Stephen King Attacked By Other Celebrities On Twitter For Saying 'Quality' Was More Important Than 'Diversity'

Source: TheDailyBeast.com

Stephen King recently found himself in trouble on Twitter from other celebrities and entertainers after he suggested that awards should focus on quality rather than racial and cultural diversity. On Tuesday, King took to his Twitter account to state that he would never look at “diversity in matters of art, only quality.”

ABC News claims his social media was filled up with mostly replies and not as many likes, suggesting most users were arguing against the point he made. Not long after, the Rage author drew criticism from celebrities such as Ava DuVernay, in addition to Roxane Gay.

As a writer, I am allowed to nominate in just 3 categories: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Original Screenplay. For me, the diversity issue–as it applies to individual actors and directors, anyway–did not come up. That said…

— Stephen King (@StephenKing) January 14, 2020

Gay, in particular, asked why it wasn’t possible to focus on both diversity and quality. Frederick Joseph, as well, argued that diversity tends to create more “interesting, relatable, and higher quality art.” Many others claimed they supported King’s work and were big fans, but couldn’t stand behind the argument he made.

…I would never consider diversity in matters of art. Only quality. It seems to me that to do otherwise would be wrong.

— Stephen King (@StephenKing) January 14, 2020

Stephen King hasn’t responded to the wrath of social media users yet. Regardless of King’s tweets, there’s no question that his writing is easily some of the most popular out there, and also the most adaption-friendly.

The most important thing we can do as artists and creative people is make sure everyone has the same fair shot, regardless of sex, color, or orientation. Right now such people are badly under-represented, and not only in the arts.

— Stephen King (@StephenKing) January 14, 2020

Many of Stephen King’s books have been adapted for movies including Christine, Pet Semetary, It, Carrie, The Shining, Cujo, Creepshow, Children of the Corn, The Shawshank Redemption, and the list goes on and on.

You can't win awards if you're shut out of the game.

— Stephen King (@StephenKing) January 14, 2020

Furthermore, many of the movies created from Stephen King books are some of the most celebrated and loved films of all time, including The Shawshank Redemption, which some critics have argued is a timeless classic.

Last year, Netflix dropped a film based on one of Stephen King and Joe Hill’s novellas, In The Tall Grass, which is about a brother and sister on their way to an abortion clinic to terminate the sister’s pregnancy.

Netflix has adapted other novels from the writer, including the 2017 film, 1922, starring Thomas Jane, in addition to The Mist, which is a multi-episode TV series. In other news, Stephen King and Katie Couric are reportedly gearing up to develop a series for AMC.