A HOLLYWOOD EDITORIAL: 2022 OSCARS

The dust has settled on what has become the Oscar telecast. The telecast itself was pretty much boring, which reflected on the movies that were made in 2021. Old entertainer wrangler Lady Gaga wheeled out a confused and sickly looking Liza Minnelli at one point. The whole show was pretty much a yawn fest - until the slap that was heard around the world, courtesy of Will Smith.

Comedian Chris Rock was presenting an award, and he told a lame joke about the obscure 1995 movie GI Jane, and Jada Pinkett Smith appearing in the sequel because she is bald. The only thing that Chris Rock is guilty of is telling a 20 year old joke! Will Smith laughed at the joke at first, but then seconds late Will Smith walks up to the stage and smacks a confused Chris Rock. Smith then walks back to his seat, and continues to verbally yell at Rock. It was the only excitement of the show, and unfortunately it is one of the low points of the Oscars.

Why this would set Will Smith off is beyond me. It really casts a dark shadow on the Oscars. Will would win the best actor award 45 minutes after the slap. It casts a shadow over his win. It casts a shadow over the Oscars. It casts a shadow over African-Americans finally winning the awards that they deserve. 

The joke was unfunny, but did it warrant Chris Rock to be physically assaulted - NO. It may warrant Will Smith losing his award that he so desperately wanted. Something needs to be done or the Oscars will have fallen to a degree that they will never recover from. Will Smith, an actor I admired for decades, I am embarrassed for. I never thought I would write this but Will Smith is a disgrace...