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"So when I opened my eyes, I was like, 'Why is everyone so quiet?'”
Questlove was so zen he didn't register the slap seen around the world.
The bandleader for "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" returned to the late night show on Monday with his new best documentary Oscar in hand to talk about his big win.
The Roots drummer's crowning achievement in film followed Will Smith and Chris Rock's altercation at the ceremony, something that cast a pall on the monumental moment for everyone it seems but Questlove.
The musician confessed that at the time he was completely unaware of the chaos that had preceded his win, as he was in a deep meditative state -- practicing his TM mantra, something he picked up from none other than Jerry Seinfeld.
"Of course, that happened in the cyclone of a whole other situation with two very good friends of mine," Questlove said of his name being announced by Rock. "I really wasn't aware of that. It's weird to say, because they tell you ahead of time, 'This is your category,' so in that moment, you're either going to be full of anxiety or, for me, I've been meditating for the last two years."
He continued, "So when I opened my eyes, I was like, 'Why is everyone so quiet?' I literally was not present for that whole entire moment."
"As I'm walking to the stage, I'm kind of putting two and two together, and I realize that that was a real moment maybe three seconds before I spoke words," he admitted. "But in my mind they're just doing a sketch or whatever and I'm like, 'OK, Ahmir, remember to thank your mom, dad,' so I was not present at all."
While Questlove, born Ahmir Khalib Thompson, was seemingly unfazed by the shocking altercation, his fellow Oscar winner and collaborator for his award winning documentary, "Summer of Soul", Joseph Patel expressed his dissatisfaction with both Smith and Rock.
Patel vocalized his issue with how Rock had introduced the "Summer of Soul" team as "Ahmir Thompson (Questlove) and four white guys."
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View Story"The reason that makes me SO SO VERY ANGRY is because I was so proud to be one of a handful of South Asians to have ever won an Oscar in the history of the award," tweeted Patel, who is Indian-American, on Wednesday. "I was ecstatic that I was the 3RD South Asian to win that night," he added, referring to earlier wins for Riz Ahmed and Aneil Karina for Best Live Action Short. "Three South Asians winning on the same night – that's never happened before! And it’s meaningful! It's history!"
"I'm a big boy — I can take a joke. Comedians make jokes. But not in that moment," he added. "What a s----y, disrespectful thing to do. I got back home to New York last night and saw the ceremony on my DVR and didn't have the stomach to watch it. I probably never will."
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View Story"Thank you, Chris – You absolute f---ing dick," he continued.
Patel was also frustrated that Smith's slap "robbed" them of their moment in the sun.
"I think what Will did was selfish. It robbed the category of its moment. It robbed the other excellent and amazing films of their moment to be acknowledged in what was a STRONG year for docs," he continued. "And it robbed Summer of Soul and our team of our moment. Of a loud, enthusiastic cheer for a celebrated film."
"I never need a statue to tell me how nice I am – but it sure helps," he added. "And what both Will AND Chris did really stained what should have been a beautiful moment for us. Also it goes without saying I speak for me and me alone. Not Ahmir and not our coproducers."
Patel later deleted his tweets because, as he put it, "we reached the unproductive portion of the viral Twitter thread." He added, "I said what I needed to say and feel at peace with it. Some of y'all are weirdos."
