The Obligatory Will Smith Take
I almost want to refuse to have one. But fine.
Will Smith got away with something that non-famous people would have been arrested for. Non-celebrity walks up on stage and slaps Chris Rock, non-celebrity gets arrested.
People act like this is how the elite rub each other’s backs. But the rabble behaves the same way. If Smith were arrested, there’s a decent chance the jury would acquit him and ask for his autograph afterwards. Or, nowadays, a selfie.
Americans like to pretend they have no royalty. They do. It’s famous people.
Agreed.
Americans, in general, has placed famous people on a pedestal that granted them a certain social status that the plebs don’t share.
At least Smith apologized directly to Rock last night, as he should have.
whembly (ce5f56) — 3/29/2022 @ 8:44 amAt least it spiced up the usual dull broadcast.
Even though Rock has not filed a police report, is the LA city attorney still obligated to file charges? I mean. there are plenty of witnesses, in the millions.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/29/2022 @ 9:38 amI see your point, but I have a minor disagreement. Two decades ago I worked in a stressful sales environment. We had an in-person meeting after one particularly difficult selling cycle, and while we were debating various ideas for changing strategy one of my colleagues had a heated argument with another colleague (both of them male) and ended up punching him in the head (the recipient of the blow managed to duck slightly, so the punch did not hit him flush). A bunch of us rushed in to separate the two. Previously, the two combatants had been generally friendly and collegial.
Not only did the guy who was punched decline to press charges, but he also agreed not to pursue action with our HR department. The guy who threw the punch was sent home, and he eventually wrote an apology to all of us. From what I understand there was some sort of informal discipline, but I’m not privy to the details.
Of course the major difference is that my colleague didn’t punch my other colleague on national television in front of dozens and dozens of viewers. Given that, I can understand the cynicism in believing that Will Smith got away with something because he is wealthy and famous. But this is exactly the sort of thing that it would seem George Gascon would refuse to prosecute anyway, even if the combatants weren’t Hollywood royalty.
JVW (ee64e4) — 3/29/2022 @ 9:49 amBut this is exactly the sort of thing that it would seem George Gascon would refuse to prosecute anyway, even if the combatants weren’t Hollywood royalty.
This was a misdemeanor assault, so the city attorney (Mike Feuer, who is running for mayor, by the way) would prosecute.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/29/2022 @ 9:56 amI don’t know how they do it in Los Angeles, but in Chicago, unless the police officer witnessed the crime, the complaining witness would need to sign a complaint for assault/battery. And even if the police officer did witness the crime, unless the complaining witness wanted to pursue a complaint for assault/battery, the charge would be disorderly conduct.
nk (1d9030) — 3/29/2022 @ 10:04 amIf Will, Chris and Jada had been “little people”, and standing together at a bar, and Chris made the “joke” he did, he would have gotten punched out. It would surprise me if he was convicted by a jury for doing so.
Jada is losing her hair due to disease, and has shaved her head to make the best of it. It may not be her favorite subject, and any husband probably would react poorly to anyone who cracked wise.
Kevin M (38e250) — 3/29/2022 @ 10:05 amI mean. there are plenty of witnesses, in the millions.
Just think of all the people Will Smith has shot in the movies. Millions of witnesses to that, too.
Kevin M (38e250) — 3/29/2022 @ 10:06 am(Mike Feuer, who is running for mayor, by the way) would prosecute.
I think he’d have to poll it first.
Kevin M (38e250) — 3/29/2022 @ 10:08 amIt may not be her favorite subject, and any husband probably would react poorly to anyone who cracked wise.
Except of course that the camera showed Smith laughing along with the joke until he realized that his wife was not at all amused, at which point he suddenly became stone-faced and became the badass avenger of his wife’s honor. It will probably go down as Will Smith’s finest performance.
JVW (ee64e4) — 3/29/2022 @ 10:09 amQuestion: Never mind the punch, does Chris Rock owe Jada Smith an apology?
Kevin M (38e250) — 3/29/2022 @ 10:10 amExcept of course that the camera showed Smith laughing along with the joke
That may have been part of it — not only angry at Chris Rock, but at himself. Or at least overcompensating. Of course, the laugh may have been the “act.”
Kevin M (38e250) — 3/29/2022 @ 10:13 amThe slap part puzzled me, since traditionally women slapped men, but men punched other men. But then I remembered that slaps were traditionally challenges to duels, but Will Smith should have used a glove:
(And here is something else that this incident reminded me of: Again, traditionally, a lady who was insulted or molested by a man had the right to slap him. And he was supposed to just take it. It is such a traditional idea that it shows up in Charles Sheffield’s “Resurgence”, which takes place around 6225 AD.
