The Academy Says It "Does Not Condone Violence Of Any Form" Following Will Smith-Chris Rock Altercation

BYHayley Hynes2.2K Views
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The Academy Awards
Many social media users seem to disagree with The Academy's official statement.

Award shows have seen plenty of controversial celebrity moments over the years (who could forget Kanye West and Taylor Swift at the VMAs back in 2009?), but last night's 94th Academy Awards ceremony included one of the most intense and unexpected altercations in recent pop culture history.

In the hours after Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock across the face for cracking a joke at the expense of his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head, reports have come out revealing that the 57-year-old opted against filing a report with the LAPD – a move which has since earned him praise from the likes of 50 Cent.

The Academy Says It "Does Not Condone Violence Of Any Form" Following Will Smith-Chris Rock Altercation
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Of course, it wasn't long before The Academy issued a statement regarding the incident, although their words appear to have fallen flat amongst readers. "The Academy does not condone violence of any form," they wrote on their official Twitter page.

"Tonight we are delighted to celebrate our 94th Academy Awards winners, who deserve this moment of recognition from their peers and movie lovers around the world," their statement concluded, with Deadline reporting that at least one member has called for disciplinary action to be taken against Smith.


While the heads of the Oscars say that they don't condone violence, many users have shot back in an argument that, by allowing Smith to hold onto his award, and giving him a platform to share a speech after hitting Rock, they were doing just that.

Check out reactions from upset Twitter users who are chastising The Academy over their statement below, and let us know what your take on all the drama is in the comment section.

















[Via]


About The Author
Hayley Hynes is the former Weekend Managing Editor of HotNewHipHop, she stepped down after two years in 2024 to pursue other creative opportunities but remains on staff part-time to cover music, gossip, and pop culture news. Currently, she contributes similar content on Blavity and 21Ninety, as well as on her personal blog where she also offers tarot/astrology services. Hayley resides on the western side of Canada, previously spending a year in Vancouver to study Fashion Marketing at Blanche Macdonald Centre and Journalism at Mount Royal University in Calgary before that. She's passionate about helping others heal through storytelling, and shares much more about her life on Instagram @hayleyhynes.
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