Putting the DAMN in Academy Awards

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Description

Even after recording a special bonus episode just hours after witnessing the ‘slap heard around the world,’ Kiki, Hoja, and Mohanad regroup to dissect Best Actor winner Will Smith’s delayed apology to comedian Chris Rock following their shocking Oscars moment. They also revisit some of the broadcast’s earlier missteps, ranging from Rachel Zegler’s belated invitation following online backlash to the senseless decision to pre-tape multiple awards. And Best Director Jane Campion is certainly not safe from our crew’s commentary after her previous remarks about Venus and Serena Williams. Plus, Kiki wants her time back after watching ‘Deep Water,’ Hoja needs to remove herself from family drama, and Mohanad has strict brunch rules on this week’s Sorry Not Sorry.

Please note, I’m Sorry contains mature themes and may not be appropriate for all listeners.

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Transcript

SPEAKERS

Hoja Lopez, Mohanad Elshieky, Kiki Monique

Kiki Monique  00:08

I’m Kiki Monique. And this is I’M SORRY, a podcast about apologies. And this week, I am never not thinking about Will Smith and Chris Rock, I wake up, I go to sleep, they are on my mind all week long. It’s just not gonna stop.

Mohanad Elshieky 

And this is one of them shaky. And I think that everything that has been happening in the world lately, including the Oscars is to take our attention away from the fact that the Queen might be dead. And we should talk about that more. I see through you.

Hoja Lopez 

And my name is Hoja Lopez. And I woke up and I was like suffocating and I realized that it’s because I had a dog fully, like just standing on my face. And I just hope that everyone gets to feel that level of love and also possible death by asphyxiation over the night because of the love of your dogs. I don’t know if you guys experienced this with cats. But if a 30-pound thing is sitting on your face, you’re gonna have to wake up gasping.

Kiki Monique

Well, before we get into today’s episode, we wanted to let you know that No One is Coming To Save Us the hit show from Lemonada Media is back as a weekly series, covering America’s ongoing childcare crisis and the people of all ages who are crushed by it, because access to early education and care determines a kid’s future. Every Thursday, veteran reporter Gloria Riviera examines what’s broken in the system and how we can work together to fix it. GLORIA is a mom herself and brings compassion, wit and real solutions to each episode. The series features interviews with experts, politicians, influential thinkers, and real testimonials from parents. No one is coming to save us has new episodes out every Thursday, wherever you get your podcasts.

Hoja Lopez  02:00

Now, we start our topic, deep dive of the week. I’m so excited about this because we already were planning this and then the slap happened we’ll call it like BS and before the slap and after the slap. Disclaimer, we are recording this part in particular, on Tuesday, so 48 hours after the slap, and 24 hours after the Will Smith apology that came out. So we’ve definitely had some time as people to like start digesting this and starting to understand. It seems like everybody’s trying to find culpability and trying to figure out how they feel about it. How have your thoughts sort of like mutated or evolved from like, the moment that it happened?

Kiki Monique 

I mean, we did that bonus episode. You know, that was sort of like I think our most raw emotions and feelings. I don’t think that I have changed much in that. I think I’d become more empathetic along the way for many reasons, right? You just learn more, you hear more. And now we have the apology now to sort of dissect like, what Will’s thoughts were.

Mohanad Elshieky 

Honestly, for me, I feel like I’m kind of starting to detach from the story. Yeah, yeah, I’m at a point now where I’m just like, oh, we’re still doing this? I wish we could, we could just move on. Because after a while, you start being like, oh, why am I thinking about these millionaires that much? Like, I have other stuff to worry about. But I mean, you know, it’s very interesting to see, like, the way people are talking, like, I feel like I’m not really tuned into the incident itself and thinking about it as much as I am tuned into the online discourse about it, and how it just keeps changing. I feel like people are just like, now at the stage of projecting their own experiences and emotions, and making it into something that it’s not. And like bringing on like, their own, like traumas and stuff. And sometimes I just feel like things can be an incident that just happened between two adults, and does not have to be a reflection of the culture as a whole. And you know, I feel like people are just taking so many like global events and attaching them to this one incident and just like, those two things have nothing to do with one another. Like some people are saying like, Oh, this incident like showed us like that we are normalizing violence in America. And I’m just like, oh, this is the incident.

Kiki Monique  04:35

Not the like, yeah, trillions of dollars that we put into our military every year to say like, we are…

Hoja Lopez 

We’re number one violent. Well, I guess that goes back to like, how did you guys feel about the apology?

