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Totally OT - Will Smith vs. Chris Rock

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Where do you stand re Will Smith slapping Chris Rock?
There is no justification and Smith was wrong period. - 54.2% - 13 votes
I disagree with the act but have some sympathy for Smith due to the circumstances. - 25.0% - 6 votes
Smith was right. Rock needed to be b-slapped for what he did. - 20.8% - 5 votes
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Posted 3/29/2022 8:21 PM (GMT 0)
I don't know why I'm interested in this with everything else going on in the world. For those of you who might have missed the news in the past couple of days, Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on stage during the Academy Awards on Sunday night. This was after Rock made a joke that made fun of Smith's wife (Jada) bald head. She is bald because of a medical condition.

Anyway, while few justify Smith's putting his hands on Rock, some have shown some sympathy for a man standing up for his wife who was being ridiculed due to a medical situation.

Just for grins, take the poll and let's see where HW members stand.

Jim
Posted 3/29/2022 9:03 PM (GMT 0)
Thought of a variation on a theme here.

What if you and your wife were at a nightclub, and some stand-up comedian started making tasteless and offensive jokes about prostate cancer and the men who have it.

And then your missus stood up in a fury, marched over to the guy, and slapped him silly.

What would be your take on that?
Posted 3/29/2022 9:17 PM (GMT 0)
If you have a big enough mouth for long enough, you're probably going to end up on the wrong end of a hand. lol
Posted 3/29/2022 9:29 PM (GMT 0)
Chris Rock is a comedian and thats what comedians do. BUT - i think he stepped over the line, making fun of an unfortunate situation which has to be somewhat embarrassing by itself without others making a joke out of it (even though Mrs Rock said she doesn't give two craps what others thiink)

There is something missing in the poll. ''''

I'm probably in the minority saying i'd vote #3, Smith was justified. But i think he wasn't justified in doing it when he did it, taking away from a big moment for many who were about to be awarded Oscars. He should have waited until the after party or whatever they do after the Oscars.
Posted 3/29/2022 9:45 PM (GMT 0)
She’s an actor same as Will Smith is. Out in the public eye. Fights for attention for a living. It’s her job. She talked about it in her paid-for gig on her show. She monetized it. She is open about her condition, and frankly looked pretty darn awesome at the Oscars, right there in the front row. Hair not required.

Chris opened with “Jada, I love you…” and she could have smiled and gave him a thumbs up and flexed a bicep in response to his comment. Or she could have just shook her head with an “mmm, mmm” look. Or whatever. Hell, she could have said afterward, “Yeah, GI Jane 2, call my agent.” She’s an actor.

What Smith did, physically assaulting someone on live TV, is really hard to watch. *** to the power of 100.
Posted 3/29/2022 9:55 PM (GMT 0)
It was a cheap shot period. Comedians make fun of people. That is what they do. However, making fun of someone’s sickness most certainly steps over the line. It could have been handled after the program was over. If that was done on the street, it would be plain and clear assault regardless of what was said. I agree that it took away from the accomplishments of those who were there to accept their awards. Also, it was a very bad example for the children that may have been watching. He could have done it verbally and it would have been just as effective and bleeped out. If it is allowed to continue then the whole cast at SNL could end up in the hospital. He knew it was wrong or he wouldn’t have apologized.

Post Edited (Jack64) : 3/29/2022 4:02:07 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 3/29/2022 10:44 PM (GMT 0)
The joke wasn't funny and it was mean. But there's no excuse for what Will Smith did.
Posted 3/29/2022 11:20 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry -- no excuse whatsoever. They are public figures. The joke was indeed in poor taste, as are many jokes by comedians. I'm sure many are even worse. They should have handled it with class: laughed it off. In fact, Will Smith was laughing in reaction to the "joke." It's only when he saw Jada looking sad that he reacted.

No place for that. Shall we let anyone who is offended go up and slap the performer? If that's okay, what about a haymaker punch?

Mel
Posted 3/30/2022 12:01 AM (GMT 0)
So many possibilities come to mind. Faux outrage. Publicity stunt planned in advance. Weak back-handed slap. No apparent physical damage. No publicity is bad publicity. Years of declining interest in the Oscars suddenly becomes front page news. If it was real, it was uncalled for and out of bounds. But, hey, that's showbiz.
Posted 3/30/2022 1:46 AM (GMT 0)
Earlier in the night there were apparently other jokes lobbed at the couple (not by Chris Rock) pointing out their open marriage (they openly cheat on each other).

