Hunter Harris notes there’s something “sexy” about not having a take on the Oscars’ slap heard round the world. (Though she goes into the gory in her gossip column.) FWIW, C. Liegh McInnes, who’s often posted in these pages, had the best analysis of what went down: “Public buffoonery is embarrassing, especially when the buffoon makes a mess at a place where, just a few years ago, folks were begging to be invited.” He was firmly in Camp Rock, pointing out how Smith’s act will make him a “respected person, a real n-word” among the benighted in black communities.
Smith wasn’t the only bad actor on parade that night in L.A. per this report from In These Times:
While the world reacted to movie star Will Smith’s altercation with comedian Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards ceremony Sunday night, a different Oscars controversy was brewing — one centering on the struggles of hospitality workers at a hotel that caters to Hollywood elites.
Following the awards show in Los Angeles, rapper Jay‑Z hosted a party at the Chateau Marmont hotel, where workers with UNITE HERE Local 11 have been leading a boycott since February 2021 amid allegations of rampant sexual misconduct, racial discrimination and union busting. The billionaire hip hop mogul refused to respond to the union’s requests that he honor the boycott by moving his party to a different venue.
“We hoped that Jay‑Z would do the right thing and move his party. He had every opportunity to do so. But he made it clear what side he was on. He was not on the side of workers, of Black women, of justice for working people,” said Kurt Petersen, UNITE HERE Local 11 co-president.
Around 75 hotel workers and community allies held a lively picket outside the Chateau during the first two hours of the party Sunday night, from 11pm to 1am, surrounded by a heavy presence of private security and police.
Based on various reports, some celebrities who attended the party despite the highly publicized union boycott included: Rosario Dawson, Janelle Monáe, Zoë Kravitz, Timothée Chalamet, Michael B. Jordan, Rihanna, Emily Ratajkowski, Saweetie, Questlove, Daniel Kaluuya, Tiffany Haddish, Tyler Perry, Mindy Kaling, Jon Hamm, DJ Khaled and Kim Kardashian. In These Times reached out to their respective publicists for comment, but none responded. (This piece will be updated with any responses that come in.)
“It is disappointing and frustrating that Jay‑Z, Michael B. Jordan, Rihanna, DJ Khaled, Zoë Kravitz and other Hollywood elites chose to prioritize their party and their fame over real people,” said Keisha Banks, former events server at the Chateau Marmont. “It might just be one party to them but these are people’s livelihoods.”
Many of the celebrities came under intense criticism on social media for crossing the picket line and being “scabs,” including Dawson and Ratajkowski, whose progressive politics and support for democratic socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I‑Vt.) are well known.
Dawson tweeted on Tuesday that she arrived at the hotel after the picketers had gone home and therefore “didn’t cross a picket line.” She added that it was “disturbing to learn of the work conditions. I stand w/ the protesters & won’t go back till resolved. #unionrights.”
“We applaud Rosario Dawson for stepping up and committing not to go back. We believe she’s going to be the first of many,” Petersen told In These Times. “I have to believe that every single one of them knows they did something wrong.”
The unionist’s response is strategic but the idea that Dawson–former Bernie Sister–stepped up (after she crossed that line) seems iffy. Check these respondents who said No-in-Twitter to Dawson’s walk-back….
@acechhh: “ma’am do you think it’s a literal picket line? like when they all go home for the day you are no longer crossing it??”
@PennieNotPenny: “Like girl just say you wanted to go to the party and fuck everything else, I get that”
More on the Chateau Marmont controversy here.