A Twitter thread that was hot Wednesday featured this: “Summer of Soul” co-producer Joseph Patel, who shared the film’s Best Documentary Feature Oscar win, bluntly called out Will Smith and Chris Rock not only for The SlapHe stated that it was “selfish,” but also for comments Rock made in announcing the “Summer of Soul Win.
“You absolute f—ing d—,”Patel made a statement about Rock.
“Summer of Soul”He had the unfortunate misfortune to win Best Documentary Feature right after Chris Rock was slapped by Will Smith. This incident overshadowed everything else that followed it and for which Patel criticized Smith.
Chris Rock was also specifically mentioned by Patel for the way he announced it. “Summer of Soul”Ahmir and Ahmir are the winners “Questlove” Thompson (the film’s director), “and…4 white guys.” Patel cited both the disrespect shown by not reading the Oscar winners’ names, as well as the fact that he, himself is of South Asian descent. Patel noted that the film had three producers and not 4.
“First, I’ve been drunk with joy the last few days for me and my team and our Oscar win. So many of you – IRL friends, internet friends, acquaintances, colleagues, old homies and new – have shown love and support and genuine excitement for our achievement,”Patel spoke.
“It’s taken me a few days to process everything,”He went on. “Still sort of processing it. Once we realized the Chris Rock/Will Smith interaction wasn’t a bit, everything got turned upside down. Everyone was still trying to make sense of it when Chris persevered & started to read the nominees.”
“I think what Will did was selfish. 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,”Patel spoke. “And it robbed Summer of Soul and our team of our moment. Of a loud, enthusiastic cheer for a celebrated film.”
“I feel bad for Ahmir. I feel bad for my fellow producers. I feel bad for our whole team,”Patel spoke. “I feel bad for all the people watching and rooting for us. We were in shock walking to the stage -not because of winning but because we, too, were still trying to make sense of what happened.”
“Then Will hugs Ahmir and daps me up. I didn’t even know it was happening in the moment. Still in shock. (Ahmir handled the moment with grace, giving a speech from the heart. It was beautiful to see. I’m so deeply moved by how much he has grown in the last few years.),”Patel was added.
“What I didn’t hear in that moment walking to stage but was told of afterwards is what Chris Rock said when reading our name from the winner’s card – The winner is “Summer of Soul…Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and…4 white guys.” WHAT IN THE ACTUAL F—?????” Patel said.
Patel said that this angered him 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,”And one of the three South Asian Oscar nominees that night. “That’s never happened before! And it’s meaningful! It’s history!”He said.
“So with my family and friends watching, Chris Rock lumped me in as 1 of “4 white guys.”(Never mind the disrespect. @d2filmsAnd @fyvo for not even saying their names, and the inaccuracy of us being 3 producers not 4),” Patel continued.
Patel clarified that the problem isn’t the jokes themselves. “I’m a big boy – I can take a joke. Comedians make jokes,”He said. “But not in that moment. What a s—-y, disrespectful thing to do. AND HERE’S THE THING…It wasn’t that Chris Rock was under stress. He made the same joke the night before on stage at the Roots Jam!”
“So I’m angry. Angry at Will Smith. Angry at Chris Rock. Angry for me. Angry for Ahmir. Angry for my fellow filmmakers.”
Patel lamented that he still hasn’t watched the ceremony since winning, despite having it saved in his DVR. “I probably never will. Thank you, Chris – You absolute f—ing d—.
Patel said that he knew “that what happened with the ceremony and the achievement of winning an Oscar will separate over time. And truly, like I said earlier, I’m living in a place of absolute joy over what we did.”
But, he stated, “what both Will AND Chris did really stained what should have been a beautiful moment for us.”