Chris Rock and Will Smith’s Oscar Slap Fallout

Image Courtesy: The New York Post

The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, took place on March 27th and many moguls and films were recognized for their creativity and talent. This year, however, things took a turn when renowned comedian Chris Rock took to the stage in an attempt to make the Oscars audience laugh. Sitting in the crowd, Jada Pinkett Smith shuddered when Chris Rock told a joke at her expense. 

“Jada, I love ya. G.I. Jane 2, can’t wait to see it,” Rock joked, suggesting that Pinkett Smith’s new buzzcut resembled that of Demi Moore in the 1997 film. 

In 2018, Pinkett Smith revealed that she struggles with alopecia, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss. She has expressed that her journey with alopecia has been emotionally painful. To come into terms with the disease, Pinkett Smith recently shaved all her hair with the help of her daughter. 

Image Courtesy: Vogue

Initially, Will Smith seemed to have enjoyed Rock’s joke; however, when he looked over at his wife, he knew that she was unamused. In an interesting attempt to defend his wife’s honor, Smith stormed up the Oscar stage and slapped Rock across the face before a live audience of millions.

“Keep my wife’s name out your f*****g mouth!” angrily yelled Smith as he returned to his seat.

As the night continued to unfold, Smith received an award for Best Actor (King Richard) and during his acceptance speech became emotional, justifying his violent actions in the name of love for his wife. