“Driving Miss Daisy” is Spike Lee’s Vietnam, and “Green Book” gave him flashbacks.
That’s the only possible explanation I can come up with for the temper tantrum Lee threw right after “Green Book” won the Oscar.
Lee has a right to voice his opinion, I just think he comes off as being rude by insulting someone else’s work in that manner. The Oscars don’t dictate what is the best in cinema, just be a good sport about it, you’re allowed to be pissed off but keep it to yourself or say it in a way that isn’t blatantly rude.
Deadline’s Oscar pundit Pete Hammond is stating that Lee was “visibly angry” when “Green Book” won Best Picture, even trying to exit the Kodak Theater earlier than previewed before being told to go back to his seat. Backstage he was immediately asked for his thoughts, jokingly, he responded “Every time somebody’s driving somebody, I lose!” More intriguingly he said, “I thought I was courtside at the Garden and the ref made a bad call.” Afterwards Lee ended the Q&A by saying, “Whether this film won Best Picture or not, we’re on the right side of history.”
According to Hammond, Lee was “clearly furious, got up and walked toward the back of the auditorium in a huff” when “Green Book” was announced as the winner. “He then turned back and appeared to get into an intense conversation with Jordan Peele, who was behind him. He was pacing the aisle and stormed to the back of the auditorium. When he came back, he turned his back to the stage during the speech.”
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