There is so much going on right now!
Russia has invaded Ukraine, Donald Trump is calling Vladimir Putin a genius, and ultra-right-wing congress buffoons Madison Cawthorn claims that Republican leaders host and attend cocaine-fueled orgies.
But I am going to focus on the Oscars.
I have watched the Oscars for decades. I make an effort to see at least some of the nominated films. I was rooting for Dune or Don't Look UP, but I knew they were both longshots.
This year was a little different. This year, not all of the violence was kept in the movies being honored. As soon as I saw Will Smith slap Chris Rock across the face, the phrase "The Slap Heard Around the World" came immediately to mind. So, when others uses this phrase, well, just remember how obvious that phrase is and how well it applies. No plagiarism, no great minds think alike. Nothing like that, here.
It so happens that I have long considered Will Smith to be overrated and overpaid. The excerpts I have seen from his autobiography lead me to believe that he thinks he is just wonderful., in spite of the fact that he has not always treated Jada Pinkett Smith as well as he probably should have.
I have followed Chris Rock's career for decades, and consider him very funny and edgy at times, which all great comedians tend to be. I almost always watch the Oscars, and, at first, thought that the slap was a stunt. Well, it wasn't. Chris told a joke about Jada. Will smith considered it an insult to Jada's medical condition.
Chris may not have even know about Jada's medical condition. She chose to shave her head, a perfectly acceptable, if a bit unusual, thing to do. Chris was not joking about her medical condition, but about her lack of hair.
Why was that an insult? She knew she would be noticed appearing publicly with no hair. What else could she have done? She cold have stayed home. Well, that's not a good thing for her to do, with her husband nominated for Best Actor . She could have worn a wig.
What? Are you suggesting artificial hair? This was the Oscars, baby! There was enough artificial hair and padding and silicone and other thing in the Dolby Center that night to keep the My Pillow guy stocked for years.
But I think she was brave to not wear a wig. But, Jada and Will Smith are both in the business of being noticed. Chris Rock did just that, even if it was done in a way that some might consider crass and insulting. Chris Rock and Will Smith have both apologized, which is what civilized people do. The remark Chris Rock made may have been questionable and over the top, but Will Smith's reaction was totally wrong and out of bounds.
The only reason I think this still matters, is that there are people out there to will consider what Will Smith did to Chris Rock as a permission slip to react violently to others who say things disagree with or that make them angry.
So, the Oscars organization is embarrassed. But I think there is one thing that they might be even more embarrassed about, if they take time to think about it.
During the telecast, there was little mention of the Putin invasion of Ukraine. You might ask, Well, why should there be? Over the years the Oscars and the presentation of the awards has been at least partly political. Many have criticized this so-called progressive bias, but the commentary has always been there, and generated at least some of the Nation's discussion in the days that followed the event. A few people mentioned the war, and several others wore Ukraine flags on their jackets, and there was a silent screen shot of a slide showing how money could be donated to help the millions of Ukraine citizens hurt by the vicious attack's. If more of the presenters and recipients had mentioned the war, there would have been little controversy; most Americans, and most international viewers would have been in agreement with any comment condemning Putin and his criminal actions.
But there is something even more shameful, in my opinion. It has been reported that Volodymyr Zelensky had asked for mention of the plight of his people during the Oscars, and that he had even offered to appear on the program, remotely, of course.
Why did the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences not include him? Time is not a good excuse. These awards shows are famous for running long. And there was at lease one lame sketch that could have been eliminated.
Zelensky has his roots in show business. And his approval rating around the world is higher than that most presidents and world leaders.
The show business industry has dissed one of its own.
That is the real slap that has resonated all over the globe.
—Dan J. Hicks
