An online petition to take an Oscar award away from Kobe Bryant is gaining momentum on social media.
More than 17,000 people have reportedly signed an online petition to revoke Bryant’s Oscar because the NBA star was accused of sexual assault in 2003.
“The Oscars almost avoided nominating sexual predators for awards,” the petition reads. “Woody Allen and James Franco didn’t get anything. But Kobe Bryant, who was charged with a horrific sexual assault, was nominated.”
The former Los Angeles Laker won an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film at Sunday’s Academy Awards for Dear Basketball. The short film is based off Kobe Bryant’s poignant retirement letter published in the Players Tribune in 2015. The unexpected win shocked Bryant and he thanked his daughters in Italian while also throwing a little political shade saying:
“I don’t know if it’s possible, as basketball players we’re really supposed to shut up and dribble,” Bryant said. “I’m glad we do a little bit more than that. Thank you, Academy, for this amazing honor. Thank you, John Williams for such a wonderful piece of music. Thank you, Verizon for believing in the film. Thank you, Molly Carter. Without you we wouldn’t be here and to my wife Vanessa and to our daughters Natalia, Gianna and Bianka … you are my inspiration.”
Here’s the petition below:
The Oscars almost avoided nominating sexual predators for awards. Woody Allen and James Franco didn’t get anything. But Kobe Bryant, who was charged with a horrific sexual assault, was nominated.
Sign the petition to ask The Academy to rescind this nomination because Kobe Bryant is a known rapist.
In 2003, Kobe Bryant raped a 19-year-old hotel employee. He tried to avoid being charged by paying off his victim and settled a civil assault case out of court.
An important conversation has been started about sexual assualt and harassment, so why is Bryant being honored for best animated short if Time really is Up?
Sign on to ask The Academy to take this nomination away.
How about we start a petition to not allow anymore pointless petitions? That sounds like the best petition I’ve heard in years. What Kobe did many years ago doesn’t exclude him from winning an award. It’s subjective anyways, so the people who voted for him clearly weren’t bothered by his past. Move on people. Kobe has an Oscar.
