The Smith - Rock debacle at the Oscars

Frankly, it wasn’t that bad of a joke. It could be argued that it was tasteless, but it’s not like Rock said “get it, because you’re bald!” or something like that. Will himself laughed at it before he saw Jada rolling her eyes. It was just a joke.

Smith’s reaction was completely uncalled for. As others have said elsewhere, if he and Jada really got offended, they should have left and not made a scene. Going up on stage and smacking the host on television is not acceptable whatsoever. Talk to him during a commercial break or something if it really offended you that much. The fact that he did what he did and then made some crying speech about family and love after he won best actor is just the disgusting cherry on this sundae.

The most ridiculous thing is that Jada herself has admitted (somewhat proudly too) that she cheats on Will. Why on Earth he felt obligated to make such a ridiculously toxic display for a woman that doesn’t even value him is beyond me. Love makes you do crazy things I guess! 🙄
 
I've had a few different thoughts on it- I thought it was stupid at first because Will Smith seemed to be laughing at the joke before seeing his wife's reaction and then getting pissed- but maybe that's just manipulative editing or maybe he really was triggered by his wife being bothered by the joke.
Going bald-especially as a woman- is no joke and I understand why a joke about that would make someone angry. Especially if they're already having a hard time. I don't know anything about their marriage though.

Everyone at the hairdressers I went to today was talking about it and they pretty much all sympathised with Will, which isn't the same thing as saying he was right.

I do feel bad for those sitting around Will (Lupita Nyong'o being one of them).
 
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The most cowardly aspect of it is that Will only reacted with violence because he knew he could hit Rock without any consequences.

Rock is another male but he's small enough that he isn't a physical threat to Will and he's not frail or disabled or anything.

Imagine for a second that Ellen Degeneres made the same joke.
Imagine for a second that Clint Eastwood made the same joke.
Imagine for a second that Dave Bautista made the same joke.

Will isn't doing anything.

He'd never get away with hitting Ellen because she's a woman.
He'd never get away with hitting Eastwood because he's 91 years old.
He'd never hit Dave Bautista because Dave would rip his arms off and beat him to death with them.

Big tough man, so long as there's no chance of any blowback.
 
My partner is coincidentally reading Will Smiths autobiography at the moment. Just got to a part where he has an argument with his girlfriend. She went out and he took all of her stuff out of the house and burnt it. He comes from an abusive household and it's made him an abusive person.
 
famicommander said:
The most cowardly aspect of it is that Will only reacted with violence because he knew he could hit Rock without any consequences.

Rock is another male but he's small enough that he isn't a physical threat to Will and he's not frail or disabled or anything.

Imagine for a second that Ellen Degeneres made the same joke.
Imagine for a second that Clint Eastwood made the same joke.
Imagine for a second that Dave Bautista made the same joke.

Will isn't doing anything.

He'd never get away with hitting Ellen because she's a woman.
He'd never get away with hitting Eastwood because he's 91 years old.
He'd never hit Dave Bautista because Dave would rip his arms off and beat him to death with them.

Big tough man, so long as there's no chance of any blowback.
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There's also the fact that Chris Rock was a presenter and thus inhibited by his role. If he retaliated he would have foresaken any chance of presenting again. And Will knew it -- which is why that smug parade of his is all the more unbearable to watch after he smacks his object of scorn. If he came at Chris backstage, I have no doubt Rock would have fought back. Who would have won is debatable, but despite the size difference, I wouldn't count Chris Rock out.
 
thetopher said:
And hey, people are talking about the Oscars again, that hasn't happened in a while.
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Cohen said:
First of all, why is it that anyone was allowed to leave their seat during an awards show, unless being directed to or accepting an award?
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They definitely should go back to theater seating. If Smith had had to stumble past four or five sets of knees, and walk down an aisle, he would have been stopped before he ever got on the stage!
 
My thoughts on the matter:

1) I have known of the Oscars only because of this "incident", otherwise, I didn't even care about it. (Also, I don't care about Will Smith, I didn't even know the name of his wife before this situation).

2) Initially, I had some doubts about this and thought it was probably staged; but after reflection, I came to the conclusion that it was real, from Rock and Smith's behavior. Also, I don't see the reason Will Smith should accept to do a petty sketch/act like this, ruining an Oscars night also for himself and being remembered for this.

