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TGJ Roundtable!

Over the years, That Grape Juice has established a distinguished voice that – whether loved or loathed – sparks discussion, debate, and on occasion drama!

Though comprised of seasoned writers who share a similar outlook on Urban Pop culture, the idiosyncrasies of the TGJ team members often lend for quite heated debates “behind the scenes” about the hottest topics.

Now, we give you a front-row seat to the show. In a format similar to ‘The View’ or ‘The Real’, TGJ editors – Sam, Rashad, Joe, and Ryan – get real in a very candid way.

Today’s roundtable topic asks each anchor their thoughts on the…

Oscars 2022

Sam

On paper alone, the Oscars 2022 piqued my interest more than in previous years. A mixed blend of the films nominated and the musical guests tapped most definitely had me invested.

Suffice to say, few could have foreseen the narrative that would dominate the night.

So, rather than beat about the bush, let’s jump straight into it.

Will Smith and the slap heard around the world.

Topline: was it bad? Sure, especially from an optics standpoint. That said, his win for Best Actor was oh so deserved and was, in many ways, long overdue. His speech was piercing too and struck the right balance between gratitude for the honor, a salute to Richard Williams, and a carefully crafted apology that managed to sound sincere while hitting all the necessary touch-points in a way that would make both Olivia Pope and Annalise Keating proud.

My ultimate hope is that he bounces back better than ever.

Outside of the drama, the evening’s high point for me came at its start. Beyonce made her grand return and shut it down with ‘Be Alive’ – which was nominated for Best Original Song.

I have a very specific (and wide-ranging) love for the Queen, so won’t bore you with too much granularity. That I’ll save for Rashad and Ryan. However, it was spine-tingling to see her back in her “Beyonce” bag. The isms, the adlibs, the verbal cues (“Oscars!,” “Gimme those horns”). Like the rest of The BeyHive, I’m ready for ‘B7’ and hope this is the precursor to an almighty kick-off of the new era.

Elsewhere, I loved seeing Megan Thee Stallion bright her fiery flow to a unique rendition of ‘We Don’t Talk About Bruno’ from ‘Encanto.’ I also enjoyed Billie Eilish’s rendition of ‘No ‘Time To Die,’ although I’m not convinced it was the right pick to win.

On a conclusive note, the trio of hosts slayed! And not in a chuckle here and there kinda way. Like, they legit brought the LOLs. Kudos to Regina Hall, Wanda Sykes, and Amy Schumer. They most definitely ought to be brought back next year, as should the show’s freshman producer Will Packer.

All in all, it goes without saying that the Oscars 2022 delivered a multitude of memorable moments. A few of which are unquestionably etched permanently in Pop culture.

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Rashad

Like most Academy Awards, this year’s was overall a snooze fest. In fact, it was the Chris Rock smack that smacked me awake because I was definitely dozing. The musical performances were definitely standouts, particularly Billie, Jill Scott, and Beyoncé who delivered a trio of particularly moving performances.

Elsewhere, though I was rooting for Aunjanue Ellis’ Best Supporting Actress win given how unsung she has been for nearly 30 years, I realistically knew Ariana DeBose would nab the trophy given her sweep of every other award show for her stellar showing in ‘West Side Story.’ I was still very proud and her acceptance speech was everything.

Finally, while I hate Smith’s big night was overshadowed by the slap, I’m glad he still had that moment. He too has long been overlooked by the Academy. As far as the slap itself goes, I may not condone violence but I do condone knocking if you buck. Apparently, Will felt buck last night. I don’t stand firmly on either side of whether it was right or wrong because it wasn’t an impulse or bullying; it was in response to an impetus. Chris Rock and every comedian who has had the art of comedy as a license to throw jabs at real people with real feelings have to understand they do so at the risk that those words cause real hurt. And so do real fists.

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Ryan

Outside of the “obvious” event that took place at this year’s ceremony, the 2022 Academy Awards offered plenty of surprises and memorable moments.

Let’s begin with the memorable moments. First of all, Beyonce gave a show-stopping performance. Iconic is the only word that can be used to sum it all up. However, Billie Eilish gave another stellar showing as well. The surprise performance of the night came from Megan Thee Stallion when she joined the ‘Encanto’ cast to perform ‘We Don’t Talk About Bruno.’ And while we may not talk about Bruno, we certainly have to talk about this performance. She came, she slayed, she conquered.

When it came to who won the actual awards, it was less surprising. A good indicator of who is going to win is the previous award shows. So, when Billie won Best Original Song, it was to be expected. Personally, I think it was the right choice, but do question the release date of the song and its inclusion at this year’s ceremony due to its age. But still a memorable moment given her large list of accomplishments at a young age.

Will Smith’s win came as a surprise since he has been nominated for career-defining roles before, but a well-deserved win nonetheless.

The fact that ‘Encanto’ won for Best Animated Feature was not a surprise, but it was memorable given its dominance on the charts and streaming services. It’s been some time since a Disney movie has had this kind of cultural impact.

When it came to Best Picture, I personally had ‘The Power of the Dog’ taking the top prize, so it was kind of a warm welcome when ‘CODA’ won. It’s a strong movie, so either way it was a win-win.

While this year’s ceremony wasn’t bad – it did offer up some surprises notable moments – I can’t but feel it could’ve done more and been more. So, hopefully, next year, it can offer up something new.

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Do you agree with our views? Who was spot on? Let us know your thoughts on the latest TGJ Roundtable and your thoughts on the Oscars 2022?

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[Photo credit: Getty / Giphy]