Kiki Monique

Well, the funniest part is like, you know, the apology comes out and you know, immediately I start seeing people online like, woah, I like Chris’ statement better and I’m like Chris’ statement? I haven’t seen anything from Chris. And then we come to find out that this whole other fake statement that somebody created was being sent around, which is also just weird that people take the time to create false statements for celebrities that I don’t know if they’re speaking on behalf, and that he had to come out to just to say, like, no, I didn’t make a statement. But you know, then we get the, you know, the Will Smith statement. And I think it’s really well written and it says, it hits all of the points that we expect from an apology. It’s different from what he was feeling in that moment. Because, you know, obviously, right after the event, we see, you know, his son posting, like, you know, something about like, this is how we do it or something like that. And then, you know, we see him party, but at the same time, does he not deserve to win? He did just win an Oscar, like, does he not have a right to go out and party? And then do the apology later? I don’t know. Like, I don’t know.

Mohanad Elshieky 

I mean, it’s very hard to even like comment on the apology itself, because like, so far, we have not heard from Chris Rock about it. And what does he feel? It wasn’t a long apology or anything. And you know, he said like, violence is not the answer. But I feel like there is so much that’s going to be said about this incident from you know, both Will, Jada as well. I believe she posted about it on Instagram herself.

Kiki Monique  06:15

Yeah, saying this is the season for healing. And I’m here for it.

Hoja Lopez

I thought the apology was good. I could tell the difference between him right after and his speech. There’s something to say for the just the time that it takes to process things like, it just takes human beings time away from like the shock and the anger. And it takes you a moment to align like your real values with the stuff that’s coming out of your mouth. And this is clearly an apology that’s more aligned with Will’s values versus what was happening right after he slapped the proverbial shut out of Chris Rock. Because the truth is, he got him he got him pretty hard. It wasn’t a soft slap. And so the idea that the Oscars is that that broadcast, in some ways belongs to a lot of people. And it is like a cultural moment that a lot of people look forward to that was sort of like rocked by the fact that now we can’t think about anything else or can’t talk about anything else. Aside from what happened on that stage. I think he knows that. Is there any of this apology that feels like self-preservation to you? Like, I’m sure he’s worried about what this is going to do to his career? Or like, what’s going to happen? Do you guys think there will be any effects on his career?

Kiki Monique 

I don’t think so. I mean, I think he will be fine. I will say I think it would be ridiculous these calls to like, have his Oscar taken away when obviously, there’s plenty of people who have askers that have never gotten to remove who’ve done far worse than.

Hoja Lopez 

If you’re going to start with a slap then..

Kiki Monique

Yeah, like, you know, I definitely don’t think that that’s the answer. Will he lose a few 1000 followers? Of course, there’s people that they’re always on the edge. They’re ready, to let you go at any moment. They just want one thing. But I think he’ll be fine.

Mohanad Elshieky 

Not only is he going to be fine, I feel like this is gonna be an opportunity to just make some work of art around it. of some sort. They’re going to be like they’re like a documentary or like, something like finding Will.

Kiki Monique  08:13

Yeah. Or if even if they do the read table talk together. Who knows? You know, they’ll do that. I mean, Chris Rock, his luckily, his comedy show, he had a tour going on sales kind of took off, which is great for him. I don’t think he wanted to get slapped in order for that to happen. But you know, okay, great, you know, at least that’s like something positive that came out of it, I guess. Yeah. I’m also was really surprised by people who were like, too little too late. And I’m just like..

Hoja Lopez 

I was 24 hours.

Kiki Monique 

Like, I want you to take time and think about it. If you’re giving me an apology, like in the moment, I’m not gonna believe it like.

Mohanad Elshieky 

Yeah, I mean, that’s social media for you, obviously. I mean, a lot of people like think they are the center of it all. Like, this is about me now, somehow. And it’s just like, bro, no one gives a fuck what you care about this apology, like literally, this is like only for Chris Rock, and only for Chris Rock to accept or deny or comment on. I mean, we can react to it as much as we want to. But you know, it’s not for me.

Kiki Monique

That’s the thing that’s kind of like so unsettling about it is like this is something we weren’t supposed to witness. Like if he had, you know, again, I don’t even think that this was about Chris Rock. I think that was something. Again, it was a buildup and he just happened to get the brunt of it. But either way, like that was not something we’re supposed to see and we did. And now like we’re all a part of it. And I don’t really want to be but it’s hard not to be because it was so in our face, but it’s just weird.

Hoja Lopez

This is the kind of thing that I want to talk about too, is like, it does take time for us to get over this, right? And there is that moment too with all these people in the room where this happens right in front of you and nobody knows what to do. Like between that moment between when it happens to when he goes on stage. Like, it’s clear that what we’re looking at is a bunch of rich ass beautiful hot celebrities, just like not knowing what the right thing to do is in that moment. And I think that that is the processing that needed to happen over the course of the last couple of days. And I’m sure that just now people are coming to valley focused conclusions as to what happened for them. But boy, are we willing to let anything go by? Before we know how we feel about it?

