Black perspectives examined over Will Smith hitting Chris Rock at the Oscars

Given the current controversy over the incident between Will Smith and Chris Rock at the Oscars, WOUB’s Spectrum Podcast wanted to get the perspectives on the issue from two notable black women. Recently, we met with journalist, scholar, and author Dr. Janice Collins and path-setting jurist Judge Gayle Williams Byers for their perspectives They examine the issue from multiple aspects including race. The two women have a wide-ranging conversation on topics from role modeling to the impact on the public perception of black men and violence. They share opinions that have been given to them from both black men and women about the incident including the impact this incident may have on black children. Dr. Collins and Judge Byers also note the disparaging treatment given to Smith by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and note how different it was from past white men like director Roman Polanski and movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.