I am guessing Will Smith was feeling less than great when Chris Rock made his joke.

In the end, Hollywood is simply depraved. This is just further evidence of it.
Posted 3/30/2022 7:20 AM (GMT 0)
"Chris Rock Allegedly Didn't Know about Jada Pinkett Smith's Condition"
Posted 3/30/2022 2:07 PM (GMT 0)
#3, I'm for any man that stands up for his wife.
I still don't like Smith as he's gotten weird, but he did right!
Posted 3/30/2022 3:58 PM (GMT 0)
I think we all agree with standing up for your wife is a good thing. The question is what's the appropriate way to do it. In my book, assaulting someone crosses the line.
Posted 3/30/2022 4:31 PM (GMT 0)
I read an interesting take on the situation by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar this morning. I trust Kareem's take on the situation more than mine. (https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/kareem-abdul-jabbar-says-will-smiths-slap-perpetuated-stereotypes-against-black-people/ar-aavdqvb)
Posted 3/30/2022 4:32 PM (GMT 0)
I voted for the middle option, i.e. I know in my mind that Smith did the wrong thing by slapping Rock but I just can't get too righteous about it. Maybe I'm projecting. If someone publicly ridiculed my wife's medical condition I would surely want to knock the snot out of them. I probably wouldn't do it since at age 75 my fighting days are behind me. But I sure would want to do it...

Jim
Posted 3/30/2022 5:06 PM (GMT 0)
Just for the sake of discussion.....what do you think would've happened to Clint Eastwood had he slapped Chris Rock on stage during the Academy Awards before millions of viewers theoretically for the very same reasons? Would the consequences (or lack thereof) have been the same or different?
Posted 3/30/2022 5:12 PM (GMT 0)
Well,
Clint is like 90, so the show probably would be over by the time he got the stage.

I believe John Wayne nearly jacked up Clint at the Oscars in the early 1970s.
Posted 3/30/2022 6:34 PM (GMT 0)
I wonder if he would have b***-slapped Amy Schumer if she had made the joke.
Posted 3/30/2022 6:42 PM (GMT 0)
(Meant to update my original retort post, accidentally deleted it. Here it is, reposted)

In a perfect world, this would have been the ideal outcome.

Smith and his wife are seated in the audience, listening to Rock's insults. They both keep their cool. Rock finishes his invective and leaves the stage, presumably to tepid applause from an uncomfortable audience. The Smiths still sit there, still cool.

Later on in the ceremonies, Smith wins the Oscar. He goes on to the stage, stands behind the podium, holding his just received Oscar, and says

"There are some here tonight who choose to take the easy, lazy way of getting attention in this, our attention-centric line of work. These are those who insult others, as a shabby way to draw attention to themselves. Then there are others here tonight who WORK HARD for that attention (holding up high the Oscar as he speaks), who STRIVE to gain the attention, and the respect, of their audiences. Chris, take a good look at this statuette I'm holding up right now. It's something you'll never have. That's because you take the cheap and easy way, you don't do the WORK it takes to get one, because you don't have what it takes to do that. The Academy, however, has just shown that I'm the one who does."

Then he thanks the people who deserve it, including his wife, and leaves the stage.

In a perfect world.
Posted 3/30/2022 9:04 PM (GMT 0)
(I moved this post, to follow the 81GyGuy post)

I've got to applaud you for your retort speech in your perfect world, 81GyGuy.

I actually was going to post what I thought was a funny commentary of your speech, but chances are someone would have taken offense to my humor (Carpe diem). Although, it wasn't mean or hurtful to anyone.
Posted 3/30/2022 9:24 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, that would have been great, and very much taking the high road.
But then again....we all know the world, and all of us people who populate it, are far from perfect.
Posted 3/31/2022 1:24 AM (GMT 0)
Why am I reminded of a former President who on a very very very large stage (I'm sure the largest in history no doubt no doubt) publicly made fun of a disabled journalist. Pretty overt.

Mel
Posted 3/31/2022 3:33 AM (GMT 0)
Do we have to get political? Are we all still suffering from long-haul TDS? Sad.
Posted 3/31/2022 4:57 PM (GMT 0)
In this case, the shoe fits so perfectly.
I will refrain from any more political comments on this thread...although I have to smile at the thought of poor Tud locking his own thread.

Tud -- this is an excellent thread.

Mel
Posted 3/31/2022 7:21 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, lets stay away from politics. The only thing worse than a Mod locking their own thread would be a Mod locking another Mods thread. That would be a bad look. ;-)
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