express.co.uk
01.04.2022 / 22:37
54%
Mel Gibson dragged into 'slap-gate' as fans call for him to lose Oscar if Will Smith does
Oscars 2022 became a focus of controversy after Will Smith walked on stage and slapped Chris Rock after he made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith - who has alopecia - sporting a buzzcut.The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air won the award for Best Actor for his role in King Richard later in the night, in which he portrayed tennis legends Serena and Venus Williams’ father.However, the incident left attendees and viewers around the world staggered, as it sparked a conversation over whether Will should be allowed to keep his accolade.US journalist Jemele Hill reflected on the other Hollywood stars who were allowed to keep their Oscars despite being involved in scandals.Writing in a column, Jemele pointed out that the Academy may decide against letting Will host the awards.However, she argued that stripping him of his gong would be “absurd”.She wrote for The Atlantic: “If the Academy chooses not to allow Smith to present an award next year—an honor typically bestowed upon Best Actor winners—that’s fine.“But taking away Smith’s Oscar would be absurd, considering that the producer Harvey Weinstein, who has been convicted of rape, still has his Oscar.“Roman Polanski, who pleaded guilty to statutory rape, and Mel Gibson, who has an ugly history of racist and anti-Semitic remarks, still have theirs too.”Some readers took to Twitter to voice their opinion on the controversy, with film fans expressing division over the potential outcome of the Academy’s investigations.Film critic Robert Daniels tweeted: “Lots of gum smacking from an organization that still counts Mel Gibson as a proud member.”Twitter user I Speak Facts Only added: “Every single celebrity faking outrage over Will Smith needs to also offer their thoughts on Woody Allen,
