Smith's slap at the Oscars wasn't protecting anyone, culture critic writes

Smith's slap at the Oscars wasn't protecting anyone, culture critic writes

　　Transcript¹

　　NPR's A Martinez talks to Soraya Nadia McDonald, senior culture critic for Andscape, formerly² The Undefeated, about the implications of Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Academy Awards.

　　A MARTINEZ, HOST:

　　Many of us are still talking and tweeting about it - the slap at the Oscars. Will Smith lashed³ out after presenter⁴ Chris Rock told a joke about Will Smith's wife and her hair. But her shaved head isn't a fashion statement; she has a medical condition called alopecia, which causes hair loss. The day after the slap, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences condemned⁵ it, and Will Smith publicly apologized to Chris Rock on Instagram, saying he was out of line and wrong. Soraya Nadia McDonald is the senior culture critic for Andscape, formerly known as The Undefeated. Soraya, I mentioned that Will Smith has now apologized to Chris Rock, but when he won the best actor Oscar, he gave a tearful speech. You have written that you don't buy it. So what struck you as off about it?

　　SORAYA NADIA MCDONALD: Yes. Well, you know, there's something about that speech that I think speaks to a certain self-aggrandizement, you know, because it ended up kind of reinforcing the thing about this evening that I think ended up being the most profane⁶, which is that it really sort of directed attention from everyone who is gathered there, you know, for this yearly industry fete and focused it all on Will Smith, but not in the way that I think he wanted it to. And even in his apology, you know, the live apology at the Oscars, the thing that sort of comes through is this need to center himself - right? - over, you know, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, who won the Oscar for best documentary feature, you know, over his wife and everyone, you know, even himself and, you know, the other nominees⁷ that evening.

　　MARTINEZ: Yeah. And he called it an act of love, to defend his wife. Soraya, I mean, if you were in Jada's seat and that happened to you, what's the first thing you would have said to Will when you had a moment alone?

　　MCDONALD: Please don't do that.

　　(LAUGHTER)

　　MCDONALD: You know, because here's the thing. You know, think about this - you know, say NPR has a yearly gala for everyone, you know, who works in public broadcasting. You know, how would you like it if your spouse⁸ went up and slapped someone in front of everybody that you work with?

　　MARTINEZ: Yeah, that would be bad. But the thing is, I mean, Chris Rock's a comedian⁹. I mean, aren't they supposed to be making fun of celebrities¹⁰ at these awards shows? It's kind of like, they're there because they know they're going to get knocked down a peg¹¹.

　　MCDONALD: That is absolutely true. That is, you know, certainly something that happens at the Oscars every year. It's a tradition - right? - particularly in the opening monologue¹². And I think that was what initially¹³ made it so confusing, is that people really had a hard time trying to figure out whether or not this was a bit, until, you know, you could sort of see the anger on Will's face as he was shouting at Chris Rock from his seat after he'd returned.

　　MARTINEZ: And you mentioned, Soraya, that it's kind of like Will Smith, in your opinion, was kind of centering himself on this, when it came to that speech he gave. But some have also called what we saw on stage toxic¹⁴ masculinity.

　　MCDONALD: Yes.

　　MARTINEZ: I saw "The View's" Sunny Hostin call it a show of toxic masculinity. How do you see it? Is there any - does it hold any water?

　　MCDONALD: Yeah, I think so. I agree completely. You know, this idea that a woman's honor must be protected or defended, you know, with physical violence is something that I think doesn't really benefit the woman very much, right? It's much more about sort of brandishing¹⁵ one's own sort of masculine bona fides, but in a way that, you know, when we see this happen in real life, I don't know that it's necessarily so romantic. If anything, it's highly disturbing because it - you know, there's a violence there.

　　MARTINEZ: Yeah, especially, well, when you hear, love makes you do crazy things - I think a lot of people might have had some bad flashbacks hearing that.

　　MCDONALD: I think so and justifiably¹⁶ so. You know, that is something that we hear from folks who really have trouble with boundaries.

　　MARTINEZ: Senior culture critic for Andscape, Soraya Nadia McDonald. Soraya, thanks a lot.

　　MCDONALD: Thank you so much.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

3 lashed   

adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥

参考例句：

• The rain lashed at the windows. 雨点猛烈地打在窗户上。
• The cleverly designed speech lashed the audience into a frenzy. 这篇精心设计的演说煽动听众使他们发狂。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 presenter   

n.（电视、广播的）主持人，赠与者

参考例句：

• Most people think being a television presenter is exciting.很多人认为当电视节目主持人是一件刺激的事情。
• The programme dispensed with its most popular presenter.这个节目最受欢迎的主持人被换掉了。

5 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

6 profane   

adj.亵神的，亵渎的；vt.亵渎，玷污

参考例句：

• He doesn't dare to profane the name of God.他不敢亵渎上帝之名。
• His profane language annoyed us.他亵渎的言语激怒了我们。

7 nominees   

n.被提名者，被任命者( nominee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She's one of the nominees. 她是被提名者之一。 来自超越目标英语 第2册
• A startling number of his nominees for senior positions have imploded. 他所提名的高级官员被否决的数目令人震惊。 来自互联网

8 spouse   

n.配偶(指夫或妻)

参考例句：

• Her spouse will come to see her on Sunday.她的丈夫星期天要来看她。
• What is the best way to keep your spouse happy in the marriage?在婚姻中保持配偶幸福的最好方法是什么？

9 comedian   

n.喜剧演员；滑稽演员

参考例句：

• The comedian tickled the crowd with his jokes.喜剧演员的笑话把人们逗乐了。
• The comedian enjoyed great popularity during the 30's.那位喜剧演员在三十年代非常走红。

10 celebrities   

n.（尤指娱乐界的）名人( celebrity的名词复数 )；名流；名声；名誉

参考例句：

• He only invited A-list celebrities to his parties. 他只邀请头等名流参加他的聚会。
• a TV chat show full of B-list celebrities 由众多二流人物参加的电视访谈节目

11 peg   

n.木栓，木钉；vt.用木钉钉，用短桩固定

参考例句：

• Hang your overcoat on the peg in the hall.把你的大衣挂在门厅的挂衣钩上。
• He hit the peg mightily on the top with a mallet.他用木槌猛敲木栓顶。

12 monologue   

n.长篇大论，（戏剧等中的）独白

参考例句：

• The comedian gave a long monologue of jokes.喜剧演员讲了一长段由笑话组成的独白。
• He went into a long monologue.他一个人滔滔不绝地讲话。

13 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

14 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

15 brandishing   

v.挥舞( brandish的现在分词 )；炫耀

参考例句：

• The horseman came up to Robin Hood, brandishing his sword. 那个骑士挥舞着剑，来到罗宾汉面前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He appeared in the lounge brandishing a knife. 他挥舞着一把小刀，出现在休息室里。 来自辞典例句

16 justifiably   

adv.无可非议地

参考例句：

• There General Walters would come aboard to greet me, justifiably beaming with pride at his arrangement. 在那儿沃尔特斯将军会登上飞机来接我，理所当然为他们的安排感到洋洋得意。 来自辞典例句
• The Chinese seemed justifiably proud of their economic achievements. 中国人似乎为他们的经济成就感到自豪，这是无可非议的。 来自互联网