Dear Hollywood,

To be quite blunt, I never really liked you. You were an OK acquaintance at times, but that doesn’t dispute the fact that you always seemed to look for the worst in people and exploit it. For instance, you made us believe that Tom Cruise was psychotic because he jumped on a couch. I, a sane person, have jumped on furniture on more than one occasion, and have yet to be scrutinized by my friends or family. Maybe someone should catch me before I commit a far more heinous offense against humanity.

After all your sex and drug scandals, after all the celebrity controversy, I still gave you the benefit of the doubt and tolerated your ridiculousness. But now you’ve finally taken it too far and stepped over the line. Much to my dismay, I’ve recently heard that you may be setting your sights on a man who has shown nothing but the highest caliber of character in public eye. That man is the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air himself – Will Smith.

Apparently, you are criticizing Mr. Smith because of his tolerance of the not so popular Scientology religion, as well as his close relationship with Tom Cruise. There have been speculations that Smith has himself become a Scientologist. What other question could I possibly ask you besides … so what? Why is this even being discussed? Have you run out of real scandalous stories to talk about, causing you to turn your thirst for blood on the innocent? Did Britney Spears not shave her head or go to the hospital this month?

Mr. Smith, who is one of the most talented entertainers of our generation, is well known for being very diverse in the industry, having dominated the fields of television, music and film. He has been nominated for an Academy Award more than once and was the first hip-hop act to ever win a Grammy. His sitcom, “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” was one of the most popular television series in history. To add to that, Smith has never allowed himself to become a negative media figure and is, with actress Jada Pinkett Smith, in one of the very few celebrity relationships that seems to be genuinely based on something real.

Come on Hollywood. Your father, The Media, already had its shot at Smith by misconstruing comments that he made about Adolf Hitler, making it seem as if Smith admired the evil dictator. Are you that eager to see a hero fall? It’s not as if Smith was videotaped smoking out of a crack pipe with Amy Winehouse or helping himself to a line of cocaine with Kate Moss. The man is an intelligent and highly respectable human being and should be regarded as nothing less.

A happily married man who idealistically supports his wife and children does not deserve this. How is he not the picture perfect model of an American man?

So Hollywood, if you want to criticize someone for their so called “radical” or “offensive” views, go to YouTube and take a look at a few clips from “The O’Reilly Factor” or turn on “BET” for five minutes. Whatever you choose to do, just back off Big Willie. You can’t have this one.

Sincerely,

Patrick Xavier Battle

avid Will Smith fan

P.S. My opinion is in no way biased. I, like any sane person, thought “Wild Wild West” sucked.