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Topics: Michael Oher, US News, Sport
Dominic Smithers
Topics: Michael Oher, US News, Sport
Footage has emerged that appears to show the 'The Blind Side' author mocking Michael Oher's grades.
In 2006, Michael Lewis released a book that centered on Oher's life and incredible journey from homeless teenager to NFL star.
The book was eventually dramatized, with Oscar-winning Sandra Bullock playing Leigh Anne Tuohy, the wealthy woman who took Oher in.
However, this week, it was revealed that Oher was suing Tuohy and her husband over allegations that the couple did not in fact adopt him, but forced him into a conservatorship.
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The Blind Side went on to make over $300 million at the box office, and Oher claims he was prevented from making any money from it.
And now, footage has resurfaced from an old interview the book's writer, Lewis, gave at Google in 2006.
In the clip, the author, who also wrote 'Moneyball', is asked about Oher and where he is now.
At the time of recording, Oher was studying at the University of Mississippi, or 'Ole Miss' as it's known.
Responding to the question, Lewis jokes: "Google him now, he’s on the dean’s list at Ole Miss, which says a lot about the dean’s list at Ole Miss."
The dean's list is a scholarly award for students who achieve academic excellence.
Lewis goes on to explain that there are a lot of universities in the US that aren't designed to be great academic centers, but rather to support a football team.
He adds: "But you know what, in fairness to Michael, ya know, Bear Bryant had that funny, little line, the former coach of Alabama Crimson Tide, he once said to a reporter, 'We wanna have a school that makes the football team proud' or the 'football team can be proud of'.
"And a lot of these schools sort of have inverted their purpose in life, that there are schools like Ole Miss, and Ole Miss isn’t even the best example, they seem mainly to exist to sustain a football team.
"And then they take these kids, many of whom are from the underclass, poor Black kids from ghettos around America, and let them into the school, get them in however they can get them in.
"And then they make a track for them inside the school, and the track is not designed for them to get an education or even to engage with the school outside the football team.”
He adds: "It's designed to keep their grade point average to the level where they can continue to play football."
Since news of the lawsuit was announced, Lewis came out in defence of the Tuohys.
He said the fact Oher didn't make money from the film is down to studio execs rather than the family.
“Michael Oher should join the writers strike,” he told the Washington Post.
“It’s outrageous how Hollywood accounting works, but the money is not in the Tuohys’ pockets.”
It was announced this week that the Tuohys were ending their conservatorship over Michael Oher.