4 chapters across the catalog
The roots of the Smith-Rock feud are traced to the 2016 "Oscar So White" boycott led by Jada Pinkett Smith. Chris Rock, who was hosting that year, felt the boycott put him in an awkward position, making him look like a "sellout." The hosts discuss how Rock's 2016 monologue mocked Jada, setting the stage for the 2022 confrontation.
April Reign, the creator of the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag, explains the origins of the movement and its expansion into a broader critique of corporate diversity. She describes the distinction between diversity, inclusion, and equity (DIE). The hosts argue that Reign's movement created a massive "windfall of corporate cash" and a new industry for diversity consultants.
Kiana Tipton explains the "call and response" nature of black digital language and its role in campaigns like "Say Her Name." This is compared to the invention of the turntable; while Thomas Edison created the technology, users innovated the "scratching" technique, illustrating how culture builds on top of existing tools in unintended ways.
April Reign, the creator of the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag, is identified as a key figure in the movement to diversify the federal judiciary. The hosts link Reign's activism to the 2016 Oscars boycott led by Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith. They suggest that the recent conflict between Will Smith and Chris Rock is rooted in the fallout from that boycott and Rock's subsequent monologues.
