The Oscar awards show, that self-hagiographical showcase for the Hollywood film industry, was embarrassingly marred in 2022. The violence displayed on the stage was a live enactment of what Hollywood glorifies in its highly lucrative blockbuster films, yet it responded with a hypocritical showcase of sanctimony, The very same folks, who denounced in the strongest possible terms a slap in the face over an insult, reap millions by glorifying violence in the movies they create.

To be sure, not all actors succumb to recreating gratuitous violence on the silver screen. But certainly, a case can be made for guilt by association—not only for the Hollywood crowd at the awards ceremony but also for those who have calloused their hearts to massive depictions of killing under the guise of entertainment.

Defending against the analysis by saying, “You should not judge” is a cheap, superficial tactic that sidesteps the issue. Of course, we all make our judgments, and we all run the risk of our own hypocrisies. But the inconsistency of the industry must be faced.

The facts: comedian Chris Rock made a joke at the expense of the wife of one of the most well-known and successful actors, Will Smith. Whether the joke crossed the line into insult is up for judgment. But, failing to see the humor of the perceived insult, Smith marched onto the stage from his front-row, privileged seat and smacked Rock in the face with his open hand. Upon returning to his seat, he shouted profanity at the stunned entertainer, shocking the Hollywood elite, who sat there aghast. The news pundits jumped to their feet with scripted condemnations that violence has no place in any situation, under any circumstances! Less than an hour later, Will Smith was celebrated (awkwardly, to be sure) with an Oscar awarded for best actor of the year.

Hmmm, why does that condemnation not extend to violence glorified in movies? What am I missing here? The same industry that accuses as prudish anyone who speaks against violence in movies roundly condemns one of its most celebrated actors who, in a moment’s loss of control, defends his wife with a slap on the face against the one who insulted her. Sophisticated, well-dressed, modern viewers are supposed to be able to handle, even be entertained by violent films, but are morally outraged at a slap in the face in real life (although we could debate whether the Oscar awards ceremony is real life or simply a fanciful façade). What can be said is that the slap disturbed the atmosphere of their enjoyable evening together celebrating each other. How much money did those people pay to hob-nob with the “in-crowd”?

The old adage is helpful in understanding what is going on: follow the money. Violence in movies sells, along with sex. Big money. There is much talk about protecting children from exposure to extreme violence, so the Motion Picture Association tags many films as PG-13 because of, among other reasons, excessive violence. Yet, even PG and family films contain some levels of violence, normalized through cartoonish or buffoonish depictions. All this seems rather silly until a slap in real life takes place at the annual showcase of the glitz and glamour of Hollywood celebrities.

Yet Hollywood produces what people want to see, hence the golden pot at the end of the violence rainbow. It titillates, it excites, and it gives an outlet for aggression vicariously through the silver screen, so that hopefully, people don’t carry out their own proclivities. However, real-life increasingly copies the movies—and the slap on the face is a very mild imitation of what is in the movies.

Yet, the self-righteous go crazy at a slap. Why? Because it spoiled their façade of glory in a measly awards ceremony. Their narcissistic narrative of celebrity, sophistication, and morality is patently superficial, delusional, and hypocritical to the max. They make movies with violence and make boat-loads of money, yet they take offense at a slap. The words of Jesus are apropos:

“Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” (Matt. 7:3–5)

Lord, I confess my own callousness to violence in entertainment. Help me dwell on “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise…” (Phil. 4:8).