And I used to see it occasionally, in a modified form, with young couples (usually teenagers, but sometimes older). The boy would say something and, smiling, the girl would punch him in the shoulder. Again the boy would take it, with a smile.
In comic strips, and I suppose sometimes in real life, wives sometimes disciplined their husbands with rolling pins.)
I am not recommending any of these old customs, though the second appeals to me — in some ways.
Jim Miller (406a93) — 3/29/2022 @ 10:20 amIn the age of Ladies, gentlemen who dueled went to great pains to make it clear that “there was no lady involved. They would great a fictional insult. “My nephew said that you said I wore a waistcoat with a missing button!” “I did not!” “Now you are calling my nephew a liar! My seconds will call on your seconds!” Of course, in that same age, actresses were considered anything but ladies. Boys played the women’s parts in legitimate theater.
As for why this instance was a slap and not a punch, I have my own theory, and it involves the location, condition, and mode of preservation of Will Smith’s reproductive glands. But that’s as far as I will descend.
nk (1d9030) — 3/29/2022 @ 11:07 amSuppose these had been two (famous, recognizable from TV) Congressional representatives. Of the same race and party and approximate age, to parallel Rock and Smith.
I hypothesize that two Democrats would get treated in the media like Rock and Smith and any other pair from Hollywood, while two Republicans would both be repeatedly, incessantly, asked to resign.
Thoughts?
pouncer (1658ab) — 3/29/2022 @ 11:49 amAs noted on another thread, remember when Alex Karras punching a horse in the movies was funny? Today punching a horse’s ass on television is merely assault…. There hasn’t been this big an audience for two wealthy black guys going at it since Ali vs. Frazier in ’71. 😉
Unfortunately, significant elements of the incident were censored to U.S. viewers– a separate issue worth exploring for you ‘free speech’ buffs. But after the initial shock, the layered specifics in this are complex. Was he defending his ill wife’s honor -prodded after she visibly soured from a foolishly poor joke at her expense- or simply lost control of his emotions w/a profane tirade not seen or heard in the U.S. Was Johnny Carson arrested for the unscripted assault of Don Rickles when he threw him into a Japanese bath on television? Nope:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKRyNbCsGhs
Rich or poor, if a pair of baseball players start a punch up on the field during the World Series, an umpire ejects one or both from play. The loser in this is AMPAS. It was their venue and their event and security failed to act. Spent time on the phone chatting w/old colleagues about this and given AMPAS’ new ‘rules of conduct,’ Smith is in clear violation. One old colleague mentioned it gave the Oscars the look of a rap awards show on MTV, VH1 of BET, lowering the “dignity” of the Oscars and insisted he should be prosecuted for assault as well. Know from personal experience that there is something to that ‘dignity’ thing w/AMPAS, too– they’re very protective of their image.
The general consensus amongst them is Smith’s a known industry ass anyway, has a history of volatility and staff should have had security remove him from the auditorium during the commercial break and if/when he won the Oscar, to have somebody else accept for him. They did neither. Add to it that this was the first Oscar telecast w/an all African- American production team as well so it’s an especially sticky wicket given AMPAS’ lily-white history. AMPAS will have to act given their guidelines or appear irrelevant; likely suspend him for a period, possibly revoke his membership and not invite him back next year as a presenter, as is tradition. But they won’t take back his Oscar- the award was for his film performance, not his act on TV. And after a night of VF partying, in the cold light of day, he posted an apology which can be translated as, ‘My agent and my attorney told me my professional balls are in the hands of AMPAS and they may very well squeeze so I’d better apologize PDQ to Rock to minimize the inevitable smack I’m going to get back from them.’ TV ratings still pegged it the second lowest viewership in their history as well. Just bad form all around. But AMPAS has to act ASAP. Regardless, the moment will rank w/David Niven’s streaker incident back in the 70’s.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 3/29/2022 @ 12:19 pmThose who suspect Will Smith can’t descend any lower will be disabused of that notion before year’s end… when he engages the slimiest of divorce lawyers to rid himself of the abusive woman he married.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 3/29/2022 @ 1:05 pmThe slap part puzzled me, since traditionally women slapped men, but men punched other men. But then I remembered that slaps were traditionally challenges to duels, but Will Smith should have used a glove:
My take on it (and it is naturally fueled by my own toxic masculinity) is that slapping a male is meant to be an insult, because you are in essence saying that he isn’t worthy of being punched. It’s a silent way of calling another man a b**ch. I grew up in a town where the mafia was strong, and there is a famous story about the mafia chieftain publicly slapping around a guy who was head of another local crime family but was junior in rank to the boss. This was the boss’s way of humiliating him and putting him in his place in front of the rest of the crew and even the members of the public who happened to be at that restaurant.
