Will, Chris and a Jada Joke Gone Wrong

Well, all I can say is that the 94th Academy Awards of Sunday, March 27, 2022, will be talked about for a very long time to come–the reason is the sucker-slap Philadelphia’s own Will Smith put on Comedian Chris Rock during Rock’s stand-up. This is not verbatim–what the popular comedian said, but he referenced the movie G.I. Jane, which starred Demi Moore years ago, to the bald look, Jada Pinkett is sporting these days. He actually said, “Jada I love you. G.I. Jane 2, can’t wait to see it.” Come to find out, Jada, a star in her own right, has alopecia, which is the partial or complete loss of hair from areas of the body where it normally grows, causing baldness. If and when Jada announced she has alopecia, I missed it. Maybe Chris Rock did too.
My take on Chris Rock making the joke he made was not to offend Jada Pinkett or anyone else. To me, it just wasn’t a funny joke. I am very tough on comedians, and there are not a lot of comedians that can make me laugh. Chris Rock is one who makes me laugh.
But when those words left Chris Rocks’ mouth Sunday night, the next thing the in-person audience, and the audience watching by way of television or social media saw, was an angry Will Smith essentially flying up on the stage and slapping Chris Rock very hard across his face. At first, I thought it was part of the act, like Chris and Will planned this “sucker-slap.” But, as I studied homeboy’s body language (Will Smith), I said to myself, “This is not an act. Will is upset with Chris.” To verify my thoughts, as Will took his seat, he shouted out very angrily, “Keep my wife’s name out of your “bleeping” mouth.”
A very stunned live audience and those in TV land were shocked. I’m sure for a moment, in the actual theatre where the Oscars took place, you could hear a pin drop. Let me say this. I still believe in chivalry even in the twenty-first century. Yes, I do. The very thought of a gentleman, standing up for his lady when she’s been disrespected, is kind of nice. However, because I am old-school, I also think how you handle yourself in different situations is very important.
If I were a man and had a special woman in my life, and some man called her out of her name, oh, I would step to the man immediately. In a situation such as being at the Oscars and a comedian is telling a few jokes, and it wasn’t really harmful, I say let it go for the moment. After the show, or at the first opportunity, I would have stepped to Chris and said, “Hey man, I guess you didn’t know, but my wife has been diagnosed with alopecia, which makes one lose all their hair. She’s adjusting fabulously and still looks like a dime.”
In my mind, that could have been the end of it.
At a time in our nation’s history, when violence seems like it’s at an all-time high, if I could have my way, I would hope to see all adults, who are in their right minds, always be on our best behavior so that we can be positive role models for the youth coming up behind us. It doesn’t matter to me if it was Will Smith, Lady Gaga, Serena Williams, Gayle King, or Thera from around the way, anyone who would get up on a stage and slap a comedian, who was doing his job, is wrong. What Chris Rock said, I thought, wasn’t the worst thing in the world to say. I took it as a joke, a bad joke. I do not believe Chris Rock knew at the time, of Jada’s new health issue.
I kind of got the feeling that something else was going on with Will, in particular. I don’t know if Will and Chris had a few words before the Oscars started, if Will was simply having a bad day, or if it was something else. I have never seen Will Smith go off like that before. Wow.
Will won the Oscar for his portrayal of Richard Williams, the father of Venus and Serena, two of the world’s best and most famous tennis super-stars. The movie was titled “King Richard,” and I thought Will Smith did a phenomenal job playing his part. It’s a shame that the 2022 Oscars will not be remembered for Will Smith winning his first Oscar. It will be remembered for his getting up on that stage, showing his butt. I hate that for him. Many “stars” once they make it, you start reading a string of negative articles about them, forgetting from whence they’ve come, or for being into drugs or being a Hollywood whore and things of that nature. With the exception of some recent hiccups in their marriage, to me, the Smiths have proven themselves to have staying power, within their marriage. In most marriages, if the couple survives past the first five years, suddenly there will be some cracks on the wall, so to speak, or strain in the relationship. I think it’s natural. But how you withstand those cracks, is what shows how serious two people are when they say, “I do.”
I guess the other thing that disturbs me about the 2022 Oscar incident is that I greatly dislike seeing us not getting along in public. I am still a believer in not “airing your dirty laundry” to everyone. I believe in going behind closed doors with no media, no cameras, no microphones. Talk it out. Hash it out. Argue if you must. At the end of the day, you come out of that private closed meeting, together, side by side. Period!
As it turns out, according to a report broadcast on CNN Monday, March 28th, the Oscars the night before–wasn’t the first time Chris Rock did a Jada Pinkett joke. In 2016 Chris Rock hosted the Oscars and did a joke about Jada that went like this: “Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties,” Rock said during his opening monologue that year. “I wasn’t invited.”
Smith and Rock go back to “Fresh Prince” days. Chris Rock guest-starred on Smith’s popular hit series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
In my opinion, I think Will Smith owes Chris Rock a public and a private apology. Will apologized to everybody but Chris Rock during his acceptance speech for the Oscar he won Sunday night. He’s lucky the “Academy” didn’t take it back from him for his bad behavior. He’s also lucky that Chris Rock decided not to press charges.
I still love Will Smith, and I’m reminded that we’re all human. Not one of us can be perfect all the time. When you are a superstar like Will is, I imagine the burden becomes even heavier than ever, to appear “perfect” all the time.
I like seeing the Will Smith who is large and in charge, not raging and angry. Adult behavior in front of our children means everything. I wonder how many young people will now think if they’re upset with someone, they can just run up to them and sucker-slap them?
No sooner than I completed my column when a news alert came across 6ABC indicating that Will Smith apologized to Chris Rock for slapping him at the Oscars. In part, Will Smith stated, “I was out of line, and I was wrong”.
“I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line, and I was wrong,” Smith added.
Will Smith issued an apology to the comedian, the academy, and viewers at home, saying he was “out of line” and that his actions are “not indicative of the man I want to be.”
“Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive,” said Smith. “My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear, and I reacted emotionally. I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line, and I was wrong. I am embarrassed, and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.”
Smith added apologies to the film academy, producers of the telecast, attendees, viewers, and the Williams family. Smith was honored for his role as Richard Williams, father of Venus and Serena.
“I am a work in progress,” added Smith.