‘Summer of Soul’ producer angry at Chris Rock, Will Smith following Oscars
Joseph Patel tweeted that Smith 'robbed' he and his Summer of Soul colleagues of their winning moment, while Rock's comments about the winners made him 'angry.'
Joseph Patel, co-producer of the music documentary Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not be Televised), won an Academy Award for the film on Sunday. However, the triumphant moment was overshadowed just a few minutes before when Will Smith slapped presenter Chris Rock over a joke Rock made about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
While some commentators have condemned Smith for his actions, and others are condemning Rock for his comments, Patel is upset at both men.
Patel took to social media following the ceremony and posted a since-deleted Twitter thread about the evening and his feelings about the incident surrounding Smith and Rock. He expressed that he couldn’t wait to re-watch the Oscars after returning home but was upset at Rock’s quip when revealing the winner of the award.
Patel won his Oscar for Summer of Soul, along with director Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, and fellow producers Robert Fyvolent and David Dinerstein. When Rock announced the winner, he said “Ahmir (Questlove) Thompson and four white guys.” Petal is of South Asian descent and wasn’t happy with Rock’s words.
“The reason that makes me SO SO VERY ANGRY is because I was so proud to be one of a handful of South Asians to have ever won an Oscar in the history of the award,” Patel posted. He went on to say he “didn’t have the stomach to watch it” on his DVR. “I probably never will. Thank you, Chris – You absolute f— d—.”
As far as his feelings for Smith, Patel expressed that Smith was “selfish” for his actions. Rock joked about Pinkett Smith’s short hair, prompting Smith to approach Rock on the stage and slap him across the face. When he returned to his seat, Smith then yelled at Rock twice to “Keep my wife’s name out your f—– mouth!”
Patel wrote that Smith’s actions tainted the moment for himself, Thompson, Fyvolent, and Dinerstein.
“It robbed the category of its moment. It robbed the other excellent and amazing films of their moment to be acknowledged in what was a STRONG year for docs. And it robbed Summer of Soul and our team of our moment. Of a loud, enthusiastic cheer for a celebrated film,” Patel wrote.
Patel concluded his thread by writing that “what both Will AND Chris did really stained what should have been a beautiful moment for us.”
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