JVW (ee64e4) — 3/29/2022 @ 1:28 pmQuestion: Never mind the punch, does Chris Rock owe Jada Smith an apology?
Absolutely. And I have a feeling that Rock didn’t know about the alopecia, but maybe I am just being too kind to him because I generally like his stuff.
JVW (ee64e4) — 3/29/2022 @ 1:30 pmWHY AREN’T ON-FIELD SPORTS BRAWLS CONSIDERED ASSAULT OR BATTERY?
https://www.hsflawfirm.com/blog/why-arent-on-field-sports-brawls-considered-assaultbattery/#:~:text=If%20you%20notice%20anything%20in%20the%20statistics%2C%20it%E2%80%99s,books%20that%20says%20an%20athlete%20is%20above%20reproach.?msclkid=e16c79dfaf9e11ec968d1c5c7bf6e789
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 3/29/2022 @ 1:30 pmI have a feeling Will’s rage wasn’t due to the joke – he laughed at first. It wasn’t to avenge his wife’s honor – she sleeps around and then discusses it with him to his face on her podcast.
No, his rage comes from within, at himself, for staying with her for who knows why. She slept with their son’s friend, for crying out loud. He should have dumped her years ago but hasn’t. He’s mad at himself.
Hoi Polloi (121542) — 3/29/2022 @ 1:34 pm@18. That’s the buzz; but regardless, she could have been on chemo or such– it’s was an unnecessary joke at her expense- especially as she wasn’t even up for any award- just in the audience. Suppose he’d cracked wise at Liza Minnelli with, ‘nice wheels, Liza, is the chair electric, too? What’s your mileage?’ Just bad form. Do the intro, hand out the award, leave stage left.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 3/29/2022 @ 1:37 pmThe slap part puzzled me…
He “slapped” his mouth for what was coming out of it about his wife- as his censored retorts reinforced.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 3/29/2022 @ 1:40 pmI never watch the Oscars, although maybe I saw part of it (movie excerpts) once or twice.
This is important for the motion picture academy, not anyone else.
Will Smith did this for show, and because his wife was upset. (he wasn’t) She doesn’t want to look the way she does.
Even if this wasn’t seriously violent, and it wasn’t., it is the wrong example. How does hitting someone prove you are right?
He could have made his objections known in a less violent way. It is a breach of protocol just to go up on the stage.
Sammy Finkelman (02a146) — 3/29/2022 @ 1:55 pm#17 JVW – Good point. I should have remembered that slap business from “The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight”. Perhaps Will Smith learned that from the Mafia.
(Fun fact: The gang leader the book was based on loved the publicity — in spite of the fact he was depicted as an incompetent and disgusting crook.)
Jim Miller (406a93) — 3/29/2022 @ 1:58 pm@20. Doesn’t matter what the motivation was any more than it does in a fight between two ball players in a game; MLB has rules/regs- umpire ejects one or both. AMPAS has rules/regs; ‘code of conduct’ and Smith clearly violated it. The Academy Awards are their venue and they must act to enforce the Code of Conduct or render themselves irrelevant. And fast. If they do nothing it greenlights patrons taking a swing at stand up comics in clubs for a bad joke. SAG/AFTRA are now in it as well. They’ve gotta come down on Smith hard.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 3/29/2022 @ 3:16 pmIn addition to his Instagram apology, Smith should have offered six-figure donation to charity of Rock’s choice.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/29/2022 @ 3:24 pm@26. Who was in the wrong in the Will Smith slap of Chris Rock?
AMPAS was wrong. The Academy Awards are their venue to ‘police’ just as the Grammys are a NARAS venue; the Emmys, a ATAS venue and the Tonys the venue of the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 3/29/2022 @ 3:38 pmHow Chris Rock didn’t light that punk up with a couple body blows and a right cross is beyond me.