3) I think that Will Smith acted in an impulsive and wrong way but I don't condemn so harshly these kinds of behavior since this little "violence" can be also a scapegoat sometimes (I don't condemn violence so harshly since I think that pettiness and hypocrisy are worse more problematic than violence in our world and should be punished even more severely).

4) From the little I know, at these celebrations and shows; these kinds of jokes are/can be common; so, I think that it was a little exaggerated as a reaction. A question: If another actor (less famous) had behaved as Will Smith, would he have been punished/eliminated by the production? I don't know.

5) I think that the "production/organization" should have spoken and condemned Chris Rock's joke about an "ill person" instead to stay silent about it.

6) Initially he laughed at the joke, so he didn't "get" it initially (less probable for me) or he decided to act it after he saw Jada's face, maybe because she said something to him? (I don't know)

7) Considering the entire hypocrisy of our society and their experiences in these fields, Will Smith and Jada should have acted smarter despite the improvised situation. (Instead of recurring to violence and passing on the "wrong side", there are much smarter ways to give low-blows in our society in a "civil way"; words such as "peace" and "love" can be more dangerous than words as "death" and "murder" sometimes).
Personally, I think that Jada (if she felt the need because of the "insults") should have gone on the stage acting with a smile continuing this pathetic act of these celebrations, after Rock's joke about her disease and publically humiliating his joke; with something about education and morality that our society likes to preach: (something on these lines)
"What's is so funny about my hair and condition to do a joke? that I have a disease? If it had have been your wife or daughter, it would have been funny? The same for all the people in the public that find it funny?
It is interesting to note that we preach about the problem of bullying, criticizing, and joking about others' appearances, etc. but at the same time we do it.
What a high school boy or bully can learn from this situation? Mock his peer's appearance and disability because it is funny. Great message.
 
If Will had chosen to just yell out, "Hey, not cool, man..." it would've been newsworthy, but not the scandal the current situation is. I feel bad for Chris Rock, but I also RESPECT how controlled he was. Watch the video again and notice his body language...right after Will hits him, his left arm raises to block another possible blow, and his right fist immediately balls up for a second. In that moment, it was obvious he wanted to beat the shit out of Will. But he CONTROLLED the impulse and mentally shifted gears. Massive respect to him for that, it had to be insanely difficult.
 
Anyanka Bunny Slayer said:
If Will had chosen to just yell out, "Hey, not cool, man..." it would've been newsworthy, but not the scandal the current situation is. I feel bad for Chris Rock, but I also RESPECT how controlled he was. Watch the video again and notice his body language...right after Will hits him, his left arm raises to block another possible blow, and his right fist immediately balls up for a second. In that moment, it was obvious he wanted to beat the shit out of Will. But he CONTROLLED the impulse and mentally shifted gears. Massive respect to him for that, it had to be insanely difficult.
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Rock showed even more restraint by not verbally eviscerating Will after the fact. There is a zero percent chance I'd have been able to resist the urge to hit him back, but even if I had, there's an even smaller chance I'd have been able to suppress the urge to make a bunch of smartass comments as he was walking back and sitting down crying.
 
famicommander said:
Rock showed even more restraint by not verbally eviscerating Will after the fact. There is a zero percent chance I'd have been able to resist the urge to hit him back, but even if I had, there's an even smaller chance I'd have been able to suppress the urge to make a bunch of smartass comments as he was walking back and sitting down crying.
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Yes, if you watch his face, A LOT of emotions swept through it. His eyes were deadly for about five seconds. Damn, such control!!! 👍

I lost a lot of respect for Will Smith.
 
I think that CHRIS ROCK was the ONLY bully on that stage that night.

What Will Smith did was what nearly every bullied kid does after a while of being tormented. He lashed out. He RUINED his own reputation because a VILE creep who kept on (this wasn't the first or even the second time) tormenting his family and he finally had had enough being made fun of and of laughing at the NOT a joke.

Will Smith WAS right to apologize, because even though he was humiliated and disrespected on an INTERNATIONAL stage in front of all his peers on what should have been the best night of his life, he WAS WRONG to hit his abuser. Yes, it's always wrong to hit first, even when a woman hits a man who belittles her for decades. BECAUSE that's the LAW - you are allowed to violate someone verbally and repeatedly and in public BY LAW but you cannot ONCE physically violate even in something as mild as a SLAP someone. And it was ONLY a slap.

One slap vs years of humiliation. But the slap is illegal and we in society say it is WRONG. So... Will was correct to apologize to his abuser.

Will was correct to apologize to his abuser.

