Daniel Radcliffe Had the Best Response to Will Smith and Chris Rock's Oscar Drama
Sometimes it's best when you say nothing at all.
Bless you Daniel Radcliffe.
Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars on Sunday has unleashed a hot-take armageddon the likes of we have rarely witnessed before. People can't stop tweeting, talking or posting about it.
Which makes sense. The slap was a perfect storm of sorts. First, it took place during the Oscars , one of the most watched events of the year. But perhaps more importantly, the slap evolved into a cultural event, kickstarting debates around all sorts of hot-button topics: free speech, racism and ableism, toxic masculinity, the nature of physical abuse. It became a mirror of sorts, reflecting back the world views of individuals and sometimes entire groups. In an era where people live to constantly outdo each other in the Great Internet Discourse it became a black hole that sucked up all light and reason.
It very quickly became a bit... much.
Which is why Daniel Radcliffe's response, when he was asked for his take on the slap, was so refreshing.
While promoting his upcoming movie The Lost City on Good Morning Britain, Radcliffe essentially refused to entertain a view.
"I'm just so already dramatically bored of hearing people's opinions about it that I just don't want to be another opinion adding to it," he said on the TV show.
He did, however, mention what it was like to be the butt of the joke.
"You're never quite sure if the joke's with you or you're the butt of the joke," he said. "So you sort of have a mode of just being like 'I'll just keep smiling and laughing and maybe it'll end soon.'"
Saying nothing seems like a good tactic. Particularly when there's no right answer. Support Will Smith and it's all too easy to be accused of supporting violence and/or abuse. Support Chris Rock and it's easy to be accused of ableism. There's a rock, scissors, paper element to it all and there's no real middle ground. Sometimes it's simply best not to contribute to the noise.