Black Twitter Reacts To Academy Banning Will Smith
By Jovonne Ledet
April 8, 2022
Due to his infamous Oscars slap, Will Smith has been banned from all Academy events for the next 10 years.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science ruling came down Friday (April 7) after Smith walked on stage and slapped Chris Rock for cracking jokes about Jada Pinkett Smith's hair. The incident occurred as Rock was presenting the award for Best Documentary during the 94th Oscar Awards.
After his slap, Smith yelled to Rock, "Keep my wife's name out of your fโโking mouth." The evening went on as planned with Smith receiving an Oscar for the first time in his career.
The King Richard actor issued public apologies to the Academy and Rock, and last week he resigned from the organization.
The shocking incident divided Black Twitter into Team Will versus Team Chris, and now both sides are weighing in on the Academy's decision to ban Smith for 10 years.
Black people to Will Smith after finding out heโs banned from the Oscars for 10 years pic.twitter.com/NvfqgZTkEa
— Joshua Chenault (@joshuachenault1) April 8, 2022
letโs ban the oscars for 10 years too. the hell. so many predators still not bannedโฆ
— BEYTHOVEN (@beyonceparkwood) April 8, 2022
Will Smith is a masterclass in accountability w/in our communities. It's sad that his communities include various rich people who seemingly view slapping someone as worse than sexual assault/pedophilia. But I admire his belief that we are accountable to people we care about.
— Gabrielle Alexa Noel (@gabalexa) April 8, 2022
will smith after 5 minutes of watching the oscars at home pic.twitter.com/iujbg2NBC6
— zae (@itszaeok) April 8, 2022
Will Smith has already received more consequences to his actions than Kyle Rittenhouse has.
— โ๐ฟโ๐พโ๐ฝโ๐ผ Dr. Woke ุฐุฐูุฉ ุงูุซูุฌ (@SnowflakeWoke) April 3, 2022
Will Smith being banned from the Oscars for 10 years is astounding. They really kept giving awards to known sexual abusers and pedophiles, but a slap is really where theyโre going to start banning people.
— Natalie Dallas (@DallasasinTexas) April 8, 2022
Will Smith: โWe got banned from the Oscars for 10 years!โ
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) April 8, 2022
Jada: pic.twitter.com/AJ5VKM3kwS
Smith has since responded to the Academy's 10-year ban stating, "I accept and respect the Academy's decision," according to Variety.
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