The fact that Will Smith 'looks' bigger and badder than Chris Rock made HIM look even worse... and perpetuated a stereotype that black men are violent and of course for some reason Will Smith stands in for all black men (and must carry that HUGE BURDEN) b/c that's how society views every act by any of us black people... it is proof of our bad behavior. We are one entity and if any of us falls out of line even once, it makes ALL of us look bad. Sad, but it IS the experience every black person has, especially men.

If i sound angry, it's because I am. I'm furious. That people don't see Chris Rock for the abusive *worst expletives you can think of and then add to them* he was that night. That he did not STEAL from Will Smith his moment in the sun.

I think Chris Rock owes JADA an apology. Probably owes one to Will and to the academy too. But it won't happen. People actually praised him for not being a further creep about it. He acted like most bullies. 'he hit me mommeee' I did 'nufffin' except beat on and keep kicking for YEARS these two people who are my colleagues and who were supposedly 'friends' - then when one of them finally could not take the SHAME of sitting there doing nothing anymore... he did all that was left.

I don't know if Will Smith lost it so much as he wasn't willing to be seen as the man who takes that crap over and over and over and over and over... and does nothing. The milquetoast. 'nice little willie boy' And we all 'know' Will Smith' as a 'nice guy'. he doesn't get into stuff.

This is not a man who has a reputation of hurting or insulting or being nasty to ANYONE.
Stop and ask yourself WHY now? Why would it finally get under his skin?

Because it's ONE last straw and ONE more PERFECT HUMILIATION AND he did it to Will and Jada on the BEST night of Will's life. The night that should have been their triumph. It will now NEVER be anything but the night that Will Smith hit Chris Rock over a 'mere' JOKE.

Chris Rock finally WON. And it is a FOREVER WIN. Unless Will Smith wins another Oscar, or Jada wins one... and even then... it will ALWAYS be tainted with 'the night Will Smith hit someone over a 'little joke'

Because for Bullies and abusers, they are ALWAYS charming and pleasant to the other people... They seem benign IF you are NOT the target.

They always 'handle things with grace' (as he did) They ALWAYS make the VICTIM look bad. If he had not done anything, Will would have looked bad too. Funny, because it's the BULLY who is the abuser and has always been... and being a comic is in some ways a LICENSE TO ABUSE. And of course it's 'not okay' to hit people for 'saying mean stuff'. But what do you do after it's been done to you and your family... over and over? You cannot take it anymore.

It is not right that Will Smith hit anyone. And in the end, black men, black people and Will Smith all lose because we will all get tarred with the 'violent' out of control' brush... but sorry, there need to be limits.

There needs to be condemnation and disinvites to people like Chris Rock who are emotionally violent repeatedly and actually are rewarded for it.

Black women go through hell over our hair.

We get picked on when it's natural because it's curly, because it's messy, because it is 'unprofessional' and we get picked on because when we straighten it we often look abnormal b/c it looks like helmet hair because our hair was NOT meant to be straight - and people say nasty things to us too. Even though many of us are NURSING CHEMICAL OR HOT COMB BURNS ALL THE TIME. We get humiliated because our hair doesn't look like 'normal' straight hair. Even as we are in pain trying to do what is 'required' of us.

When I used to straighten my hair with chemicals, the chemical burns often took months to heal. One must straighten one's hair about every 6 weeks for it to look 'tidy'.

Then, finally, that hair we've manipulated and tried to make socially acceptable starts to fall out... and it falls out a lot more and earlier for black women BECAUSE we overprocess it, because we force it into braids so we have long flowing 'hair' as we are 'supposed to... (and the braids oten pull out the hair at the root) The damage we do to our hair and our scalps is often permanent. Professional women often do stuff to their hair even more often. Someone like Jada would have been working on her hair all the time.

Then when we make the amazing and courageous choice to go without hair or a wig because we are losing our hair... and we actually tell the world that... someone makes us the butt of a joke about a failed movie. Because, much as I loved that movie, it flopped.

And when Will turned and saw his wife AT THE OSCARS, TRYING NOT TO CRY ON INTERNATIONAL TV IN FRONT OF THE entire WORLD...

I think that was Will Smith's ENOUGH I HAVE TO MAKE HIM STOP moment.

So... I do not think it was a mere joke. I think it was a CRUEL public humiliation and a personal, ABUSIVE attack by a nasty little BULLY.

