Get the latest BPR news delivered free to your inbox daily. SIGN UP HERE
(Video: Fox Business)
Lara Trump triggered dubious whataboutism from the left on Thursday when she argued that actor Will Smith was able to “get away” with slapping fellow actor Chris Rock because of his status as a member of the Hollywood elite.
Speaking on Fox Business Network’s “The Evening Edit,” she made the case that his treatment at the 2022 Oscars — being allowed to stay after slapping Rock, and then receiving loud applause upon accepting an award — would have been entirely different were he just an “average person.”
“If any average person did that, they would be in jail, they’d be locked up, they at least would have been arrested or questioned by the police at this point. But it shows you the double standard that exists. It shows you that when you’re a Hollywood celebrity… you can get away with anything,” she said.
“How often throughout the COVID pandemic did we see that the rules that applied to all of us didn’t apply to the elites, whether the political elites, Hollywood elites. No difference here. I think it is really frustrating for people,” she added.
This exact same sentiment has been echoed by a wide variety of voices, with critics accusing Smith of benefiting from either “celebrity privilege,” “black privilege” or both:
Wildly unpopular tweet: for those saying #WillSmith is being treated “differently” because he’s black: you’re right. Had Kevin Costner slapped #ChrisRock and verbally cursed him. He’d have been rightly escorted out in handcuffs. Will’s privilege as Will, kept him in the room.
— Sophia A. Nelson (@IAmSophiaNelson) March 30, 2022
Will Smith is not being “called by God” to do huge, heavy lifting that others who don’t have his privilege aren’t. He’s a highly privileged, extremely wealthy, lucky Hollywood actor. All he’s required to do is not be a violent, attention-grabbing, a-hole. I have zero sympathy.
— Cheri Jacobus (@CheriJacobus) March 29, 2022
But because Lara Trump is the daughter-in-law of former President Donald Trump, the man most hated by the left, members of the left have decided to make an issue out of her specific remarks.
Their argument is that Trump is a hypocrite because she’s never spoken out about her father-in-law’s own alleged privilege.
They point to her father-in-law’s infamous “grab them by the p—-y” remarks that were recorded during an “Access Hollywood” episode years ago.
Speaking to host Billy Bush about his attempts to seduce married women by kissing them, he’d claimed, “I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. … Grab ’em by the p—y. You can do anything.”
Members of the left appear to believe that Smith’s physical actions are equivalent to her father-in-law’s mere words — boisterous words spoken during a private locker room conversation between men.
Look:
Has Lara trump met her father-in-law? #Clueless https://t.co/QclEQKyo0o
— MissCynthia88 (@MCynthia88) April 1, 2022
@LaraLeaTrump @EricTrump @IvankaTrump @DonaldJTrumpJr It was your dear dad who informed us that when you are a Hollywood celebrity you can get away with anything–things he did like grab females by the p*ssy, force kisses on them, enter dressing rooms full of naked teenage girls. https://t.co/OBRdLTP63q
— Imagine… (@SpeediMart) April 1, 2022
@LaraLeaTrump like how your grotesque father-in-law confessed to “grabbing them by the pussy” and assaulting women without their permission because he’s a celebrity?? Does his alleged rape of a 13 yr old fall into that category, too? Just trying to understand. https://t.co/6M1SyRnIVH
— Escape Girl (@beachyheel) April 2, 2022
@LaraLeaTrump “And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab ’em by the pussy. You can do anything.” Donald J. Trump
— Sam_can_edit (@Samcanedit) April 2, 2022
@LaraLeaTrump let me introduce you to two terms you are obviously not familiar with:
IRONY
HYPOCRISY
Look ’em up!
— IT’S JUST ME (@ITS_JUST_Me_325) April 1, 2022
Hypocrisy much, @LaraLeaTrump ?
— Ellen Boatman (@EllenBoatman) April 1, 2022
Her Father-in-law was a Hollywood celebrity who got away with a lot worse. Yalk about lack of self-awareness.
— Winttocs (@Winttocs) April 2, 2022
According to Outsports, locker room talk is a real phenomenon prevalent among both genders: “The truth is, conversation in locker rooms and other places where people of the same gender congregate often revolve around sex — even desperately graphic conversations.”
What’s not so prevalent is people slapping one another like piñatas.
Note also that, despite Trump’s boisterous claim, there’s no actual evidence to substantiate it, whereas Smith’s behavior toward Rock was seen live on national and international television.
Privilege is being able to commit an assault on live tv, allowed to return to your seat, and accept an Oscar like nothing ever happened. #oscars #WillSmith
— Trisha Tatum (@Minidriver1973) March 28, 2022
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.