SMASH Oscars 2017 honors Steven Seagal
Steven Seagal: “Obama tried so hard to demonize Russia. … You can have all the citizenships you want as long as you pay taxes in America, and I pay taxes in America.”
SMASH Global’s first Smash Oscars 2017 featured MMA bouts in front of a black-tie audience enjoying a lavish four-course dinner. Meryl Streep was persona non grata.
The event raised funds for charity, celebrated MMA and action movies, and honored the striking and somewhat boyishly handsome looking action film star, musician, philanthropist, environmentalist, animal rights activist, producer, writer, guitarist, reserve deputy sheriff, and 7th-dan black belt in Aikido Steven Seagal. Called by many The Father of the Front Kick in mixed martial arts, Seagal has held off on accepting an 8th degree in Aikido, a testament to his remarkable character.
O’Sensei, a voting member of the academy, discussed films, his bromance with Russian president Vladimir Putin, and more.
I liked ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ quite a bit, he told Jen Yamato for the LA Times. But I thought it was a bad year for films. I didn’t like much.
People wanted to make a big deal out of [my Russian citizenship] because Obama tried so hard to demonize Russia. But I would never give up my citizenship. You can have all the citizenships you want as long as you pay taxes in America, and I pay taxes in America. I’m an American and always will be.
I think [criticism] is coming from Obama and George Soros. And I think that we need to be friends with the superpowers when at all possible. I think Russia and America should be brothers. I think we need them and they need us.
I think it’s one of the most important things in the world to bring Russia and America together.
Celebrity guests in attendance included reality TV personality Courtney Stodden and her dog Cupcake, Kristanna Loken, Don The Dragon Wilson, Michael Jai White, Casper Van Dien, and Josh Barnett. Seagal was awarded the SMASH Global Icon Award leather championship belt.
SMASH Global founder Steve Hulk Smash Orosco, 36, is a former MMA fighter, with a record of 7-1. Bad news is, the fighters he beat had a combined record of 1-59. All fights were in the highly controversial Xplode Fight Series. In his last fight Orosco faced 18-6 pro Nick Patterson and was out in the first.
Martial arts and action don’t get the recognition they deserve in Hollywood, said Orosco. The academy, the foreign press, they don’t give awards to Steven Seagal, Jean-Claude Van Damme, even Arnold. Why hasn’t someone like Sylvester Stallone gotten a lifetime achievement award? He’s made more of an impact than anyone in Hollywood.
Even if you watch UFC, in the first 10 rows, you see people in Tap Out shirts drinking Bud Light. MMA is going to take over boxing in popularity at some point. But the sport has grown so fast that the crowd hasn’t caught up.
https://twitter.com/jenyamato/status/835003926403391488
A portion of proceeds from the event went to Eric Osche‘s For Veterans, By Veterans.