All my sympathy (and money) will remain with Will and Jada. If i can avoid giving Chris Rock money even indirectly, I will.
 
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Will only slapped Chris because he knew there'd be no consequences. He's a straight up coward.

He wouldn't have slapped a person he knew could beat him up.
He wouldn't have slapped a person he knew he'd get in trouble for beating up.

He specifically saw an excuse to take out his pathetic frustrations on the only class of person he could hit without consequences: another man, able-bodied and in his own age bracket, but not big enough to be a physical threat to him.

Anyone who responds to words with violence is nothing but a punk. No sympathy at all for Smith. Zero.
 
famicommander said:
Will only slapped Chris because he knew there'd be no consequences. He's a straight up coward.

He wouldn't have slapped a person he knew could beat him up.
He wouldn't have slapped a person he knew he'd get in trouble for beating up.

He specifically saw an excuse to take out his pathetic frustrations on the only class of person he could hit without consequences: another man, able-bodied and in his own age bracket, but not big enough to be a physical threat to him.

Anyone who responds to words with violence is nothing but a punk. No sympathy at all for Smith. Zero.
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Chris Rock was a coward who took in on someone he thought was too nice to do anything no matter what VILENESS he vomited onto him. Smith was wrong to lash out, because that was not the way one should conduct oneself.

There's NO way that Ellen would have said something like that about Will's wife. I cannot think of anyone else daring to do it... Chris Rock did it because Will, like him is black and because Will Smith never hit a fly so he figured, he could SHAME HIM totally and get away with it.

Of course, there could have been consequences for slapping someone. There's incontravertable proof of a crime comitted. so Will Smith would have been prosecuted if Chris Rock had pressed charges and he would likely have been convicted, b/c all the evidence is there for all to see.

What is the limit? Is there anything you can't say to someone about them and their family? Are there no rules of human decency left? Apparently the ONLY rule is that you cannot hit someone. There's NOTHING to stop you from DESTROYING them and their family in public. That is just fine behavior.

No, I'm sorry. Two wrongs don't make a right... so yes, Will Smith MUST be held responsible for hitting the creep who insulted his family and has done so FOR YEARS.

I guess a woman who once slapped the man who publicly humiliated and ridiculed her for decades would be a coward too.

You cannot have it both ways.

You either admit that Chris Rock was ALSO 100% wrong and so was Will Smith... or you say it is fine for a man (or woman) to be humiliated for years and say nothing and do nothing and if they make ONE mistake THEY deserve condemnation.

Please be clear. I DO not think Will Smith was RIGHT.

I DO understand what he did and why he did it. And also WHY Will Smith APOLOGIZED TO ALL CONCERNED, INCLUDING Chris Rock.

Chris Rock is an abusive, bullying GIT and NOTHING he did that night was understandable, acceptable, decent or defensible in any way. He has the right to torture someone verbally but that doesn't mean is is the moral or decent or HUMAN thing to do. FREE SPEECH is a right*. That is WHY those who exercise it MUST be judicious.

It's not a license to be a rude ass. It's so one can say things that need to be heard. No one anywhere needed to watch Jada CRY in humiliation.

*The Oscars, being a privately owned forum actually have the right to curb that speech significantly as does the FCC because it's broadcast. Freedom of speech is right that cannot be taken by governments (in the US) but that doesn't mean that fora such as the Oscars are the right place to insult people who have done NOTHING to you simply to get a laugh. THAT is what Chris Rock did. He abused his freedom and his platform. For a CHEAP laugh.
 
Roasting and heckling is a very popular part of live comedy . Amy Schumer and Chris Rock could/would have verbally destroyed Slappy Smith in real time anywhere else but at the Oscars . The audience would have lapped it up . They didn't because they're professionals ...but you can rest assured that they're working on some great bits right now 😛 .

I have zero sympathy for a super rich bald lady . My hair's falling out too . So are my teeth . I don't get to do interviews about how upsetting it all is not feeling beautiful 😛 . I don't get to lash out at jokes . Nor do I have the option of expensive cosmetic enhancements ... or fancy clothes ..or a stylist . Cry me a river .
 
DeepBlueJoy
DeepBlueJoy
VERBAL ABUSERS FOR THE WIN!! girl slappers for the guillotine. Cancel Will, he was evil for one mistake. Lionize the abusive bullies, they win. Always.
Chris Rock did nothing wrong at all in this instance.

