Academy Awards host Regina Hall is being blasted over her hypocritical COVID skit that was riddled with sexual innuendos and double standards.
Hall’s controversial sketch featured some of Hollywood’s hottest eligible bachelors being rounded up for ‘random’ intimate backstage COVID testing.
The actress then pulled out a list featuring her alleged celebrity crushes, calling Bradley Cooper, Tyler Perry, Timothee Chalamet and Simu Liu to the stage. Hall then informed the celebrity heartthrobs that she would be swabbing them ‘with her tongue’ backstage.
‘I don’t want any of you to worry. It’s gonna be a typical, quick COVID test. You’ll come backstage, take your mask off, if you have one, and your clothes…’ Hall, who earlier in the show announced that she was single, told the Oscars audience.
‘No, it’s simple, I’m going to swab the back of your mouth with my tongue. And we’re just gonna to do some other freaky stuff, which I will record for Academy protocol. Really, this isn’t up to me.’
Hall called on 24-year-old Euphoria actor Jacob Elordi, reiterating that she was aware he is of legal age. She claimed he tested positive for COVID and would need to take a ‘deep PCR test’.
English broadcaster Piers Morgan, along with several other social media users, hit back at Hall, alleging the skit was hypocritical.
‘Interesting to see a female celebrity make lewd sexual jokes about male stars and physically grope them on stage,’ Morgan tweeted. ‘Of course, if a man did that, he’d be immediately cancelled. The double standard is laughable.’
‘The “Covid pat down” was not funny and uncomfortable to watch,’ echoed user @mariaisalright. ‘If the roles were reversed….imagine the reaction. Double standards are not cute.’
Academy Awards host Regina Hall is being blasted over her hypocritical COVID-19 skit that was riddled with sexual innuendos and double standards. The sketch featured some of Hollywood’s bachelors being rounded up for ‘random’ intimate backstage COVID testing
The actress then pulled out a list featuring her alleged celebrity crushes, calling Simu Liu, Bradley Cooper, Tyler Perry and Timothee Chalamet to the stage. Hall then informed the celebrity heartthrobs that she would be swabbing them ‘with her tongue’ backstage
Hall is pictured giving Aquaman star Jason Momoa a ‘COVID pat down’ during the sketch
Among the alleged double standards, involved the relationship statuses of the men on Hall’s COVID list.
The Girls Trip star called on Javier Bardem, before remembering he was still tied to actress Penelope Cruz.
‘Javier Bardem, are you married? Oh, you’re still with Penelope,’ she said. ‘You know what, actually, no, no. Your test is fine. It says you’re married, I mean negative.’
Bardem and Cruz were both seen laughing during the encounter.
The actress also poked fun at Will Smith and his wife’s alleged relaxed relationship, insisting that Jada Pinkett Smith ok-ed it.
‘Will Smith, you’re married, but you’re on the list,’ Hall stated. ‘Looks like Jada approved it. So you get on up here. Get on up here.’
Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz were seen laughing during the skit. Hall had called Bardem to the stage but then rescinded his offer after remembering he was tied to Cruz
Will Smith is pictured laughing during the skit. Hall called Smith to the stage alleging his wife approved his participation
Smith waved his hands apparently declining Hall’s offer while his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, smiled and clapped
Hall also called upon Jason Momoa for a ‘COVID pat down’ in which she publicly felt the Aquaman actor up on stage, a move that seemed odd to some considering a patient wouldn’t be patted down during a COVID test
Smith waved his hands apparently declining the offer while Pinkett Smith smiled and clapped.
She also called upon Jason Momoa for a ‘COVID pat down’ in which she publicly felt the Aquaman actor up on stage, a move that seemed odd to some considering a patient wouldn’t be patted down during a COVID test.
The last name on Hall’s list was John David Washington, the 37-year-old son of Denzel and Pauletta Washington.
When she learned Washington was not present at the awards, Hall told his parents: ‘I’ll make a house call. It’s fine. There’s no need to worry.’
English broadcaster Piers Morgan, along with several other social media users, hit back at Hall, alleging the skit was hypocritical
Others slammed Hall for the sketch’s apparent insensitivity for COVID victims, seemingly too long length and alleged lack of comedic appeal
Besides being slammed for the apparent hypocrisy of the skit, Hall faced criticisms for the sketch’s length and lack of comedic appeal.
‘This covid bit might be longer than Dune,’ tweeted Straight Guys podcast host Kate Zasowski.
‘This covid bit with Regina is making me cringe hard…’ wrote Twitter user @jtjenkinswriter.
‘Sooo imagine if Jason Momoa and Josh Brolin gave Regina Hall a “covid pat down” as a part of an Oscars skit. Imagine the outrage,’ said @borniapss112. ‘Sexism goes both ways folks. That was not cool. Not cool at all. That whole sketch was cringey.’
Another argued the skit was insensitive to those killed by the virus.
‘This Oscars comedy about Covid is the cringiest thing I’ve ever seen,’ echoed @JSnowETH. ‘It’s really not funny considering the number of people it’s affected and killed. And the rest of the comedy isn’t funny either. Yikes.’
‘Soo are the Oscars just going to blow past the objectifying double standard of Regina Hall and her demoralizing Covid testing and handsy pat down?’ questioned @BristolProject.
‘What if the roles were reversed? I’d love to see professional respect from both sides of the table. Talent supersedes.’
However, in wake of the criticism, some Oscars viewers actually applauded Hall’s sketch as being hilarious and an entertaining work of comedy
However, in wake of the criticism, some Oscars viewers actually applauded the slow-moving sketch for its comedy.
‘I just laughed out loud over that Regina [Hall] covid test bit so much that my kids came out to ask me what was so damned funny!’ wrote @fawnica.
‘@MoreReginaHall What was that! #Oscars COVID PATDOWN,’ @IO_InYurFace posted in a tweet featuring laughing emojis.
‘I LOVE Regina Hall! The “COVID testing/Academy protocol” bit was hilarious!! I got nervous when she called Will Smith but he and Jada were good sports about it!’ added Virginia-based journalist Marvin Richards Jr.
Several celebrities attending the 94th Academy Awards were also seen smiling and laughing as they watched the skit live.
Actress Mila Kunis erupted with laughter as her husband, Ashton Kutcher, seemed offended by the content.
Musician Billie Eilish was also spotted laughing and grinning during the sketch.
Actress Mila Kunis erupted with laughter as her husband, Ashton Kutcher, seemed offended by the content
Kunis is pictured smiling during Hall’s skit
Musician Billie Eilish was also spotted laughing and grinning during the sketch
Denzel Washington was also seem laughing during the sketch. Hall tried to call his 37-year-old son, John David Washington, to the stage but he was not present. She promised Denzel that she would make a house call to test John
