’12 Years A Slave’ Director Heckled At New York Awards Event
Things were not too civilized at the New York Films Critics Circle Awards ceremony when 12 Years A Slave director Steve McQueen was heckled while accepting an award for the movie on Monday.
McQueen had just accepted the award from Harry Belafonte when the rude interruption occurred. CityArts editor Armond White started to heckle the 12 Years A Slave director.
“You’re an embarrassing doorman and garbage man,” White yelled to the shock of those around him, Variety reports. “F*** you. Kiss my a**.”
It was unclear from the front of the room, whether McQueen ignored him or just didn’t hear altogether, but he continued giving his acceptance speech and thanked the critics for the honor at which point White said “pulease”.
This is not a surprise, White is known for being a contrarian, disliking films that are well received by critics and speaking his mind.
He has not only heckled the 12 Years A Slave director, but in 2011, White hosted the ceremony and verbally abused Annette Bening and Michelle Williams during their acceptance speeches.
In 2012, he ridiculed Robert DeNiro and Viola Davis as they were speaking on-stage.
Many believe 12 Years A Slave is a sure Oscar winner this year, but White isn’t impressed with McQueen apparently.
The Hollywood Reporter says White could not be heard from the front of the room, so it is more likely the 12 Years A Slave helmer didn’t hear the rude comments at all.
“(White) could not be heard from the front of the room and did not interrupt the proceedings.” Scott Feinberg reported.
Even though the heckling of the 12 Years A Slave director made headlines in the movie industry, White and his companions had been making rude remarks all night, according to Dana Stevens from The Slate.
“My friend & I left the table after that big outburst. But he & cohort had been drunk & heckling at a lesser level the whole time,” she tweeted.
Low point of #NYFCC awards: the utter mortification of sitting at the same table as a bunch of drunken yobs heckling Belafonte and McQueen.
— Dana Stevens (@thehighsign) January 7, 2014
@TatteredFedora It was miserable. Luckily most of the room wasn't aware of the fact that they were heckling throughout the _entire_event.
— Dana Stevens (@thehighsign) January 7, 2014
Writer Mark Harris tweeted:
If this Variety story is accurate, it is stomach-turning, and ought not to be shrugged off. http://t.co/tXYmH67ZES
— Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) January 7, 2014
“Wow, these comments are so disrespectful. I like Armond in person, but the NYFCC should reconsider his membership,” The Playlist tweeted, however that tweet seems to have been removed.
The Armond White heckling of 12 Years A Slave‘s director Steve McQueen has left many outraged, but does that mean that he will be reprimanded?
