Spike Lee called out various film critics that he alleges told him his 1989 film Do the Right Thing would spark riots when it premiered.
What did Spike Lee say?
Lee made his comments during the Toronto International Film Festival Tribute Awards on Sunday night, where he was honored with the Ebert Director Award. While accepting the award, Lee told Chaz Ebert — the late critic Roger Ebert’s wife — that Roger “got behind” him when others didn’t.
“Your husband got behind me when those mother f–kers in the press were saying that ‘Do the Right Thing’ was going to incite Black people to riot,” Lee said (via Variety). “That this film should not be shown in the United States.”
The legendary director went on to name two specific critics, David Denby and Joe Klein, as two of the more vocal people who believed Do the Right Thing would cause controversy. Lee reflected on the duo, alleging that the pair said that audiences should “hope to God that this doesn’t open in your neighborhood.”
He went on to note, “The struggle still continues. It’s not an even playing field. But we’re going to keep getting on.”
Released in 1989, Do the Right Thing explores the racial tension in a Brooklyn neighborhood in the middle of the summer. The film was not only a commercial success when it premiered, but also a critical one. It received Academy Award nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (Danny Aiello) and is often heralded as one of the greatest films of all time. In 1999, it was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.
