The slap heard around the world

 NO, not the slap Will Smith put on Chris Rock.

BUT, instead the slap that changed film history and was, at the time, controversial for it's boldness.

In the Heat of the Night: The Slap that Changed the History of Film


‘The slap heard around the world’ remains one of the most iconic moments in Poitier's long career as well as in Hollywood history in general. Poitier was one of the pioneers of true representation of Blackness in film, and his legacy will long outlive him.
After reading the script of In the Heat of the Night, Poitier insisted that a slap returned to the white plantation owner would be written in. Poitier himself said that he would only do the part if he could ‘instinctively’ react and that he would not have endured such a slap in his own life.

ALSO:
Sidney Poitier Agreed To Be In The Heat Of The Night Only After One Major Change
Considering the many racially charged issues that were raging during the 1960s and how "In the Heat of the Night" challenged black stereotypes and racism so directly, it's easy to see Poitier's point and why he wanted to change the message in the scene from being docile to standing up for what's right


There was a time, I could have you shot. 

ALAS, as much as times have changed, one has to wonder if there are STILL entitled rich white folks would support this notion.

Or are we past that time? 




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