mg (8cbc69) — 3/29/2022 @ 3:43 pm@28. Experience. He knew where he was, he’d hosted the venue before and stand-up comics know how to handle audience hecklers. The joke was clearly bush league amateur– but he handled the recovery like a pro and moved on.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 3/29/2022 @ 3:50 pmCheck out the viewership numbers in this list of telecasts over the past two decades to get a wider context of the Academy Awards declining relevance into the 21st century:
2022: 16.6 million, Coda (Amy Schumer, Regina Hall, Wanda Sykes)
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 3/29/2022 @ 4:35 pm2021: 10.4 million, Nomandland (No host)
2020: 23.6 million, Parasite (No host)
2019: 29.6 million, Green Book (No host)
2018: 26.5 million, The Shape of Water (Jimmy Kimmel)
2017: 32.9 million, Moonlight (Jimmy Kimmel)
2016: 34.4 million, Spotlight (Chris Rock)
2015: 37.3 million, Birdman (Neil Patrick Harris)
2014: 43.7 million, 12 Years a Slave (Ellen DeGeneres)
2013: 40.3 million, Argo (Seth MacFarlane)
2012: 39.3 million, The Artist (Billy Crystal)
2011: 37.9 million, The King’s Speech (Anne Hathaway/James Franco)
2010: 41.3 million, The Hurt Locker (Steve Martin/Alec Baldwin)
2009: 36.3 million, Slumdog Millionaire (Hugh Jackman)
2008: 32.0 million, No Country For Old Men (Jon Stewart)
2007: 40. 2 million, The Departed (Ellen DeGeneres)
2006: 38.9 million, Crash (Jon Stewart)
2005: 42.1 million, Million Dollar Baby (Chris Rock)
2004: 43.5 million, The Lord Of The Rings: The Return of the King (Billy Crystal)
2003: 33.0 million, Chicago (Steve Martin)
2002: 41.8 million, A Beautiful Mind (Whoopi Goldberg)
2001: 42.9 million, Gladiator (Steve Martin)
Neither Rock nor Smith certainly did Sidney Poitier’s legacy proud, did they.
From classy to classless in a generation.
Sad.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 3/29/2022 @ 4:43 pm“They’ve gotta come down on Smith hard.”
No harm, no foul. Who cares? Chris Rock’s performance ticket prices are going through the roof. He should send a nice Cab Sav over to Smith…oh and a wig. AMPAS should send Smith a harshly worded reprimand…then move on to creating better entertainment on the big screen….something more than comic book stories and remakes.
AJ_Liberty (3cb02f) — 3/29/2022 @ 4:51 pm@32. No harm, no foul. Who cares?
AMPAS cares. You’re ignorant of the rules, regs and code of conduct in play here. You only see the awards show– the broadcast rights to which are sold to the highest bidder and rake in millions for the Academy as a revenue source and the broadcast outlet sells ads around it to make $ as well. AMPAS is extremely protective of their image and use of Academy references across all mediums. Members of the Academy are invited to join– and invited to the awards ceremony. It’s not automatic just because they’re in the film industry. It’s an exclusive organization- and the membership list is not widely known to even those in the biz. And by breaking that Code of Conduct, Smith sullied the image and rep of an organization that is extremely protective of their image.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 3/29/2022 @ 6:00 pmNeither Rock nor Smith certainly did Sidney Poitier’s legacy proud, did they.
Something I think Denzel (who does care about that) mentioned to Will backstage.
Kevin M (38e250) — 3/29/2022 @ 6:19 pm@34. Too late. Damage done. All the more reason AMPAS has to discipline this hard.
Codes of Conduct either mean something or they don’t. Pete Rose was sorry, too. So was MLB; they banned him anyway.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 3/29/2022 @ 6:25 pmLest you forget:
Man Who Hit Sen. Glenn Is Found Innocent by Reason of Insanity
WASHINGTON — The man who slugged Sen. John Glenn (D-Ohio) during a television interview last October was found innocent by reason of insanity Thursday and ordered to undergo treatment for mental illness. LAT- 2/9/90
Ex-Astronaut Escapes Assault Charge
LOS ANGELES – California authorities have decided against prosecuting former astronaut Buzz Aldrin after he punched a documentary maker who claimed his moon missions were faked. BBC- 9/21/02
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 3/29/2022 @ 6:48 pmThe first rule of cesspools is “keep a tight lid on it!”. And Hollywood is a cesspool. Covered with glitter. The Oscars whatseses (or is it whoseses) saw untold millions of dollars worth of PR glitz fanned away. Just when they thought they could take a breather with Weinstein in prison, Spacey out of sight and out of mind, neither Polanski not Allen having put out a movie last year, and Joel Cohen casting Denzel Washington as Macbeth. Yeah, no, they can’t be happy about this.
nk (1d9030) — 3/29/2022 @ 7:56 pm“You’re ignorant of the rules, regs and code of conduct in play here.”
No, I just don’t care. Probably yelling out the f-word is more problematic to me than the b*tch slap, but I concede to not being their target audience. Smith apologized. Rock went on with the night’s events. Everything beyond the firmly written rebuke seems like overkill to me. I acknowledge that someone who did that in the workplace could face anything from a rebuke to a suspension to an outright dismissal. Ban Smith from future Oscars….you’re probably doing him a favor…
AJ_Liberty (ec7f74) — 3/29/2022 @ 8:01 pmI think Smith should have been charged because I’m going to miss out on all the nonsense spewed out by his publicist and attorney’s.