Mohanad Elshieky  10:32

I mean, honestly, I feel like part of it has to do with how the ceremony was handled, like right after the slap happened. Like, I feel like the role of the host is to address what just happened. Like you’re either making like a very direct joke about it, you mentioned that you say something about it. So you can like give people something so we can like move on. But that did not happen. It’s just like, continued in like this, like very weird, awkward way. And the only time the slap was mentioned again, or was commented on was when Will Smith was on stage again. So, I mean, he was driving the whole conversation, like you did not really give people like anything, any other alternative, like we watched this from home, and we did not know how to deal with it.

Hoja Lopez 

Absolute state of confusion and shock.

Mohanad Elshieky 

And that’s the thing, like you had like, see comedians who are hosting the Oscars, and I’m not saying that they should have dealt with it, because, you know, they can just say whatever they want to but you know, you have writers who you know, have like comedy writers who are like writing these jokes and stuff. This should have been handled because like, this is like, you know, like any other comedy show, like sometimes you someone on stage, and they just completely bombed and he’s just like, absolutely killed the room. And like, you have to bring the room back. That’s what you do. But no one brought the room back. They just kept going with their like other less scheduled bits. And everyone was like, let’s talk about Will Smith.

Hoja Lopez  12:01

Amy Schumer had that one short bit. That was like, did something happened while I was gone? Like she was like, I was backstage changing or whatever. And he got like a little bit of laughs but it was still, I think maybe this is one of those wreck moments. Like, I don’t know how you recover from that moment.

Mohanad Elshieky

I love that Anthony Hopkins was on stage to comment on it. And he started talking and then he was like, man, I’m in my 80s. If I get slapped right now, I would literally not survive this.

Hoja Lopez

Yeah, I’m sure there’ll be more to talk about with this in particular, especially considering that Chris hasn’t said anything yet. But I mean, do you guys think he will? Do you guys think he’s gonna say anything?

Kiki Monique

I don’t know. I mean, I feel like maybe on this comedy tour, maybe you know, this will be even more reason to buy a ticket is because, you know, he’ll let it out on stage. And so that’s worth the price alone. You know, for me, I now just looking in the future. I’m thinking what comedian is going to you know, host the Oscars in the future. I mean, I always want Ricky Gervais like, I’m just kind of like, can we just make him permanent hosts? Because, look, he will tear that room to pieces. And you laugh and it’s awful, because he says terrible things that I love and find absolutely hilarious. And I don’t know, because at this point, comedians need hazard pay just to jump off of stage.

Mohanad Elshieky 

Oh, just you know, instead of Chris Rock, just get the rock himself. Yeah, good luck with that. Like literally The Rock and just be like you just installed […]. Well, that was that.

Hoja Lopez

One of the things I think that we were thinking about in general, when we were gonna, you know, when we were thinking about this episode, that didn’t have anything to do with will and Chris was all the things that happened kind of leading up to the Oscars, and then some of the things that happened during the ceremony aside from them. So first of all, kind of like a flutter in Twitter was like, just a few days before the Oscars was like five or six days before the actual award ceremony when we heard kind of tangentially about Rachel Zeigler not being invited to it. Did you guys hear about that? In particular? Yeah, I did. The way that I kind of got it was that the academy gives out a certain amount of tickets to companies. So they’ll give it to Disney and they won’t give it specifically to, you know, the actors or whatever, unless they’re presenting I suppose. And so, I guess in this point, in particular, they gave these tickets out to Disney but didn’t know how they were going to be doled out. And to me, I’m like, bro, she’s your lead person in a movie that’s nominated for best picture with a ton of other nominations. Like why is she not a presenter? Why is she not at least somebody important that doesn’t think to invite, it doesn’t make sense.

Kiki Monique

It sounded like Disney had like, several films up for awards so that it was like, had to be doled out. But again, you’re Disney. And this is like a huge deal. Like, I’m sure you can get one more ticket come exactly. It feels like when did you ever hear that story about when Shonda Rhimes wanting to get Disneyland tickets for her family who was visiting, and they were trying to not give her Disneyland tickets? It’s just like, so stingy to people that are like really bringing them in buke amounts of money. Come on.

Mohanad Elshieky 

Yeah. Well, that’s what happens when you’re CEO is a mouse.

Hoja Lopez

Stuff falls through the cracks. Oh, god, my favorite was how we found out that Rachel wasn’t invited because I guess somebody just asked her like, Hey, I can’t wait to see what you’re going to be wearing at the Oscars. And she’s like, well, nothing because I wasn’t invited. So she didn’t have a problem with it publicly. But I bet you that she got dinged by her publicist, or somebody that’s like, get off of your phone right now. Stop talking about this.

Mohanad Elshieky  16:15

I’m sorry. If I’m a Lead in a movie, and it’s nominated for an Oscar and I don’t get it. I am not waiting for someone to ask me a question. I am tagging the academy and I’m tweeting about it. And I’m gonna be like, just keep tagging them like my ticket was my ticket was what’s happening. Attack Joe Biden. Like, why are you not talking about this what’s happening?

