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NEWS > ENTERTAINMENT > WILL SMITH DONATES TO SCIENTOLOGY AND HAS RACE CARD REMOVED

WILL SMITH DONATES TO SCIENTOLOGY AND HAS RACE CARD REMOVED

December 18 2008

Hollywood, CA – Recently revealed tax returns show that among the various donations made by Will Smith’s charitable foundation was a hefty sum paid to three separate organizations representing the Church of Scientology. Smith, who has recently been warming up to celebrity Scientology guru Tom Cruise, has long been the subject of speculation about his religious leanings. With this donation the megastar joins a long list of black stars who have their credibility removed.

“Smith has always had limited acceptance within the black community, at least as far as his career is concerned. His music was very pastel and his acting career hasn’t really had significant amounts of colour,” said Scrape TV Entertainment analyst Tracey Temple. “He’s always been the kind of black man that white parents liked., or that grandparents like. With this growing affiliation with Scientology he may be eroding that support a bit, but has undoubtedly done sever damage to his standing in the black community.”

It should be noted that the largest donation made by the group was to a Philadelphia based Christian organization called Yesha Ministries. For many though, the scientology connection is too much to ignore.

“Will Smith has always been on the edge of blackness and this pushes him over the tipping point. While it’s just about impossible for anyone to hate him, he’s only black be default now,” continued Temple. “It happens in Hollywood all too often. Whoopi Goldberg transitioned, and obviously in the extreme Michael Jackson. While it’s by no means an obligation to check your blackness at the door—see Sidney Poitier as the best example of that—all too often it seems becoming more white, or at least less black, is trend amongst a certain generation of celebrities. Even someone like Denzel Washington has long ago shed roles like ‘Malcolm X’ and ‘Devil in a Blue Dress’ in favour of more generic roles. It feels like blackness is being completely erased from Hollywood.”

And with a new crop of black celebrities coming up the situation doesn’t seem to be getting any better. A recent incident in London left actor and rapper 50 cent embarrassed after the keys to his Rolls Royce were locked in the car leaving his bodyguards trying to fish open the hook with coat hangers. The election of Barack Obama is just one more sign for many that the colour of America is becoming more and more diluted.

“The United States has obviously had a difficult relationship with race and while it’s a fantastic thing that people aren’t being lynched and that children can go to school without fear, it feels like something is being lost,” said Scrape TV Racism analyst Drake Douglas. “Because of the divisions that had been forced on both white and black people the two cultures had essentially evolved differently and brought incredible things to each other, especially in certain cultural realms, specifically music. Now as those lines blur that uniqueness is disappearing. Racism helped bring us the blues, rock and roll, and hip hop. It remains to be seen if it was a good trade.”

While Smith’s race card may have been removed, officially his sanity card is still in his possession.

"There is no evidence that directly attributes him to being a member of Scientology. It’s a trendy thing for stars to be affiliated with less than rational religions but until he declares his dedication to Xenu it’s just chatter,” continued Temple. So far, and I stress so far, Smith hasn’t jumped on any couches. He tends to get a little familiar with David Letterman, but besides that his brain seems to be more or less intact, despite it being a little paler.”

Will Smith will next appear in the film ‘Seven Pounds’ alongside Barry Pepper, who starred in the Sci-Fi flop ‘Battlefield Earth’, which was based on a book by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.

Samantha Dryden, Entertainment Correspondent

NEWS > ENTERTAINMENT > WILL SMITH DONATES TO SCIENTOLOGY AND HAS RACE CARD REMOVED

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