Lets hear what OJ had to say:
“I can relate”
https://www.tmz.com/2022/03/29/oj-simpson-weighs-in-will-smith-chris-rock-slap-compare-relate/
See what I’m missing if no charges are filed? A beautiful train wreck was only a filing away
steveg (e81d76) — 3/29/2022 @ 8:19 pmWhy the White House says Biden can’t condemn Will Smith slap of Chris Rock at Oscars
There’s a Greek proverb for this particular “news story”:
There’s a full-blown war in Ukraine, with the specter of nukes, and the President of the United States is supposed to condemn the “level of violence” at the Oscars. If I agree with Donald Trump on anything, it’s contempt for the so-called news media.
nk (1d9030) — 3/29/2022 @ 8:40 pmfake news
mg (8cbc69) — 3/30/2022 @ 3:33 amThere were probably a dozen other jokes just as mean or meaner. Her open-marriage husband committing a violent act does not confer on her a greater right to an apology.
I read somewhere that Will Smith’s marriage is open to anything but a joke.
Patterico (7a338b) — 3/30/2022 @ 8:36 amFully agree…biggest non-story there is.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/30/2022 @ 8:49 am“Will Smith’s marriage is open to anything but a joke.”
Haa! Yeah the whole August Alsina thing is bizarre and seems driven by Jada (but who knows for sure). Certainly Chris Rock could have pressed that “swinger” button but with the guy sitting right there, it would have been like Putin lighting off a nuke…..escalation. The hair comment was more dumb than anything. One would think that Will Smith could find himself a lower drama mama….but love is a funny intoxicant. How many times in life have we said, “what the heck is he thinkin'”? He may also be shooting for some normalcy for his kids…I mean, as much normalcy as a swingin’ wife might afford.
AJ_Liberty (ec7f74) — 3/30/2022 @ 8:56 amRather nauseating that the media continues its regressive course.
mg (8cbc69) — 3/30/2022 @ 9:15 amIf the Motion Picture Academy won’t revoke Roman Polanski’s or Harvey Weinstein’s Oscars, then to revoke Smith’s Oscar shows no sense of proportion.
It’s interesting how the news media (and other commentary) are ignoring this story, while salacious, it is actually the subject of debate within a major political party in Congress.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/30/2022 @ 9:24 amMadison Cawthorn could be lying, or he could be talking about a one-time thing which he distorts and tries to make it seem more common, and it doesn’t have to be anyone as famous as Roger Stone. And who would invite a paralyzed man to an orgy, and why?
Sammy Finkelman (c04aa1) — 3/30/2022 @ 9:50 amMay be he likes to watch.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/30/2022 @ 10:47 am@46 yeah the cawthorne story is being ignored, which to you means it’s not yet bigger than ukraine-russia
JF (e1156d) — 3/30/2022 @ 10:54 amThere are all kinds of fetishes.
nk (1d9030) — 3/30/2022 @ 10:59 amIf you thought the Oscars were violent, wait until the Grammys.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/30/2022 @ 11:05 am#47 I realize you like answers to see the complete picture. But maybe not this time.
Appalled (1a17de) — 3/30/2022 @ 11:09 am@46 yeah the cawthorne story is being ignored, which to you means it’s not yet bigger than ukraine-russia
It means that a political story that is roiling the GOP is being ignored for celebrity “news”. The “slap” is a one-day story, and of no importance, signifying nothing.
But then again Cawthorn is used to committing character assassination.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/30/2022 @ 11:16 amFrom AMPAS; the BoG are meeting today:
Dear Members,
Sunday’s telecast of the 94th Oscars was meant to be a celebration of the many individuals in our community who did incredible work this past year. We are upset and outraged that those moments were overshadowed by the unacceptable and harmful behavior on stage by a nominee. To be clear, we condemn Mr. Smith’s actions that transpired Sunday night.
As outlined in our bylaws, the Academy’s Board of Governors will now make a determination on appropriate action for Mr. Smith. As governed by California law regarding members of nonprofit organizations like the Academy, and set forth in our Standards of Conduct, this must follow an official process that will take a few weeks.
We will continue to update you on any developments, but we also ask that you respect your Board, Academy staff and the process as this unfolds so it can work in the considered way it was intended and mandated. Please trust that the Board of Governors will conduct this process in a manner that is both expedient and respectful of all involved while maintaining the standards of the Academy.