Hoja Lopez

They did end up kind of like, adding Zeigler to the presenter lineup. Yeah, but they definitely declined to comment. They just were like, Let’s just fucking patch this up. Put a goddamn band aid on this and not answer any more questions, and it’ll go and it honestly, it has. There’s obviously like a currency in the Oscars of like, who’s invited? Are you going to the fanciest party? Are you invited to Vanity Fair, you invited to Elton John’s. And so it’s kind of funny to see what people who are in the nascent parts of their career like a Rachel Ziglar, which is like, she’s gonna get bigger and bigger, you know, but she’s got this, you know, Snow White roll, and she’s gonna be a new Disney Princess. But still, it’s clear that there’s not an established respect with her as a person, or I’ll say never would have not invited her in the first place.

Kiki Monique 

I mean, she looks good. So at least we know, she got a last minute dress that I mean, I don’t know who provided it. But you know, she looks good. She looked awesome.

Hoja Lopez 

All that to say about presenters, but the pre-taped prizes, or the moving them during like off-air parts of the show? So what did you guys think about that, because I have my thoughts that I’d love to know.

Mohanad Elshieky  18:05

I hated that so much. First of all the categories that they picked; I think the academy deemed him less important. And it’s wild to me because a lot of I mean, some of the categories, I think that has to do with sound and editing and all of that stuff. Like I’m sorry, do you know how movies made? Do you think it’s someone just films it and then just post it on a channel or something. Like what’s happening here, like the editing and like the sound and the scores, and all of that stuff takes so much time to do it is literally that one of the most important aspects of moviemaking. And then you have the you know, I think the animated short and the live action short, as well. Were also you know; they recorded the speeches beforehand. And one of the ways that was made, they were like, you know, like the first Muslim person to win an Oscar for a short, and they were just like, okay, yeah, we’re just gonna let you pre tape this and we’re not even going to show the whole speech. And I was like, what are you doing? What is this? And then to fill the time with just other bits and stuff that to me, or just like what’s happening here? Did we really pre tape this so we can show a video of 60 years of bond? Who gives a fuck?

Hoja Lopez 

You’re right!

Kiki Monique 

which by the way, was presented by Tony Hawk, Kelly Slater, and Shawn White. Okay, great athletes, but the fact that they also got in fights before Rachel […], very strange.

Hoja Lopez 

It is so strange, like the decision making is bizarre. And that short was so good, by the way. And then then also all the stuff that came out was like, you have these big people like Steven Spielberg actively came out and said I disagree with the decision made by like the executive committee. And he said he felt really strongly that film was kind of quote, in his words, the most collaborative art in the world and all of these people make these movies together. So I definitely had a huge problem with that moving it back, it feels very much like when everybody gets together and puts money in a pot to get the director the CEO a gift in like, like during Christmas, or like hold on where the workers like we’re the ones that are making this fucking happen. Like, why don’t we get recognition? Why don’t we get it? It definitely mirrors the feeling that like celebrities and these big famous people are the most important people in the room versus actually a night to celebrate film. You know, it’s like a night to celebrate celebrities.

Kiki Monique  20:37

Yeah, like when you say like, the decisions, you know, are weird. It’s like it’s I think it goes along with why, who is invited is also in that weird strategy making decision. It’s like, okay, maybe we don’t care about Rachel, who was obviously a big part of this film. But Tony Hawk has like 31 million followers online, and he could bring a whole different aspect to the show. And our ratings are dwindling. And we need a new viewership. You know, weird things like that, that go into their decision making.

Mohanad Elshieky 

I just feel like, what is the point of having Tony Hawk on unless you were gonna have him like skate to his presenter spot?

Kiki Monique 

Right? I want to see a half […]

Mohanad Elshieky

He just walked to his mic or whatever, and just talked, I’m like, bro, unless you’re doing some kind of sick move. I’ll pass.

Hoja Lopez

This also goes back to the episode that we did on Rust with like, Alec Baldwin, and like the protests of like how these people get treated. And it’s like, there’s this feeling that above the line, or that’s kind of the term above the line workers in Hollywood are what matters. But this whole year has been about making below the line workers matter. So the Oscars choice to like, exclude people who aren’t already protesting, don’t get paid enough like are already people who, in general don’t get appreciated and have had to unionize this year to make sure that they get paid and that they get seen. And then you’re also going to like bump them off of the celebration. It kind of feels like oh, you don’t get it. Like you don’t get what we’re trying to move towards as a society. You’re actually just doing the opposite. It doesn’t feel like they’re looking into the future. It feels short sighted. And I don’t like it.

Hoja Lopez

Yeah, the commercials felt more future thinking anything there. Every commercial was about an electric car, which I was happy to see.

