The Hill reported on an interesting sub facet of the kerfuffle and the Oscars from Sunday. The Federal Communications Commission is fielding legitimate, actually filed complaints from people about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock.
Will Smith’s stunning slapping of Chris Rock at the Oscars elicited dozens of complaints to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), with many viewers condemning the “King Richard” star’s actions as “reprehensible” and “inappropriate.”
In the 66 complaints filed to the FCC in the aftermath of Sunday’s shocking altercation and obtained Thursday by The Hill as part of a Freedom of Information Act request, audience members nearly unanimously denounced 53-year-old Smith for getting physical with Rock.
Sixty-six people complained to a federal government agency about a 53-year old millionaire slugging a 57-year old millionaire on live television. This is literally what Jed Barlett wanted.
And yet, people took the time to complain. Something made exponentially easier thanks to the internet, of course.
And boy were these complains doozies:
The anonymous complaints to the FCC included one viewer who described being “traumatized” by seeing Smith “assault that other poor man.”
“I haven’t been able to sleep as a result. My child was also scared. I had to take medicine to calm me down,” the Illinois viewer said. “I think the Oscars were not child friendly and shouldn’t be allowed on TV if they are going to have violent assaults LIVE.”
These people can’t be serious, right? This has to be a gag. The Oscars are never child friendly. It’s not a program made for children. It’s a highly produced television program that is a political rally masquerading as an awards show for “serious artists.” Or it’s a party for rich people who like getting $140,000 worth of swag1 for free.
Other viewers railed not only against Smith’s “shameful” move, but also the FCC and ABC, which aired the 94th annual Academy Awards, saying the slap was the opposite of family-friendly fare.
“I was so offended and triggered to see Will Smith violently assault Chris Rock on a live family program like the Oscars,” a Florida viewer wrote, saying Smith and ABC “should be held accountable.”
It’s also not like anybody planned this2. Just wait until they hear what happened to Jack Ruby on live tv.
Also, I have a hard time believing that somebody actually used the word “triggered” unironically in this situation.3
“This display was disgusting and beamed directly into our living room,” an FCC complaint from Connecticut read.
“I thought your agency was supposed to keep this type of violence and cursing off television. I hope you can bring sense and reason back to the public airways,” the viewer urged.
Again, what are ABC and the FCC supposed to do with this? It’s not like the producers or the people beaming the signal knew this wasn’t a gag? And they did bleep the choice words that Smith had for Rock after the fact.
This person, insofar as the cursing goes, is complaining to the FCC about something that didn’t happen.4
Just wait until they learn that boxing and professional wrestling exists.
But wait, there’s more:
One Oscars watcher from Missouri lamented, “Has our society become that numb and [with] no accountability to a crime being committed,” while an Illinois viewer told the FCC that “witnessing a violent attack on live TV with my family is scary and dangerous.”
“Violent attack?” We’re going with a “violent attack” here. And open hand slap, no matter whether it was delivered with malice or not, is not a “violent attack.” Does it meet the legal definition of assault and battery? Yes, it does. But is it really necessary to describe this as a “violent attack?” Hardly.
This was a violent attack on television. I don’t recall there being an upcry of FCC complaints about this.5
At least somebody got half of it right
A Los Angeles viewer implored the FCC to “ban the Oscars from [ever] airing again [to] save the American people from having to watch terrible, terrible garbage.” The same person signed their complaint with a message: “Offended by the Terrible Violence. Please cancel the Oscars!”
Yes, the Oscars are terrible, terrible garbage that isn’t worth watching. In fact, I don’t recall the last time that I watched the Oscars or any award show. But again, it’s not because of any “terrible violence” but because it’s the movie industry’s masturbatory celebration of itself.
But who are these people? Who are these 66 people who took time out of their day to complain to the FCC about this? This isn’t some sort of real potentially offensive issue like Nipplegate was. A dude slapped another dude. The language was bleeped. He wasn’t throwing live rounds like some do. This was less violent than some baseball and basketball fights6.
People need to loosen up. But it’s more than that. Why do people feel it necessary for the government to overregulate broadcast television like this? Why do people feel it’s necessary for the government to step in and make sure that the Oscars don’t turn into cursing and fisticuffs?
These complaints speak as much to the acceptance by some in society of an overarching government that censors free speech as it does about the Karen Culture that is offended by everything.
Just change the damn channel.
Not a joke: This Year's $140,000 Oscar Gift Bag Includes Liposuction And a Piece Of Scotland https://www.ign.com/articles/oscars-gift-bag-2022-academy-awards-inside.
Unless they did. Kayfabe is real. Sometimes.
This may be the most kayfabed thing in this whole episode.
This explains the internet in its entirety, really.
Maybe there were.
Admittedly, this was on cable.