Thank you,
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
David Rubin, President
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Dawn Hudson CEO
Trust? ‘Trust’ them for sure to do what is best for the bottom line in the biz. Everything else is negotiable.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 3/30/2022 @ 11:19 amHer open-marriage husband committing a violent act does not confer on her a greater right to an apology.
Which is why I said “Never mind the punch.”
Kevin M (38e250) — 3/30/2022 @ 11:32 amDamage done. All the more reason AMPAS has to discipline this hard.
Why do white folks skate, after doing worse? Roman Polanski is a fricking absconded felon. They gave Polanski an Oscar years after his conviction for child-rape. If they pull his Oscar, or otherwise give a meaningful penalty, the whole Black-folks-in-Hollywood narrative will explode.
Kevin M (38e250) — 3/30/2022 @ 11:40 amEx-Astronaut Escapes Assault Charge
He was simply exercising his right of (non) association, when the man would not get out of his face. No jury in the world would convict.
Kevin M (38e250) — 3/30/2022 @ 11:42 am@54 right, the cawthorne story is at newsweek, slate, the hill, politico, daily beast, nypost, wapo, ….
which puts it above the hunter laptop story, which you don’t think is being ignored enough
JF (e1156d) — 3/30/2022 @ 11:43 amI read somewhere that Will Smith’s marriage is open to anything but a joke.
I sense a value judgement here. But the joke was not about the marriage, and would have been offensive no matter what anyone’s marital status was.
Kevin M (38e250) — 3/30/2022 @ 11:46 amwhich puts it above the hunter laptop story, which you don’t think is being ignored enough
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/30/2022 @ 11:51 amThe Post has a major story on Hunter’s laptop, I’m just not that interested in it.
Bruce Willis stepping away from acting after aphasia diagnosis
I can’t wait for Chris Rock’s jokes.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/30/2022 @ 11:54 amJF (e1156d) — 3/30/2022 @ 11:43 am
The Hunter Biden story s also a sex story. Some of the women pictured looked underage (the people who have seen them don’t want to be very clear about this) making possession of these pictures criminal.
The computer repairman in Delaware, when he looked at them, thought that was the worst or most dangerous thing included which is one reason he didn’t want to be the only one to have them.
The FBI did not investigate that because apparently to be considered child pornography the identities of the people in the pictures have to be known, so they are known to be under 18; or they are described as being under 18 – and that can be a photoshopped or even artificial picture of what is not a real person; or it’s got to be a collection devoted to people in that age range with maybe a confession or admission that’s that’s how old they are. Such apparently are DOJ rules.
Nobody knows who the people pictured in Hunter Biden’s laptop are, or when the pictures were originally taken, and Hunter’s not saying, if he even knows, so that line of investigation was not followed up. They decided to investigate money laundering and tax evasion.
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Sammy Finkelman (c04aa1) — 3/30/2022 @ 12:00 pmwhich puts it above the hunter laptop story, which you don’t think is being ignored enough
I’m sure Putin will answer Trump’s request.
Trump asks Putin to release any info about Hunter Biden
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/30/2022 @ 12:00 pmSo, reading the Post article, this jumped out at me:
Those CFEC guys must have been much quicker than Chinese intelligence agencies because this is a classic scenario for obtaining espionage assets. It’s the kind of red flag that shows up on the most cursory of clearance investigations, not to mention credit checks. It would be hard to be more compromised. Drug use, divorce, financial instability, owning money to Uncle Guido.
It must have taken a presidential order to get him inside the WH or onboard Air Force One, even years later. W.T.F.
Kevin M (38e250) — 3/30/2022 @ 12:11 pmIf what the Post is reporting is true, Hunter Biden was — at the very least — acting as an [unregistered] agent of influence for a foreign power, and being very well paid for it. Also the president’s brother James (for those of you who miss Billy Carter). Probably also money laundering and tax evasion.
There is really too much to detail here, but — again if the Post’s report is accurate — Hunter is in a world of trouble.
Kevin M (38e250) — 3/30/2022 @ 12:21 pmThe Post also claims that the reason that they did not run with this story in 2020 was because Giuliani refused to give the Post a copy of the hard drive at that time. They did not obtain s copy until mid-2021 and under chain-of-custody circumstances that have caused them to require technical validation of every item on the purported copy. Which they have now done.
Kevin M (38e250) — 3/30/2022 @ 12:26 pmHas Chrissy Rock contacted BLM?
mg (8cbc69) — 3/30/2022 @ 1:14 pm@56. Oscars are awarded by the Academy members for the film work, not the awardees personalities, peccadillos, politics or lifestyles.
