to think Will Smith should be stripped of his Oscar?

[BloodyloveGeorge]

The Academy is supposed to have a code of conduct ( post Weinstein) so can take his Oscar away.
Given that this was a blatant assault, and a clear case of toxic masculinity at it's worst, he should lose his Oscar. He's not a role model, his behaviour isn't something that should be celebrated. There should be consequences for this example of violence.
Even a 6 year old knows you can't punch someone because they say something you don't like.

There is no way “thug” has racial connotations in the UK. That’s just completely false.

Why do some speak as if celebrities were examples of anything?

They are not rocket scientists, career diplomats or high ranking dignitaries.

How they conduct themselves on stage is likely not dissimilar to how they behave in their everyday life.

If viewing numbers are down is because the appeal of the whole circus is waning and this lot are becoming irrelevant to most people, contrary to what they themselves may be led to believe

@Motherdare

There is no way “thug” has racial connotations in the UK. That’s just completely false.

@NeverDropYourMooncup is absolutely right. The word thug was originally from the Hindu language meaning deceiver or swindler. In the 20th century it became a racist term, meaning black people were criminals. This is possibly gives a little more background into the word thug as well as explaining thug life. (Hope the link works!) www.dictionary.com/e/slang/thug-life/

I think because Will and Jada Smith present themselves as perfect examples of loving kindness and exemplars of talking therapy and working on oneself.

To punch someone is a bit basic for them, I think Jada is probably even more pissed off now!

Do we even know if she has a medical condition? Alopecia can also be traction alopecia due to hair styles / environment. It doesn't always have a medical cause. Also he didn't mock her medical condition. He made a comment comparing her hair style to the hair style of Demi Moore in GI Jane. No one even knows if he knew she had alopecia. She has had both hair and a shaven or very short cut intermittently over the years.

@Motherdare

There is no way “thug” has racial connotations in the UK. That’s just completely false.

Of course it doesn't. There is a huge and obvious contextual difference but some people just don't want to see WS for the prick he is.

Good to see so many people today - Zoe Kravitz and Amy Schumer to name just two denouncing WS. Smith's career won't ever be the same again after this, which I'm glad about.

Thug does not have racial connotations.
However, the word ghetto does have racial connotations , particularly in America.
The word is associated with black people

@Midlifemusings

Do we even know if she has a medical condition? Alopecia can also be traction alopecia due to hair styles / environment. It doesn't always have a medical cause. Also he didn't mock her medical condition. He made a comment comparing her hair style to the hair style of Demi Moore in GI Jane. No one even knows if he knew she had alopecia. She has had both hair and a shaven or very short cut intermittently over the years.

If he didn't know it was cause by alopecia the "joke" is even worse. What if she had lost her hair due to chemotherapy for example?

Criticism of someone slapping someone and yelling at them is not racism. The response to WIll was very muted and positive at the Oscars. He went on to accept the award, give a speech, get an ovation, be comforted by his peers. It was actually shocking how accepted it was. He was out partying after it happened. The criticism is well deserved

This. The context in which he was able to assault someone and then sit down, no one helping Chris and no one reprimanding Will, and then receive and award, party and receive love and support etc…total bullshit

Of course "thug" has zero contextual sense in the UK. Much the same way Tuesday does not follow Monday.

Strip his Oscar and let’s move on from excusing yet more toxic masculinity.

@Justanotherlurker 'Silence is violence' has nothing to do with the Will Smith saga. It's not remotely comparable. Bear with me on this to show you just how disingenuous the comparison is. In a city as diverse as London when you look around your office (not you per se but you in the general sense) and you notice the only Black people in the vicinity are the security guards you have to ask yourself why this is - Black kids went to the same uni as you, did the same exams as you, did the same walk of shame as you did, but here in the office they are nowhere to be found. 'Silence is violence' is understanding that what happened to child Q would not have happened to a white girl. It is understanding that black women as a category have to go through a hell of a lot to get to where they are. Silence is violence is being silent about these trials and tribulations.

What it doesn't mean is that white female MPs can wax lyrical about how 'triggered' they were and cry about how they once 'respected' Will Smith. I personally give zero fucks about the celebrity class. But what is interesting to me is the standard at which he is held to. The same MP who has written letters, gone on radio to 'use my platform for good' has also voted down giving kids free school meals.

