Stephen King Awakens Woke Cancel Culture Mob: “I Would Never Consider Diversity in Matters of Art”
Drew Taylor
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Horror author Stephen King took to Twitter to comment on the recent Oscar nominations and declared that he would “never consider diversity in matters of art.”
King wrote on Twitter, “As a writer, I am allowed to nominate just 3 categories: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Original Screenplay.
He added, “For me, the diversity issue–as it applies to individual actors and directors, anwyay–did not come up. That said…”
As a writer, I am allowed to nominate in just 3 categories: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Original Screenplay. For me, the diversity issue–as it applies to individual actors and directors, anyway–did not come up. That said…
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) January 14, 2020
Related: Slate Reporter Mark Joseph Stern: Oscar Nominations Are “Insanely Sexist and Racist”
He would continue his thoughts in a subsequent tweet, where he wrote, “…I would never consider diversity in matters of art. Only quality.”
He added, “It seems to me that to do otherwise would be wrong.”
…I would never consider diversity in matters of art. Only quality. It seems to me that to do otherwise would be wrong.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) January 14, 2020
Of course, this got a lot of people discussing and debating, and a number of journalists across the internet writing.
Yours truly weighed in with a response:
Funny, but he’s 100 percent correct. A well written work, film, or TV show doesn’t focus on political agendas or forced diversity. It is written organically, free of constraint.
— Drew T 🇺🇲 (@SupremeHeretic) January 14, 2020
Related: Horror Icon Stephen King Blasts President Trump: “Bullyragging, Racist, Overweening…”
Other responses vehemently disagreed, as the outrage machine fired up right on cue. King would even be accused of “white privilege.”
White men are 35% of the population. It’s not logical they produce 100% of the quality art.
— Cosmichomicide (@Cosmichomicide) January 14, 2020
Sir, respectfully saying you as a white man can’t really say that. You had more advantages and opportunities than a person of color would have. They have been wrongfully held back in so many ways just because of their color skin.
— David Weissman (@davidmweissman) January 14, 2020
With the utmost respect, I think this is quite a bit unfair. When films created by people of color, irrespective of quality, constantly get overlooked by institutions that are predominately comprised of white men, there is an implicit bias at work here.
— Morgan Jerkins (@MorganJerkins) January 14, 2020
Related: Legendary Horror Author Stephen King Believes President Trump is “Rotten to the Core”
But you say this from #WhitePrivilage
I wrote a quality children’s book on #IlhanOmar last summer & the struggle to get it published was painful & ultimately it didn’t happen
You have zero idea how to live in my world, where I can’t even find one book like this for my child
— A Crafty Arab (@acraftyarab) January 14, 2020
No offense, as you are privileged with being published in a time when everyone else being published looked exactly like you, but you couldn’t be more wrong.
Your statement implies that “forced” diversity takes away from “inherent” quality.
Diversity = QUALITY
And vice versa.
— K has no idea. Don’t ask him. (@KrisToddRamer) January 14, 2020
There were also those who completely missed the point.
it’s easy to consider only quality when you can see yourself in every damn work of art out there 🙏🏻
— bel rodrigues (@belrodrigues) January 14, 2020
It didn’t take long for #StephenKing to start trending on Twitter.
As more eyes locked onto the tweet and the responses rolled in, the IT writer would later attempt to clarify his comments.
King wrote, “The most important thing we can do as artists and creative people is make sure everyone has the same fair shot, regardless of sex, color, orientation.”
He added, “Right now such people are badly under-represented, and not only in the arts.”
The most important thing we can do as artists and creative people is make sure everyone has the same fair shot, regardless of sex, color, or orientation. Right now such people are badly under-represented, and not only in the arts.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) January 14, 2020
In a subsequent tweet he added, “You can’t win awards if you’re shut out of the game.”
You can’t win awards if you’re shut out of the game.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) January 14, 2020
Of course, this wasn’t good enough as the outrage mob would point out.
This is a very strange tweet to make after the previous. I’m curious how you envision we “ensure everyone has a fair shot” without ever considering diversity.
— Caraid (@CaraidArt) January 14, 2020
I see where you’re going with this, but as a writer you need to be more specific😉. It’s not enough to cast the “best.” Racism is too deeply rooted. WP in power need to open their minds to every facet. If “Hamilton” can work, anything can.
— DcL 🌊🌊🌊 (@NoOneIsLooking) January 14, 2020
Related: V for Vendetta Actor Stephen Fry Associated With “White Supremacists” For Using “Okay Sign”
It’s almost like people in power should take diversity into account…
— chauncey roach (@RoachChauncey) January 14, 2020
One user made it clear they wanted Stephen King canceled and also described him as a “racist f***.”
Someone cancel this racist fuck
— Kofi Annan (@YoanSpasov) January 14, 2020
While King was predictably faced with the woke cancel culture attacks, and he also predictably backtracked, the interesting thing here is that even though he watered down his original statement with the follow up, the writer did point out what was wrong with the arts today.
Too often, creators box themselves in trying to work around the manufactured constraints of perceived “diversity,” and the quality of their work suffers.
They sometimes go completely away from their original vision, in order to live up to the imposed standards of the perceived woke Twitter society.
King’s tweets come on the heels of comedian Ricky Gervais giving Hollywood a much needed wake up call in his Golden Globes monologue just a week ago.
Related: Ricky Gervais Blasts Superhero Actors: “Have We Got an Award for Most Ripped Junkie?”
It seems that even in the culture of political correctness, times are slowly changing as more people speak their minds.
Will more public figures follow suit? Time will tell.
Was Stephen King correct in his original statement?
Comment below, and keep an eye on Bounding Into Comics for more pop culture news.
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