They will not pull Smith’s Oscar; it was awarded to him for his performance on film, not his act on television. Nor will they pull Polanski’s, or Allen’s– or Jane Fonda’s or Elia Kazan’s… or even John Wayne’s or Chaplin’s; they’ve never pulled one back; but they have suspended/expelled members from the Academy– and publicists have maneuvered to deny members nominations thus the opportunity to win one. Why do you think Cameron’s ‘Titanic’ was awarded 14 Oscars? Publicists worked the guilds, got it nominated in multiple categories then ran an industry campaign to win votes and secure the awards. That’s how it’s done. The film employed plenty of guild members across the board and members rewarded the folks who buttered their bread. And the Weinstein Axiom holds: it’s more lucrative for a film to have a dozen Oscar nominations than one Oscar win.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 3/30/2022 @ 1:29 pmIt’s not just AMPAS Smith has to be concerned with; SAG-AFTRA can pull his ticket- which means he doesn’t work:
SAG-AFTRA Statement on the 2022 Oscars
“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. 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.”
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 3/30/2022 @ 1:55 pm@63. OTOH, what makes you think Biden hasn’t asked Zelinskyy NOT to release any info Ukraine may have on Hunter Biden– and to sweeten the request, a few billion dollars in U.S. aid happens to be ‘in the pipeline’ to ’em.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 3/30/2022 @ 2:17 pmWill Smith Could Face “Suspension, Expulsion” Oscar Board Of Governors Says Of Chris Rock Slap; Actor Wouldn’t Leave Ceremony Despite Being Asked By Organizers
‘Truly surprising, the Academy is now revealing that the now Best Actor winner was actually requested to exit the Dolby Theater after striking Rock over a crack about Jada Pinkett-Smith’s hair. A request the King Richard star distinctly declined. “While we would like to clarify that Mr. Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, we also recognize we could have handled the situation differently,” the Academy said of the disturbing incident at the Will Packer produced 94th Academy Awards… Though Smith was seen talking with Denzel Washington, Bradley Cooper and Tyler Perry almost right after slapping and screaming at Rock, it was actually Packer [the African-American producer of the telecast] who asked that the former Fresh Prince exit… unclear is if that request was made directly to Smith or through the actor’s flacks… A number of the Board of Governors, which include Stephen Spielberg, past Oscar host Whoopi Goldberg and Participant CEO David Linde, at today’s virtual meeting did not know about Smith being asked to leave on Sunday. “It was a real shocker,” one insider close to the situation told Deadline of the revelation…’ – source, deadline.com
FULL STATEMENT FROM AMPAS ON WILL SMITH:
“The Board of Governors today initiated disciplinary proceedings against Mr. Smith for violations of the Academy’s Standards of Conduct, including inappropriate physical contact, abusive or threatening behavior, and compromising the integrity of the Academy.
Consistent with the Academy’s Standards of Conduct, as well as California law, Mr. Smith is being provided at least 15 days’ notice of a vote regarding his violations and sanctions, and the opportunity to be heard beforehand by means of a written response. At the next board meeting on April 18, the Academy may take any disciplinary action, which may include suspension, expulsion, or other sanctions permitted by the Bylaws and Standards of Conduct.
Mr. Smith’s actions at the 94th Oscars were a deeply shocking, traumatic event to witness in-person and on television. Mr. Rock, we apologize to you for what you experienced on our stage and thank you for your resilience in that moment. We also apologize to our nominees, guests and viewers for what transpired during what should have been a celebratory event.
Things unfolded in a way we could not have anticipated. While we would like to clarify that Mr. Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, we also recognize we could have handled the situation differently.”
It’s only getting worse for Will; his ass is grass w/AMPAS.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 3/30/2022 @ 4:08 pmAs much as I don’t care……
Will Smith refused to leave the Oscars after slapping Chris Rock, academy says
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/30/2022 @ 4:11 pmHave worked professionally w/AMPAS; they are thermonuclear-anal about their image, how it is portrayed, perceived and presented to the world and anything that even hints at besmirching it is never compromised. It’s looking like Smith’s going to get his professional ass handed to him by them-that-runs-the-biz.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 3/30/2022 @ 4:15 pmThere is really too much to detail here, but — again if the Post’s report is accurate — Hunter is in a world of trouble.
I just put up a post on this very issue. I had it written a bit earlier, but I didn’t want to post right on top of Dana’s post at noon.
JVW (ee64e4) — 3/30/2022 @ 4:30 pm@72. You probably should; Media & Entertainment are among the leading exports of the United States and serve to project American culture and values around the world.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 3/30/2022 @ 5:35 pm-The U.S. Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry is the largest in the world at $660 billion (of the $2 trillion global market) – enduring an estimated $53B or 7.3% decline due to the pandemic.
