The most political moment of Sunday night’s Academy Awards ceremony was the acceptance speech by director Spike Lee, when he took the stage to accept the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for “BlackKklansman.”
Lee talked about slavery during his speech — and then targeted President Donald Trump.
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“The 2020 presidential election is around the corner,” declared the director. “Let’s all mobilize. Let’s all be on the right side of history. Make the moral choice between love versus hate. Let’s do the right thing.”
The president himself took to Twitter to respond to Lee’s shots.
Trump called out Lee for flubbing his prewritten speech several times and for ignoring all the good that the current administration has done for African-Americans.
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“Be nice if Spike Lee could read his notes,” wrote Trump, “or better yet, not have to use notes at all, when doing his racist hit on your president, who has done more for African-Americans (Criminal Justice Reform, Lowest Unemployment numbers in History, Tax Cuts, etc.) than almost any other pres[ident]!”
Be nice if Spike Lee could read his notes, or better yet not have to use notes at all, when doing his racist hit on your President, who has done more for African Americans (Criminal Justice Reform, Lowest Unemployment numbers in History, Tax Cuts,etc.) than almost any other Pres!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 25, 2019
Though he shared the Oscar with three other screenwriters, Lee was the only one to speak when the four writers assembled on stage.
Reports also indicate Lee was angered when “Green Book” won for Best Picture.
Lee told media members outside of the Dolby Theater that it was a “bad call.”
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The director was visibly angry following the “Green Book” victory and he left his seat and tried to leave the theater, AP reporter Andrew Dalton also tweeted.
“Spike Lee was visibly angry when ‘Green Book’ was announced as the winner of best picture at the Oscars, waving his arms in disgust and appearing to try to storm out of the Dolby Theatre before he was stopped at the doors. He returned to his seat when the speeches were over,” reported Dalton.
Spike Lee was visibly angry when "Green Book" was announced as the winner of best picture at the Oscars, waving his arms in disgust and appearing to try to storm out of the Dolby Theatre before he was stopped at the doors. He returned to his seat when the speeches were over.
— Andrew Dalton (@andyjamesdalton) February 25, 2019
Check out Spike Lee’s Oscar acceptance speech below:
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