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Indian American Summer of Soul producer calls Chris Rock a "f*cking d*ck" for referring to him as a "white guy," says Will Smith was "selfish"

  • When Rock announced Questlove's victory for Summer of Soul Sunday night -- minutes after Smith slapped him -- he announced the winners as "Ahmir Thompson ...and four white guys." Joseph Patel, who is Indian American who took home an Oscar as a producer on Summer of Soul, didn't hear what Rock had said until later on. "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*CK????" Patel said in a lengthy Twitter thread on Wednesday night, adding: "The reason that makes me SO SO VERY ANGRY is 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. I was ecstatic that I was the 3RD South Asian to win that night - after Riz and Aneil Karia won earlier in the night for The Long Goodbye. 3 South Asians winning on the same night - that’s never happened before! And it’s meaningful! It’s history! So with my family and friends watching, Chris Rock lumped me in as 1 of '4 white guys.' ... I’m a big boy - I can take a joke. Comedians make jokes. But not in that moment. What a sh*tty, 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. I got back home to New York last night and saw the ceremony on my DVR and didn’t have the stomach to watch it. I probably never will. Thank you, Chris - You absolute f*cking d*ck." As for Smith slapping Rock, Patel tweeted: "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. And it robbed Summer of Soul and our team of our moment. Of a loud, enthusiastic cheer for a celebrated film."

    TOPICS: Chris Rock, ABC, 94th Academy Awards, Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), Joseph Patel, Questlove, Will Smith, Award Shows