Will Smith faces a 10-year ban from events held by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for beating Oscar host Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards in March. But the reaction to Friday’s film academy decision was met with mixed results, ranging from disbelief to accusations of racism.
While the “King Richard” star has repeatedly apologized and accepted the academy’s decision, the organization claimed the ban was “a step toward a greater goal of protecting the safety of our performers and guests and restore confidence in the academy.”
But many people on social media didn’t see it that way (and celebrities were mostly quiet).
Some critics labeled the academy’s ruling against the “Fresh Prince” veteran as racially motivated, while others saw it as the group making up for lax repercussions for past offenders.
They cited inappropriate behavior by Oscar winner Adrien Brody, who kissed host Halle Berry in 2003, or by comedian Jim Carrey, a critic of Smith who made advances on a reluctant Alicia Silverstone on MTV’s 1997 live show. Movie Awards.
“The ten-year ban they imposed on Will Smith feels very ‘make a lesson from this black person,’” tweeted author Frederick Joseph.
“This is 100% racially motivated”, wrote Twitter user Somari, who responds to a news story about Smith’s sentence. “Jim Carrey sexually assaulted a woman live on stage and she was visually upset. Will Smith punches a guy for mocking an illness and gets a 10-year ban.”
Others contrasted the academy’s fast-paced action starring “Ali” and “Concussion” with the deferred sentences involving disgraced Hollywood players such as Oscar-winning director Roman Polanski, producer Harvey Weinstein, and actor Kevin Spacey.
Amid the #MeToo movement, the academy enacted a code of conduct in 2017 in response to the Weinstein sexual assault scandal. It’s only kicked three people out of the country — “Shakespeare in Love” producer Polanski and comedian author Bill Cosby — since its execution. (Weinstein and Polanski still have their Oscar trophies.)
“Will Smith become the face of ‘they don’t love us, only what we create’ was not on my bingo card for 2022. How did a slap translate to this when they have yet to ban real predators and racists??” added user @houseofphoton.
“let’s ban the oscars for 10 years too. hell. so many predators still not banned…” tweeted user BEYTHOVEN.
“Crazy how the Oscars allowed racism and intimidation to happen without consequences, but they chose to banish the will for TEN YEARS over one blow??f- the Oscars,” added user @ultrcmcr.
But there were a handful of people who supported the decision and many who continued to mock the entire slack debacle.
“Sad ending to a bad episode. I’m baffled by those who say ‘Not good enough!’ as if the Academy is an industry-wide regulatory body. They are only responsible for their show, their prizes and their membership. And they are right to keep the prizes out of it,” wrote author Mark Harris.
“A tougher sentence would have been a 10-year mandatory attendance,” joked Joshua Malina, alumnus of the scandal.
Here’s a look at some of the online discourse surrounding the academy’s decision:
Times intern Kai Grady contributed to this story.
This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
