Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.
Will Smith was the elephant in the room at this year’s Oscars, and host Jimmy Kimmel repeatedly pointed him out. A year after “the Slap,” some people wondered if the Academy would put on a show that gave the impression that they were moving forward. Would they ban the mention of Smith like they banned Smith for a decade?
Well, Kimmel skewered Smith several times throughout the show. In his opening monologue, he said, “If you get mad at a joke and decide you want to come up here and get jiggy with it…” then he mentioned several supposedly tough actors who the hypothetical new Smith would face before reaching Kimmel. He ended the night by walking offstage to reveal a sign that said, “Number of Oscars without incident.” He flipped a number on the sign from 0 to 1. Finally, the Oscars had returned to being conflict-free.
It seemed like the Academy was wiping its feet on Smith’s image and painting him as a person who had shown that he could turn into the Incredible Hulk at any time. It made sense to make fun of Smith in the show; you’ve got to embrace an issue that big. You don’t run from it, but given that he’s not actually forgiven — this was the first year of that 10-year ban — it’s kinda like punching him over and over when he’s already down. Smith deserves a lot of the shame he’s getting. He put himself in this position. He was wrong, but how much of a penalty is too much? Is the Academy hoping to destroy his career? I can’t tell. Or perhaps this is the Academy’s way of showing how traumatized it was by Smith’s actions.
I bet a lot of people won the Oscar bets they made…
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