 3 complained that Judi gets all the roles.  They had to wait for her scraps.  

 

1 hour ago, susannah said:

I think the point of the joke was missed here. Of course it wasn't true. Dame Judi has worked all of her very long life. That was the joke. If they had left it at the first line, "she doesn't work hard enough," that was funny. To tell her repeatedly that she needs to "move her ass" I felt was not funny or respectful. Also, just because people laugh at the jokes doesn't mean they like them. Not sure how you would know she "loved" it.

I thought the Judi Dench joke was a play on something Kim Kardashian said recently, juxtaposed with Dench’s actual history. And I thought it was very funny and not at all disrespectful (except maybe to KK). Did I misunderstand that whole thing?

[Irate Panda]

I don’t particularly care for the Smith family because I think they tell the world too much of their personal business and don’t think Will should have put his hands on Chris.  

With that said I think Chris continually going after this same couple with multiple jokes, making fun of a side effect of a health condition (whether he knew it at the time I don’t know) and I’ll throw in since it was brought up in something I read early, the policing of/“joking” of an African-American’s woman hair on international television in a primarily white space wasn’t anywhere close to necessary.  

Chris made a whole ass movie about hair in the Black community.  I’m sure he at least knew that spect if it.  I’m a POC of color (mostly Polynesian and Japanese) and didn’t think of that aspect until I read something about it, and I don’t pretend I know what Jada or Will was thinking but I do think there could have been layers to it that I personally hadn’t taken into consideration.  On top of everything the “joke” was stupid and stale. I don’t know if Chris wrote it or the writers but it wasn’t needed.  Do I think Chris should have been hit, no, do I think he should have known better, yes.

On the topic of is alopecia a disability, I think we are kidding ourselves if we don’t think it’s possible it could have devastating emotional and psychological effects on someone’s mental health.

As far as Will giving back his Oscar, the Academy has whole ass rapists, pedophiles, and God knows what else as winners so them clawing back and Oscar for a slap between two grown men is laughable.

Chris has every right to press charges though I doubt he will and Will should have apologized last night. I feel bad for the guy that won after that nonsense and feel bad that the Williams’ sisters film was marred again by an idiot just a week or two after having to deal with that idiot director that made stupid remarks while accepting her award.  I’m not equating the two incidents, I’m just pointing out they can’t ever seem to enjoy the fruits of the labor without some nonsense happening.

Edited March 29, 2022 by Irate Panda
Part of my post was cutoff

[Danielg342]

I know I'm late to the party on this, but a few thoughts on Smith vs. Rock:

1. Will Smith and Chris Rock were both in the wrong. I think that's clear and obvious and I won't belabour the point past what it already has.
2. That Will laughed at the G.I. Jane joke was no indication that he liked it. Laughter can be a defensive mechanism, a tool to calm after experiencing or hearing something uncomfortable. It obviously didn't calm him enough to stop him from wanting to slap Rock (I'm sure once he realized Jada Pinkett-Smith wasn't laughing Will went back into rage mode), but it's still no indicator to me that Will liked the joke.
3. Someone upthread wondered if Will could "get away" with what he did if that was Amy Schumer making the G.I. Jane joke instead of Rock. I have wondered the same thing, and there's no way better to point out the double standard on the reaction to the incident (outside of this forum, because I don't think anyone here is letting Will off the hook). Chris Rock sure is no less of a victim just because he is a male.

What really gets me- beyond all the "in the moment" stuff and, likely, Will Smith and Chris Rock (and, to an extent, Jada Pinkett-Smith too) not realizing the full impact of what they were doing when they did what they did- is that Will, Jada and Rock are all veterans of the Hollywood circuit. I mean, I'm not sure how close the Smiths are to Rock, but I would imagine they've at least gotten to know each other over the years and they're at least cordial with each other. I mean, Will Smith and Chris Rock had an extended scene together on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in 1995, 27 years ago, on Will's flagship TV show, no less. Now, perhaps the fact that Smith and Rock didn't collaborate again after that (according to IMDB) may mean something, but it at least shows that Smith and Rock are not strangers to each other.

So, if I was Rock, I don't know why I would even attempt to make that kind of joke about Jada's hair. I don't believe Jada has, at all, been keeping her issue with alopecia a secret from the public, so I doubt she would keep it a secret from those she would actually talk to, like Chris Rock.

Meaning unless I was sure Jada was going to take the joke well, I wouldn't even try it. Maybe it doesn't make it less tasteless, but at least if the recipient appreciates it, I could at least point to that as a mitigating factor as well as remain in the recipient's good graces.

Conversely, Will and Jada have to remember who's on stage roasting them. This ain't some young whipper-snapper, "flavour of the year" comic thrust into the Academy spotlight because they had an unexpected hit- it's Chris Rock. Someone who I doubt would really want to wreck his career by making a joke he truly would believe would sour the Hollywood community on him, let alone make one that would rankle a respected Hollywood couple like Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith. Even though the joke was a flop, Will and Jada should have at least been aware it didn't come with malicious intentions.

It's been said before, but if Will and Jada had an issue with Rock's joke, the time do it would have been backstage or at a party where they can coolly talk about it and Rock can realize he did cross the line. At the same time that Rock should know what jokes would fly with the Smiths and which ones won't, the Smiths have to understand that Rock surely meant no harm and they should have given him the opportunity to own up to his mistake without embarrassing him like they actually did.

All told, regardless of the feelings the two camps may have for each other, there was a mutual respect both sides should have had for each other that needed to be on display at the Oscars and it was nowhere to be found.

[BuckeyeLou]

3 hours ago, stonehaven said:

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....

 

Thank You for pointing this out...from what I have seen & heard from Jada, she is a strong woman with strong opinions, she is a 'tough little lady"...so I dont think she needed anyone(even her husband) to protect her 'honor".  Will should have let Jada roll her eyes & he could have made a comment to Chris at an after-party.