Mohanad Elshieky  22:28

I’m sorry, the commercial and also, let’s not forget the mention of every time they mentioned Ukraine. They’re like Ukraine. They need help. They need donations. Crypto.com. Please, let’s destroy the environment. So we can save you, Mike, what are you even saying? Please stop showing me crypto stuff. Please, for the love of God, I am so tired of hearing that stuff. And I think I mean, again, not condoning violence or slapping or any of that stuff. But if anyone deserved that, it would have been celebrities who will not stop talking about NFT’s on whatever.

Hoja Lopez 

We’ll rename this podcast episode just who should get slapped?

Hoja Lopez

Do you guys like award shows in general, like it seems like Hollywood is kind of like split on that it feels like a lot of people are like, these are stupid, like self-aggrandizement things. And then there’s a whole other camps that’s like, no, these are valuable, and they highlight important things. Where do you guys stand on that?

Kiki Monique

I used to just really never watch them. I really couldn’t stand them. Like, I might pop in to watch a performance or something like that. But lately, since I just like want to be more informed about things that are happening. And it is a big pop culture moment, I tend to watch them more now.

Mohanad Elshieky  24:00

See, my thing is, I feel like there are so many ways to make the Oscars impactful and make them actually like have, you know, a cultural moment as people like to call it, but it’s just everyone who it feels like who is in, you know, in charge of like preparation and like making the staff and engineering this whole event truly have no idea what they’re doing. It’s all about like engineering, like viral moments. And doing stupid bits that lead to nothing eventually. And, you know, and then it comes to actual, like, tangible stuff that they could do. And they either do them like really quick, or they do them in a way they’re just like so watered down, that it makes absolutely no sense. So I don’t know. I mean, it clearly like, you know, the people on top in charge, like, you know, it’s just like a bunch of White people who think this is what’s in and this is what’s right. You know, maybe diversify a bit and get more ideas.

Kiki Monique

I was I’m also curious like even how they say like with the Olympics, right, you know, Olympic villages or Olympics, they build up all these sites. And then like a year later, they’re like, abandon run down, like, you know, they’re always not taking care of. And like I had that moment at the very opening when Serena and Venus introduced Beyonce, who was performing her song on the competent tennis court that they said that I think Venus and Serena had grown up using, and they had, you know, painted the whole thing, like a tennis ball color, and everyone was in these monochromatic colors. And it was gorgeous, in the middle of content. And I was like, this is really cool. I wonder if they use the moments after to, like turn that into like a place where people can come visit, right? Because the whole point is to like, show people content and for what it’s, you know, and everything it’s about, so it’s like, will they turn that into an art installation? Will they turn that into a tennis court where it would give free tennis, lessons to kids in Compton? I don’t know. But I think about stuff like that, or I’m like, or is it just a thing that’ll get ripped down? And it was just used to create this moment for five minutes?

Hoja Lopez  26:07

It is, it definitely speaks to like the like, Is this useful? Is this helpful to humanity, is this like, you know, this is almost like 100-year-old, like show, 100-year-old award ceremonies, I think it’s like, this is their 94th or 95th year. And I know, just from my reading that last year, the Oscars was literally the lowest of the least watched in history of all of their awards. And so there was only something like 9.2 million people like tuned in to actually watch Nomad land wind, like Best Picture. And so I have a feeling that like, The Academy feels like they have to make these big choices and make these big changes in order to like, keep people coming to watch it. But you realize that once you go for the virality of something, and once you are going for the thing that the most people are going to put their eyes on, things start to lose their luster, they start to lose the reason that you made them in the first place. And that’s why sometimes when I look at these award shows, I’m like, all these movies. The reason we love them so much is because they’re real authentic depictions of real people. And they’re and they’re made with passion, and they’re made with love. And they’re made by the people who are very invested in that story. Yet, the thing that we do to honor them isn’t invested in its own story. And the reason why it’s doing it in the first place. So that’s why we love the movie and then don’t care when it gets awarded by these things. Because it’s just, it doesn’t feel like it’s really adding much to the thing that we love in the first place. All that to go back to of like another thing that happened that you mentioned earlier, Kiki was like the Jane Campion thing which is like the Venus and Serena are having an unreal crazy awards, like why them? Why couldn’t it be somebody else? Anyone else? But yeah, so I don’t know if you guys heard like, why this came up in the first place like the Sam Elliot thing. Oh, yeah. So initially, the Jane Campion thing, it was essentially because Sam Elliott made some comments about the power of the dog. He went on Mark Marin’s what the fuck which is always a fun idea to just go talk shit on a podcast. Basically, Elliott’s just kind of like calling into question the idea that it’s a Western or not, and he like talks shit about Benedict Cumberbatch. And he talks shit about the West. And so Jane Campion kind of calls him out for being sexist. And the quote was, he was being a little bit of a bitch. Oh, God, but all of that puts Jane Campion in a position to kind of like go on stage when this and then.

