Person on Street Story
Immediately after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars, the internet was flooded with articles, interviews, social media posts and memes about the incident. The topic remained just as viral offline. Conversations with 20 New Yorkers on the Upper East Side revealed that this incident led people to consider how society relates to celebrities through the internet and social media.Whether the response was outrage or support, it seemed that this was something many people had opinions about.
Layla Turner, 19, said “sometimes these situations can be good..ish.” The student said “in a way, it brought awareness to alopecia. So it’s kind of empowering for people, especially women, who have it to see people like Ayanna Presley, and now Jada Pinkett, being confident and supported.”
Another student shared Turner's optimistic outlook. Farjana Khan, 21, said, “I don’t think a lot of people watch award shows like they used to. I know I don’t.” Khan said if the Oscars went off without a hitch, she “probably wouldn’t have heard about CODA.”
However, other New Yorkers didn’t see these silver linings. Many believed the incident distracted people from the important victories that night. For example, Smith received his first Oscar for his performance in King Richard, a film portraying Richard Williams’ role in his daughters, Venus and Serena Williams’, success.
Many other films that were honored such as CODA, Dune, Encanto and Summer of Soul, among others. Owen Park, 42, a data analyst from Brooklyn said “It’s a shame! You can’t even enjoy a movie or a song without being distracted by the actual artists or actors and whatever they’re doing.”
The Academy later released a statement that echoed Park’s sentiment, saying that Will Smith’s actions “overshadowed” the celebration of other individuals who did incredible work, justifying Smith’s 10-year ban from the Academy Awards.
Many New Yorkers also see this incident as an opportunity to examine society’s relationship with celebrities. David Oniyide, 59, a retired social worker from the Bronx, said, "The spectator or voyeuristic kind of thing that is happening today has gotten totally out of hand and everyone needs to have an opinion on everything now.” Oniyide believed this “spectatorship” has only been amplified by social media.
One opinion that was widely circulated on social media and referenced by New Yorkers was that of Daniel Radcliffe, who is best known for playing Harry Potter. In an interview with Good Morning Britain, the actor said, “I’m just so dramatically bored of hearing people’s opinions about it that I just don’t want to be another opinion adding to it.” His response attracted lots of praise on social media.
When asked if he had any opinions on the matter, a barista from Queens referenced the actor’s response. “I was gonna say I agree with Daniel Radcliffe,” Iannis Psaradakis, 26, said. “But it’s kind of weird that I even know what he thought about it. It’s not like he’s my friend or anything.”
Psaradakis was just one of many who felt that they were being updated about the lives or opinions of celebrities, almost against their own will.
New Yorkers seemed to agree that such exposure, or over exposure, to the thoughts and lives of others created an environment where the line between celebrities and non celebrities has become blurred on social media.
When asked about her thoughts on the situation, Alejandra Salado, 31, captured this dynamic. “In a way we’re all watching each other on social media just as much as we’re watching celebrities.” The small business owner from Washington Heights went on to say, “It’s very 1984, when you think about it. I guess life does imitate art."
