Shinola shoutout at the Oscars leaves bad taste for some
(FOX 2) - Most Oscar aficionados gasped Sunday night when "Green Book" took home the best picture award. Not everyone was happy with the win - and not everyone is happy about a comment from one of the film's directors either.
"Green Book" won three total Oscars Sunday including best original screenplay. Writers Nick Vallelonga, Brian Hayes Currie and Peter Farrelly took the stage to give their speeches and Farrelly had an off the cuff remark.
While Farrelly was at the mic, raising his arms and saying his thank yous, his watch caught his eye, leading to a moment that's leaving a bad taste for some: "Tom Kartsotis and Shinola watches. Unbelievable! They're saving Detroit!"
Farrelly has been outspoken about his admiration for Shinola before. During his "Green Book" interview with FOX 2 Detroit's Lee Thomas, he brought up the company then too.
"[Tom Kartsotis] only started that company to get people back to work. He didn't need it, and he's taking a bath, by the way so far," Farrelly told Thomas. "He put up everything he ever made to get that going."
Kartsotis did come to Detroit from Texas to build the business off a brand that was an icon already; Shinola was well known for its shoe polish. With his watch-making skills in tow (he's behind Fossil watches, too) Kartsotis set up shop in Detroit and made the company what it is today.
But the comment caught many off guard. And for a movie that had already been dogged about its portrayal of race relations, it just added fuel to the fire for many on social media. It even caught the attention of Detroit congresswoman Rashida Tlaib.
"Say what? Please stop with this disrespectful & hurtful narrative that we 1) need saving & 2) that billionaires are the ones to do it," she tweeted.
Detroit mayor Mike Duggan's chief of staff also weighed in on Twitter.
"Glad I didn't watch last night...what an ignorant thing to say...or believe."
In the weeks leading up to the big award show, "Green Book" has been accused of "white washing" racism and feeding into the "white savior" narrative, something Tlaib pointed out in her tweet by saying that Detroit doesn't "need saving."
"Green Book" tells the story of a white man who becomes friends with the black musician he drives through the 1960s South for a concert tour. "Green Book" was a publication that helped African-Americans find establishments that would serve them in the segregated South, and it's something the black musician, Dr. Don Shirley, carried with him in the movie throughout his trip.
The family of Dr. Shirley has since come out to say they were not contacted about the film and that they have issues with its accuracy. Oscar viewers also pointed out on social media Sunday night that a group of majority white people were on stage taking home a best picture award about race relations in the south.
Still to some, obviously since the picture nabbed the top award, the movie is a great example of racial tolerance.
Movie critic and Hollywood insider Lee Thomas cut Farrelly some slack regarding his "saving Detroit" comment.
"When he said "saving Detroit," I said [to myself], 'That's the guy who made "Dumb and Dumber." He's a filmmaker. He doesn't live here, he just knows Tom. He got excited; he overstated."
You can hear more of Lee's conversation about the comment in the video player above.
Shinola responded to their shoutout on social media, saying they want to "make it clear that without the city of Detroit, there would be no Shinola."
"The city gave our brand life and it's something we will never take for granted," the statement continued.
Here's the full statement:
"We'd like to congratulate Peter Farrelly on his Oscar win for Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture. Peter has been a friend of the brand for years and the Shinola shout-out during his speech was completely unplanned and unexpected. While we are so thankful for the love we did want to make it clear that without the city of Detroit, there would be no Shinola. The city gave our brand life and it's something we will never take for granted.