Kiki Monique  28:46

Yeah, people are loving her. They’re cheering them on.

Hoja Lopez

They’re cheering her on. And then I know she said essentially like Venus and Serena, you’re such Marvel’s. However you don’t play against the guys like I have to. Oh, Lord Jane Campion like what were your thoughts when you heard about it?

Kiki Monique

Why do you have to drag these two Black women who have nothing to do with anything about anything happening going on and compare your quote unquote struggle, which let’s be clear. Let’s just go I’m sorry. Let’s just go quickly to Jane Campion’s wiki, Campion, the second daughter of […] Campion and actress, writer and heiress, and Richard Campion, a teacher and theatre and opera director. I’m sorry, Jane Campion. You did not come from struggle. Don’t compare what Venus and Serena did coming up to you having to be a director who happens to be a woman.

Mohanad Elshieky 

Yeah, and I mean also like this has roots in like, just like, what White feminism is and like, not being able to see outside of outside of gender. You know, obviously yes, the patriarchy is like men controlling the business and you have to compete against that and all of that stuff. But race somehow in class two is never included in that equation. And this is not just about women, these are like two Black women, like you said, Kiki, and they’re not going only against men, they’re going against men, they’re going against racism, they’re going against so many other things like how can you ignore all of that? And the things that like, Serena Williams, like, so many like headlines as of like, just like recently, the past few years, every time she has done something on the court, it’s turned into this like big fiasco about her and like her actions and made it into such a big deal. And then you have this woman who was like, you know, come from a privileged background just being like, yeah, but you don’t have as bad as me. And you’re like, what are you even talking about? Also, I thought, when she, you know, when she went and gave the speech, I was like, you could have took maybe 10 seconds out of that speech and apologize to these two women publicly, because you talked about them during an award show, maybe you should apologize to them in an award show.

Hoja Lopez 

Okay, this is a good apology, like know that you’ve given? I agree.

Mohanad Elshieky 

Exactly. I mean, it’s the same, you know, same stage public insult, public apology, you can just apologize after the fact. And they mean, now she decided that now she’s won an Oscar like, this is an award that she cannot, you know, she cannot take away from her time to talk about other women. Now, this is becoming an issue.

Hoja Lopez 

She did apologize the next day, which I’m happy that she was like, could see why was so incendiary, what, like stirred emotions and people. And her apology was, essentially she said that she was kind of thoughtless in equating what she did in the film world with everything that Serena and Venus had achieved, and that she didn’t intend to devalue. You know, these two kind of, quote, legendary Black women and world class athletes. So I get that.

Mohanad Elshieky  32:06

The thing about like, I feel like about being an actor is what you’re very good at, is reading other people lines. That’s what you do best. You read other people’s words, and you just say them in the way that you deliver them is what people like about you. So maybe when you go on stage to read a speech or whatever, just stick to that, stick what you’re good at. So trying to come up with words, you know, I feel like unless you’re like Denzel, I feel like you shouldn’t.

Kiki Monique 

And I personally, I know, she apologized. I personally don’t really think it was a great apology. And I really actually think that she saw what she was doing. I still think that she was so in her head, thinking it was still about like, the woman thing. Whereas like, I was reading this article, and I learned this great term, Misogynoir. Yeah, like she doesn’t understand the Misogynoir, are that the Williams sisters, it’s a completely different kind of experience. It’s not just them competing against men and tennis has nothing to do with you competing with men in a completely different field. It’s not the same thing. Don’t try to like step on them to make yourself feel better. I don’t forgive her. I didn’t really want her to win the Oscar. And I wanted everyone else to. I wanted everyone else.

Mohanad Elshieky

simple to understand that the men that they’re competing against are not on court. That’s the thing. They are everywhere else in the Tennis Federation and everything else and it’s just, you know, some people just do not learn.

Hoja Lopez 

Yeah, I agree. And I didn’t like the apology either. It had a whiff of I’m not the kind of person that would do that kind of thing. Where it’s like, well, you are because you did and this that the idea of like the last thing I would ever want to do is minimize remarkable women. It’s not the last thing you would want to do because it’s just this feeling of carelessness as people go on stage and I realized that not everybody is like well trained and just you know, trains of thought happen. But then also the backlash is gonna happen I think it’s like a natural back and forth to when you say something fucked up, you know?

Kiki Monique  34:18

Which is why I will say like, I will the opening of the Oscars. I was actually like really excited and I think maybe even that moment was brought on because I think that the I think the Oscars were produced by Will Packers production company, if I’m not mistaken. But like, the fact that Venus and Serena opened the Oscars. Yes. Like I felt like that was like an […] to Jane a little bit, because it was like, and then the moment I saw you know Beyonce is dancers with all of those beads in their head. It was like so it was like this. This represents me because I remember those sorry, I’m gonna cry. I remember this […]. I remember how when they were on the court, and like we constantly get penalized for their beads at the court, you know? Like he doesn’t fucking understand. Like, we get penalized for our hairstyles, like she doesn’t ever gonna fuckin understand that so fuck you Jane, anyways, moving on. You made me cry.