His joke was literally:
A) She has short hair
B) She's a bad actress
C) GI Jane was a bad move featuring women with short hair
D) Bad actress with short hair should be in the sequel to bad movie about women with short hair

That's what happened. He didn't know she had pattern baldness or a specific sensitivity to it.

If you're a grown ass adult, you should be able to handle a joke whether it's in poor taste or not.

If you're a public figure you should be able to handle a joke whether it's in poor taste or not.

Hell, if you're a 12 year old kid you should be able to handle a joke whether it's in poor taste or not.

Otherwise you may as well just stay inside the rest of your life. The world is full of people that are going to say and do things you don't like. You have to deal with it without being destructive to yourself or others. That's literally called society. Get over it.
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What was vile about saying Jada's acting was bad? That was literally the joke. At an awards show about acting. Full of actors.

Again, Chris didn't know she had pattern baldness or a sensitivity to it. Criticizing someone's acting, as a comedian hired to tell jokes at an awards show for acting, is completely in bounds.

The Smiths projected their own insecurities onto Smith and attacked him for no reason. That's what happened.
 
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DeepBlueJoy
DeepBlueJoy
I hope no one ever torments your children. Because all this thread has done is JUSTIFY ABUSERS ABUSING. No one said Will Smith acted correctly. Including me. What I did say is that Chris Rock acted VILELY b/c he thought he had a free pass.
Yup, just focus on the nature of the joke. Don't look at the target. People who've never lashed out at anyone and who have a history of not 'reacting'.

Look at the 'little joke'... Don't look at the years of torment. Don't look at the absolutely INAPPROPRIATE FORUM Chris Rock CHOSE. Chris Rock is the coward who vomited his acid on people because he figured they were dressed up and they could NOT heckle him and would not dare react. He did it because HE could get away with it and they were a captive audience... because Will was a nominee.

Yes, a grown adult SHOULD handle things better. No disagreement. We all SHOULD react better, but most of us have lost it at one time or another, especially when stuff was directed at our families. Some of us have overreacted in spectacular ways.

Please do not tell me you have NEVER lost your temper.

NO ONE who has ever lost their temper in an inappropriate forum has ANY right to condemn Will Smith as a coward.

Yes, they can say what he did was wrong, inappropriate and unfortunate.... IT WAS! But if they have even a little bit of humanity, maybe they might UNDERSTAND how HUMILIATED HE FELT TO WATCH HIS WIFE TRY NOT TO CRY IN FRONT OF A BILLION PEOPLE!

What Will Smith did not do: He did not PUNCH Chris Rock. He did NOT beat him up. He SLAPPED him. He probably did get up there with the energy to punch him and somewhere in there, sanity started to come back. So he slapped him.

Which delighted Chris Rock. Because the bully finally had his triumph. He got to be CRUEL, mean and nasty AND he got a rise out of his victim.

What Will Smith has done since this happened? He has apologized publicly, not once, but at least twice. Including to Chris Rock directly.

What has Chris Rock said? Chris Rock has had NOTHING to say.

NOTE: as for Chris Rock NOT knowing about her alopecia? Does he live under a rock? I try not to follow Hollywood and I knew. Also, he knows how black women are pilloried and tormented about their hair. This is something he's actually been involved in... so he cannot claim ignorance (nor has he).
 
Anyanka Bunny Slayer
Anyanka Bunny Slayer
What the HELL are on about?
DeepBlueJoy said:
He has NEVER been involved in any negative behavior or hint of it before. Chris Rock has been tormenting his family for years. People are condemning Will for ONE mistake. What about the abusive git who GOADED him into reacting? Where's his apology?
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Appreciate this is a personal issue for you but I think your faith in Smith is misplaced. He's crafted a loveable persona over many years. Everyone's a fan. This wasn't a one off mistake, it was a public mask slipping moment. When his girlfriend at the time wouldn't do what she was told Smith took all of her possessions out of the house and set fire to them in the garden. He's got serious anger issues at the very least and is a potential danger.
 
That's quite the unhinged rant you've got there.

Chris did nothing wrong.

One millionaire actor tells a joke about the acting skills of another millionaire actor in a room full of other millionaire actors at an awards show for millionaire actors to sniff their own farts.

Boo hoo.
 
DeepBlueJoy
DeepBlueJoy
sounds like you have issues with millionaires. Do you think they die less than we do? hurt less? feel less? Funny thing, money may buy things, but it doesn't insulate one from HURT. Yep, I'm an unhinged black woman. smiles.
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