A lot of people who should know better are coming out of the woodwork to paint Will Smith in a certain light. Why on earth is Jim Carrey commenting, has anyone asked him about his ex-girlfriend's untimely death? Why on earth is Alan Davies commenting at all? Has anyone asked white men that perhaps they might want to consider the fact they should sometimes just say: "sorry, I'm not best place to comment on this."

What Chris Rock said to Jada is violence - if you have the first idea of what Black women have to deal with with regards to their hair. There's a reason why Black hair is not seen as 'professional' or it's seen as 'unkempt' in its natural state. What white people and indeed black men fail to realise is how much value is held within our hair.

So whilst I don't condone violence. I do think at some point 'chat shit, face consequences'.
A lot of black women spend their entire existence just swallowing the shit thrown at them so they don't come across as an 'angry black woman'. What you're seeing here is the culmination of that.

Michelle Obama would have my blessing to run up on everyone with a shot gun.

@BloodyloveGeorge

Strip his Oscar and let’s move on from excusing yet more toxic masculinity.

Maybe stop conflating two things? His Oscar is for the quality of his acting in a specific role. It has nothing to do with his behaviour.

So basically because she/he is black it’s ok to react that way.

I’m sorry but I can’t get behind anyone of any colour not being held accountable purely based on their skin colour. Will was not the one possibly insulted he was just a man acting like an idiot to claim to defend his wife’s honour over a joke he laughed at. That’s nothing to do with colour that’s a man being a violent person full stop.

The joke however bad was words not actually violence no hands where thrown he said something someone didn’t like. You cannot go around putting your hands on people because you don’t like words that come out of their mouths.

Apparently last year Joey Barton 'kicked wife in head' and 'grabbed her by throat' in a drunken row but this didn't even grab the headlines. Happened apparently in June last year. But another footballer who kicked a cat should have by all accounts been deported.

We didn't hear about Child Q till 2 years after the fact and in that time the teachers and police officers involved kept their jobs.

There is no denying that blackness is held to a higher standard.

Who remembers Nadine Dorries staggering around like a common drunk on Channel 4 news or indeed retorting 'Why would you ask me that?" when a journalist had asked her when the last time she spoke to Boris was.

My life motto is: "Lord grant me the confidence of a mediocre white person." I don't even want to be 'excellent' I just want the shamelessness that mediocre whites have.

It has nothing to do with his behaviour.

But it does because the Academy are investigating if he was in breach of their code of conduct.

I think anyone slapping anyone on the Oscars stage would have attracted a lot of media attention.
Regardless of sex or race or any other characteristic.

It wouldn't be okay at anyone's work based event.
It is illegal to assault people regardless of the bad natured jokes that they tell.
Will Smith should have some sanction, it was ridiculous behavior from a full grown man.

@southeastdweller

It has nothing to do with his behaviour.

But it does because the Academy are investigating if he was in breach of their code of conduct.

Is the Academy planning to rescind his Oscar?

Is the Academy planning to rescind his Oscar?

I don’t know, it depends what happens with the investigation, which began today.

@southeastdweller

Is the Academy planning to rescind his Oscar?

I don’t know, it depends what happens with the investigation, which began today.

It wasn’t mentioned in their letter.

There is no denying that blackness is held to a higher standard.
Agreed, but I don’t think that tells the full story here (not by a long shot).

And while your general point about the existence and prevalence of double-standards is undeniable, Joey Barton doesn’t have much of a profile these days (he retired from playing 5 years ago, and is now managing in the lower leagues), whereas Zouma is a current premier league and international footballer. While there was undeniably a significant racist element to some of the backlash against Zouma, he’s also far more in the public-eye.

It wasn’t mentioned in their letter.

It wouldn't be, would it, since the investigation would take a while, as I said?

ew.com/awards/oscars/academy-letter-will-smith-oscars-slap-board-seeking-action/

[quote southeastdweller]It wasn’t mentioned in their letter.

It wouldn't be, would it, since the investigation would take a while, as I said?

ew.com/awards/oscars/academy-letter-will-smith-oscars-slap-board-seeking-action/[/quote]
Surely it would be mentioned as a possibility?

Surely it would be mentioned as a possibility?

No, that’s not how these things work. Note they haven’t mentioned any possible consequence of his actions.

Jade is going to be livid. Especially if she doesn’t actually have alopecia and has hair loss from years of treatment opposed to a diagnosed condition. 30 minutes from million’s of dollars and he won’t be employable now.