Oscars 2022 Reaction
This year's Oscars ceremony was pretty lackluster, however it featured one of the most iconic moments of all time. The winners were predictable, hosts weren’t anything special, however the moment everyone is talking about is when Will Smith went on stage and slapped Chris Rock in the face.
During Chirs Rock’s monologue before presenting the award for best Documentary Film, he made a comment about Jada Pinkett Smith which upset both Jada and Will, who went on stage and slapped the presenter. It was a shocking moment that overshadowed everything else from the night’s festivities. It also made Smith’s win and acceptance speech quite awkward and polarizing with audiences.
Though this moment and Will Smith in particular were the talk of the town, many winners did deserve their wins such as Jessica Chastain for best actress, Troy Kotsur for best supporting actor and CODA for best picture.
Overall, this Oscars night was a mixed bag. The three hosts (Amy Schumer, Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes) delivered some cringey moments along with a few funny jokes throughout, yet nothing was more memorable than Smith’s altercation with Chris Rock, a moment that will go down in Oscars history. - Jack Freiser
The 2022 Oscars may have included one of the shocking moments in live television, but they also included the most predictable list of winners.
However, many of these wins were historic.
Ariana Debose became the first Afro-Latina and openly queer woman of color to win an Oscar for Anita in “West Side Story.”
Troy Kotsur became the first deaf man to win an acting Oscar for Frank Rossi in “CODA.”
No awards of the night were surprising, although “No Time To Die” winning the best original song over “Dos Oruguitas” and “Be Alive” had some upset and questioning.
The live performances were highlights of the night, especially Beyonce's opening with “Be Alive.” The “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” performance was criticized, but it was fun, and Megan Thee Stallion was a welcome addition.
The hosts were fine; they had funny moments and some inappropriate ones too. At the end of the day, they did their job.
Unfortunately, Will Smith slapping Chris Rock has overshadowed the awards.
This slap doesn’t need to be a debate. Smith overreacted, but it wasn’t undeserved. Rock handled himself incredibly well and continued on with the show.
It would be ridiculous for the Academy to take Smith's award away for slapping Rock when they have awarded people who have done much worse. - Sophia D’Ovidio
Jack Freiser is a second-year majoring in telecommunications. To contact him, email jef5614@psu.edu.
Sophia D’Ovidio is a first-year majoring in communications. To contact her, email sgd5184@psu.edu.
About the Contributors
Jack Freiser
Third-Year / Telecommunications
Jack Freiser is a third-year student in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State University studying telecommunications. He is very passionate about both music and film. He aspires to impact the music business as a successful A+R by signing artists who will be culturally relevant and will leave an impact on the world, and through keeping a strong relationship with the artist and their team. Email him at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Sophia D'Ovidio
First-Year /
Sophia D’Ovidio is a first-year from Allentown, New Jersey. She is now a communications (undecided) major at Penn State University. Sophia intends on pursuing a career in journalism. Sophia writes for the CommRadio Arts department.
