This Columnist Crossed The Line Bashing Willow & Jaden Smith

Let's get a couple things out of the way first: I understand that newspaper op-ed is, by definition, the personal opinion of a writer. I'm also well-aware of the fact that Willow and Jaden Smith are anything but typical kids, even for Hollywood — we think a lot of the things they say are strange, mind-blowing, or just WTF. But neither of these facts excuses a journalist from fucking with somebody's children.

On Thursday, the New York Post published a vile column by the paper's film critic Kyle Smith. His target was not a box-office bomb. It was Willow and Jaden Smith, the 15 and 17-year-old children of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith. His article is not thoughtful or intelligent enough to warrant a point-by-point take down. So instead, I'll just tell you about the worst parts — and why it's not okay. In the piece, Smith refers to Willow and Jaden as the following: — "überentitled, brainless, self-adoring, twaddle-spewing little munchkins"
— "nuclear narcissists"
— "terrifying ego monsters"
— "pretentious, vapid and humorless"
— "the black Boy George, minus the talent" (Jaden)

Lobbing a laundry list of insults at minors — really, dude? Even when Smith takes a break from his incessant name-calling, he covertly shames the teens for veering outside the cookie-cutter mainstream. "Playing dress-up in a variety of feminine looks, Jaden (who is starring in a womenswear campaign for Louis Vuitton) presents a shot of himself in a matching skirt and jacket, with long dreadlocks and a Boy George hat, under the caption, “STUNNA." I'm sorry, which part of that is supposed to paint Jaden in a negative light? Wearing women's clothing, dreadlocks, and a hat are displays of self-expression, not invitations to mock or shame a kid. Back off.

Smith's nasty tirade against a couple of kids is inappropriate, and just plain mean-spirited. This piece goes way too far, and is the antithesis of how you should write about celebrity's kids. (Smith also takes aim at Will and Jada for being the "Frankenstein" parents who pumped up their kids' egos. The first sentence: "We don’t know for sure that Will and Jada Pinkett Smith are the most horrible parents on Earth." His words are cruel, but they're adults and they can take it.)

Smith quotes a recent tweet by Willow: "ANYTHING that I EVER do is geared towards the evolution and vibrational elevation of this planet through the inspiration of individuals." He writes, "Girl, the planet isn’t asking for your advice." He is talking to a 15-year-old girl here. All I have to say, sir, is that nobody asked you to cross the line in a crass rant against two young people who've done nothing wrong.