Hoja Lopez 

Okay, now we’re changing the title of the podcast to fuck you, Jane.

Mohanad Elshieky 

Jane, you’re never gonna be on the podcast

Hoja Lopez 

oh my god, it’s a shitty thing and but I’m glad that you got the opportunity to like for them to open up like that. And it said the right thing to the right person because it said it to you. You know?

Mohanad Elshieky  36:00

So much music has happened also during the Oscars night as Yeah, talk about them the music choices of like people singing and there’s also the music that has been chosen for people before they came out on stage, which was very specific in some cases. For example, like Daniel […] like went on stage and they played Toto’s Africa. Not sure why. Trying to find the connection here. Of that was just, I don’t know. I don’t know. And

Hoja Lopez 

Was it Leguizamo is that who went out and it was like to essentially like, just some fun Latin music. You know what? I bizarrely love the idea that anytime I enter a room that somebody starts playing […] as just my entry point to anywhere that I walk into.

Mohanad Elshieky 

I am scared to know, if I ever get on that stage, what […] audio will be, are they just gonna play like verses from the Quran or something? I don’t know.

Kiki Monique 

It would be nice if they got some input from the people who are walking out like you would think that you would at least be like, What would you like to hear in the background as you are entering the stage.

Mohanad Elshieky

Like honestly, like, just play a nice random song or be like, maybe ask them like, hey, what’s your favorite song from this year? What can we play? Or maybe something that has to do with the category you’re presenting. It has nothing to do with the presenters, and also they had you know we don’t talk about Bruno, the song was you know, performed on stage and I love that they had Megan Thee stallion in it. I just love that. Megan Thee stallion came in and she would like, you know, fuck you. I’m here to talk about Bruno.

Hoja Lopez  38:06

Did y’all see the meme that it’s like things we don’t talk about Bruno and Jada Pinkett Smith.

Mohanad Elshieky 

I mean, oh wow. But you know, we also had the In Memoriam like that was played and then I don’t know how they do these because they definitely ignored some people.

Kiki Monique 

Like didn’t they like did Bob Saget, he didn’t even make it in like in that was, I will say of death. Like that one was like one of the hardest hitting.

Mohanad Elshieky 

It’s Bob Saget. Should have been there should have been clear. Like just like up top. This is very recent. Yeah. I mean, I don’t know how they decide and how they chew. Like, I don’t know who they ask such a weird event. Truly.

Hoja Lopez 

Did you guys mention Ed Asner, too? Because I know that he wasn’t on the memoriam either. the In Memoriam was such a weird. I mean, like I get it, it’s like, but it definitely is it’s strange segment. Because it there’s just too many ways to get it wrong, essentially.

Kiki Monique 

Like for someone I’m definitely like my mother’s child because like I remember growing up my mom always read the obituary section. And I’d always been why do you read the obituary section? But now? I think as I’m older I’m like, I yeah, I want I kind of want to review, I want you to review of the people who have died recently. Just need to know for my own.

Hoja Lopez 

Yeah. You know, this has got to be like a human urge. Because obituaries are a strange thing, but it’s got to be something that is like satisfying and calming. And like a sense of like, closure, you know, so I think I get that for sure.

Mohanad Elshieky 

Okay, now it’s time for my favorite segment that we do every week. which is sorry, not sorry, where we either apologize to someone, which I rarely do. Or we asked, you know, someone to apologize to us. So I’m gonna start with Kiki. So what’s happening?

Kiki Monique 

This week I want an apology from Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas because I started watching this, this movie that they did together. And I think this is the movie where they hooked up or whatever. Anyways, I just I’m watching it. And I’m trying to like, see what’s going on. And I get like an hour and I’m still like, this is terrible, but also confusing, but I don’t want to watch it anymore. So I just stopped watching it. But like, now I still have to go back and watch this terrible movie, just so I can finish it to tell people how horrible it is just so I can confirm its horribleness. And I’m really annoyed that I have to waste another hour to do that, but I’m going to do it. But I would like an apology from Ben and Anna for wasting my time.

Hoja Lopez 

I didn’t think that movie was going to be good.

Kiki Monique 

I love a thriller. I love a thriller. So you can you can always trick me into watching just about any thriller.

Hoja Lopez 

Yeah. Is it? Is it kind of like Gone Girl a little bit?

Kiki Monique 

No, cuz Gone Girl is good. So it’s not, I would say no.