-The uptick in streaming services and subscriptions for digital media in 2020 has been a boon for the MVoD, Video Games and Music sectors, while live performance, touring and the gig economy have been forced to pivot or shutter, as physical continues its decline.
-The M&E industry is comprised of businesses that produce, distribute and offer ancillary digital services and products for: the Motion Pictures, Television programs and Commercials along with Streaming Content, Music, Video and Audio recordings, Broadcast, Radio, Text and Book Publishing, eSports and Video Games sectors.
-In 2018, total core copyright industries added 2.2 trillion dollars to the U.S. economy (accounting for 11.6%) and employed over 11.6 million workers. These industries grew on average 5.23% a year, while the U.S. economy as a whole averaged 2.21% annually.
https://www.trade.gov/media-entertainment?msclkid=570d044eb08911ec80cb1eaf6b8513dd
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 3/30/2022 @ 5:38 pmLeading fertilizer exporting countries worldwide in 2020, based on value (in billion U.S. dollars)
nk (1d9030) — 3/30/2022 @ 5:56 pmI’ve been trying to avoid all the WillRock stuff too…but have to admit the ‘slap picture’ meme replacing their faces with Zelensky’s and Putin’s was pretty good.
Purple Martin (bce78a) — 3/30/2022 @ 9:05 pmOnly one Oscar has ever been revoked: in 1969, when “Young Americans” won the award for Best Documentary Feature but was then found to have been exhibited publicly in October 1967, which made it ineligible to receive an award for the films of 1968. Three weeks after the Oscar ceremony, the award was taken away from “Young Americans” and given to the second-place film, “Journey Into Self.”
So the revocation was essentially over a bureaucratic transgression.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 3/30/2022 @ 11:39 pmTMZ: Will Smith was never asked to leave the Oscars
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/31/2022 @ 1:53 pm80. So it appears that;
1. “Asked” is not an euphemism, but he was literally asked. He was more than asked. He was shouted at.
2. But he was also asked not to leave by the producer.
2. Note that “asked” is in the passive voice. It was not the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that demanded he leave (indeed the question immediately presents itself: How was there time to get together so fast and ask him, and furthermore, how could he decline if he was legally required to leave) The answer is that David Rubin, the President of the Academy, and Dawn Hudson, the CEO, asked him. And they did more than ask. They yelled at him.
But they didn’t have any legal authority to order him out.
And then Will Packer, the producer of the Oscars, who did have the legal authority, walked up to him and said, “We do not want you to leave”.
Sammy Finkelman (02a146) — 3/31/2022 @ 2:15 pm@81. It’s an AMPAS event, Sammy; their venue. They control decorum; invited attendees must wear tuxedos– or Bermuda shorts; their call. You realize “we” are simply invited in via television rights sold by the Academy- both nationally and internationally- to the highest bidder to generate revenue for the Academy and for the broadcaster to generate revenue via ad sales.
@80. “Sort of” … no definitive source cited by TMZ. The Camp Smith Axiom: If you can’t defend the indefensible; muddy the waters.
Regardless- he is in clear violation of the AMPAS Code of Conduct and all the charm and apologies can’t fix it. He has two weeks to submit a written defense… [no face to face… ‘actors’ excel at faking sincerity]… before the BoG the drop the hammer on him. Expect severe reprimand, designated or indefinite suspension— or full on expulsion from the Academy.
You either enforce a Code of Conduct or you don’t. Pete Rose was sorry; MLB was sorry, too: they banned ‘Charlie Hustle’ for life anyway.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 3/31/2022 @ 3:01 pm“Heartbroken” Will Smith Resigns From Academy Ahead Of Decision On His Future After Oscar Slap Of Chris Rock
“I have directly responded to the Academy’s disciplinary hearing notice, and I will fully accept any and all consequences for my conduct. My actions at the 94th Academy Awards presentation were shocking, painful, and inexcusable. The list of those I have hurt is long and includes Chris, his family, many of my dear friends and loved ones, all those in attendance, and global audiences at home. I betrayed the trust of the Academy. I deprived other nominees and winners of their opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated for their extraordinary work. I am heartbroken. I want to put the focus back on those who deserve attention for their achievements and allow the Academy to get back to the incredible work it does to support creativity and artistry in film. So, I am resigning from membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and will accept any further consequences the Board deems appropriate. Change takes time and I am committed to doing the work to ensure that I never again allow violence to overtake reason.” – Will Smith
https://deadline.com/2022/04/will-smith-resigns-oscars-slap-chris-rock-1234992840/
See ‘ya later alligator.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 4/1/2022 @ 4:22 pm