Something we can take home from the 2022 Oscars is that disability does not mean inability. Well done to Troy Kotsur on his win for Best Supporting Actor. He has become the first deaf male actor to win the gong. It's pretty common knowledge Marlee Matlin was first female deaf actor to win the award. Indeed, this year's Oscars have had some diversity in their list of winners: a queer person of colour taking home Best Supporting Actress (Ariana DeBose) and a neurodivergent woman picking up the award for Best Music (Billie Eilish).
But - *heaves a bone-shaking sigh* - alas, what we can also take home from the 2022 Oscars is that Will Smith is a total twatwaffle who has put himself forward as poster boy for toxic masculinity. I'm sure you are aware I refer to the onstage altercation between him and Chris Rock. I've read so many comments praising the former Fresh Prince for defending 'his woman', and that just makes my skin crawl like a phalanx of slaters under a wet Kleenex.
I don't think Rock's wisecrack was all that funny, but the thing with comedy is you're not going to find everything you hear funny and some of the material you hear could possibly be offensive to you. But Rock was doing his job and if there's a problem, see the previous sentence. Anyway, as you know, Smith mounted the stage and slapped Rock, before returning to his seat and shouting abuse; abuse that was broadcast to a global television audience.
If Smith found Rock's comments personally offensive, why couldn't he yell something from his chair? His actions pay into the trope that women are delicate flowers who need protection, and even worse: that violence is acceptable. Then he made an arsehat of himself when he got the Oscar. Love makes you do strange things, hey? Like slugging someone? With his patriarchal attitude about women and methodology when someone upsets him, the only difference between him and some of the feral gronks in the rougher area of my home town is the postcode and tuxedo.
To make it worse, his son tweeted words to the effect: "That's how we do it". How we do what, Jaden? Handle conflict like savage troglodytes? I'm sorry for this kid if this is how he's been brought up. Smith could have used his platform for so much good: he could have brought awareness to his wife's medical condition; but better yet, handled the conflict and offence he felt with dignity. Imagine the kids who worship him seeing him behave with civility. What a positive impact he could have had.
Instead he acted like a jerk and has tainted his Oscar win. Oh, to those who say he should be stripped of the Oscar, might I remind you it's an acting award, not a citizenship award. If you want to remove awards from people who've behaved reprehensibly, load up the truck with Harvey Weinstein's awards (and leave some room for Roman Polanski's awards, too). If he won it fair and square on his performance, then he should keep it. I note he got a huge round of applause when he won - was everyone too scared he'd too smite them across the chops if they didn't clap for him? I would have clapped to acknowledge his win, but damned if I'd give him standing ovation.
One good thing about this ugly incident: it provided inspiration for naming our trivia team last night. My son, his friend, another friend, and I answered questions to a great victory under our team name Will Smith Lends a Hand.
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