Hoja Lopez 

I would like to apologize this week again. My family when we get into like drama or bickering or whatever. I’m the worst because I try to solve everybody’s issues and triangulate, accidentally. And then I talked to one person, I’m like, Well, maybe you should consider doing this. And maybe you should apologize, or I’m not a part of the drama at all. But then I tendentially insert myself into my family drama, therefore making it worse and helping no one. And so I would like to let everybody know that I have learned my lesson, I will no longer talk to my mom about what my sister says, or to my sister about what my mom says. And I will just let them sort out every little detail between them. And I will not try to fix it for them. You know, I just love drama, and I love to insert myself in it. And I need to learn that that is a bad idea.

Hoja Lopez 

I think there’s a term on TikTok that is used. It’s something like the […], the Department of Mind Your Own Business. You should join that department.

Hoja Lopez  42:33

Yeah, I gotta join that department.

Mohanad Elshieky

I don’t have much this week, you know, to apologize for, ask an apology from people. This is a general apology. It’s not even a specific apology to this week. But I have friends who come to visit New York City and like would hit me up and be like, Let’s hang out. Which is, I mean, I feel like you’d understand this. But when you have friends who come over and they do not understand that for us to hang out. You’d have to be in my neighborhood. I am not going to meet you at the place you’re at. And I have had that happen with a friend this week where they were like, hey, do you have a good brunch spot that we can meet at and so I would recommend the spot that I like a lot because it’s a five-minute walk from my place.

Kiki Monique 

And that’s why it’s great.

Mohanad Elshieky

That’s the only criteria. I don’t care about the food. I just don’t want to take the subway, and then they hit me up maybe an hour after I’m like, how can you do this? I made a reservation at this place. And to say that I had to cross the bridge to go there. I mean, like, wow, that like literally bridge too far. Like what’s happening here?

Hoja Lopez 

Is it essentially like asking like somebody to cross state lines and travel?

Mohanad Elshieky  44:00

Yeah, like to ask me to come to the Upper West Side or whatever. I mean, I need my passport for this. You can’t ask me to do this. And then you know I come all the way there for like, what an egg sandwich that I could have made home. I’m overpaying and I am taking along subway right now. I feel like this. Exactly. This is the thing like if you’re ever in New York City, first of all have fun. And second, you have my location. Please hang out in places around me. Yeah, and that’s it. And or else Hey, see you next time when you plan better. So that’s what I’m saying.

Hoja Lopez 

As somebody who recently visited you and actually went to your apples to your apartment, I feel I came as close as possible.

Mohanad Elshieky 

Because we met for dinner and that was a 10-minute walk from my house. Perfect, amazing, great job. And then you came to my apartment for my birthday. I did not even have to leave my apartment. I stayed on my couch 10 out of 10 this is everyone. Please be like Hoja.

Hoja Lopez 

I did good. I was doing good. But also you definitely suggested the place and I just accepted, that sounds good.

Mohanad Elshieky 

Listen to your New Yorker friends. really listen. We are people.

Hoja Lopez 

The other thing he did too was he told me Well, we live in this area. And I was like great. I will get an Airbnb that’s five blocks away from your house.

Kiki Monique

Don’t get a hotel in Times Square and then act like we’re gonna hang out every day.

Mohanad Elshieky

I will never go to Times Square. Like Absolutely not. There’s no reason for me to be there. I mean, that you go and do your like Sex in the City like fantasy like whatever New York trip. Not me. I’m not even in Brooklyn.

Hoja Lopez  46:08

I love that all your friends are coming to visit. You’re like, I love Sex in the City. I need to go. I for some reason I don’t envision all of your friends loving sex in the city. But maybe

Mohanad Elshieky 

I mean, I don’t think anyone loves Sex in the City. Everyone watches it. See what’s gonna happen to.

Hoja Lopez  46:27

Before we go, we definitely want to remind you that if you’ve been liking I’m sorry, if you’ve been listening to me, Kiki and Mo have an amazing time and just talking about all the stuff that are happening online and in the world. Definitely leave us a five-star review wherever you listen to your podcast. So Apple Spotify, both of them. It definitely helps us out so much. And yeah, we just want to thank you for supporting us and listening to the show. We love you for it.

Mohanad Elshieky

Yes, please. Reviews do now.

Kiki Monique 

And don’t forget to check out our bonus episode specifically on Will and the Chris Rock of it all.

Hoja Lopez 

Oh my gosh, so juicy.

CREDITS

I’M SORRY is a Lemonada Media Original. The show is produced by Alex McOwen, supervising producer is Kryssy Pease. Our executive producers are Stephanie Wittels Wachs and Jessica Cordova Kramer. Our mix is by Kat Yore and theme music was composed by Xander Singh. If you like this show, please rate and review. And please don’t cancel us. You can find out more about our show at @LemonadaMedia on all social platforms, or follow us on Instagram at @imsorry_podcast. We’ll be back next week and until then be nice, play fair and always say I’m sorry. Thanks for listening!

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