While chats around the Academy Awards normally consist of award winners and speeches, this year, the most talked-about moment of the night occurred when Will Smith slapped presenter Chris Rock’s face on stage.
The audio from the show, broadcast on a time-delay of a few seconds in the United States, appeared to have been cut from the live transmission for many viewers because of the language.
However, it was not cut in Australia.
This morning, Amanda Keller spoke out about Will Smith’s actions towards Chris Rock, slamming the King Richard actor insinuating that violence is proof of love.
“This is what drives me crazy. This is toxic masculinity and our society is filled with it,” she said.
“Domestic violence is because of it. Violence is never proof of love. He says he was protecting his family. This is a guy who has access to a podcast, this is a guy who has hundreds of journalists outside that room waiting to talk to him.
“The joke was terrible about his wife’s alopecia. He was sensitive to it. But, he has a thousand more classy ways of saying, ‘I find that joke offensive’.
“To strike someone and say that violence is the act of love is outrageous and the fact that the room condoned it.”
