[smcl]

The question was: why is this any different from what happened at the Oscars?

The answer is: the Will Smith thing was bound to be a huge story regardless of whether it was assisted.

Do you disagree? I'm not sure what your point is, if I'm honest.

[tablespoon]

> The question was: why is this any different from what happened at the Oscars?

Honestly, the problem with that question is that it's asking about the wrong object.

It's like asking what's the difference between shooting a person and shooting a target, when the bullets are identical. A bullet can be used to perform a lot of different goals, just like a piece of attention-grabbing content can. The thing to pay attention to isn't the content itself, but how it was aimed and who did the aiming.

To give a similar example: The text of the First Amendment says "Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press...," yet slander and libel are still illegal. No amount of banging on that pithy text will change that actual situation.

[smcl]

> Honestly, the problem with that question is that it's asking about the wrong object.

If you want to rephrase the question so it is asking about the right object then be my guest - I see you added an answer too though.

I think we've just answered the question two different ways that ultimately boil down to the same thing. One event happened organically, the other was a deliberate action (with an intent, if you will) even if they both had a similar effect. In fact I suspect The Slap was bigger, but Ukraine wasn't pushed out of the headlines before, during or since the Oscars.