Mexicans won big in last night’s Oscars, but like every award show there are controversial moments, which can come off as hilarious, or in some cases super offensive. Before Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu stepped up to receive his third (and biggest) honor of the night: Best Picture for “Birdman”, his longtime friend Sean Penn made a joke asking who’d given “this son of a bitch his Green Card.” For many, this was beyond insulting, but for others it was the perfect introduction for what Iñárritu was about to say. The director himself made a joke about immigration rules being a little lose in the Academy because “two Mexicans in a row is suspicious,” he joked.
González Iñárritu was not only not offended by Penn’s joke, but he laughed and later told the press he thought it was very funny. The two have worked together before in Iñárritu’s “21 Grams” and have great respect for each other. Unfortunately, most people focused on the offense of the joke instead of the Mexican's great triumph (for the second year in a row!), and Iñárritu’s powerful speech. The comment sparked absolute media frenzy with mixed feelings; what did you think of Sean Penn’s comment?
No puedo creer que la gente se sienta por el comentario de Sean Penn, fue un halago! #SenseOfHumor People #Oscars
— Ana Brenda (@anabrendac) February 23, 2015What #SeanPenn said at the #Oscars is just a mirror of how a lot of people in d #USA feel about foreigners, New age #immigrants #GreenCard
— Ricky Van Marten (@DSmartNigerian) February 23, 2015I have mixed feelings with Sean Penn , it's a joke, but a heavy joke.
— Ana De La Reguera (@ADELAREGUERA) February 23, 2015People being pissed off about #SeanPenn's joke shows that these people have no sense of humour and are unreasonably oversensitive...#chillax
— (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻ (@andreangel13) February 23, 2015How Sean Penn's "green card" comment soured the final moments of the #Oscars2015 http://t.co/2CD6TNiTu3
— HP LatinoVoices (@LatinoVoices) February 23, 2015It Doesn't Matter If Sean Penn Was Joking, His Green Card Comment at the Oscars Was Awful http://t.co/T0np8aJYqk pic.twitter.com/j9vqQuZcs2
— Cosmopolitan (@Cosmopolitan) February 23, 2015Did …. that green card joke really happen?
— roxane gay (@rgay) February 23, 2015Doesn't matter that Penn's a "pal." Jokes about "legality" of Latinos shows that 1) an artist who is Latino is not just seen as "an artist"
— Alex Alvarez (@soalexgoes) February 23, 2015And great job Sean Penn. Ruining a fantastic moment with a green card "joke." #Tacky
— Mario Lopez (@MarioLopezExtra) February 23, 2015People really need to learn how to take a joke. The dude said it all in good fun. Leave him be. http://t.co/z0o5NnDLXi
— Brandon Morse (@TheBrandonMorse) February 23, 2015
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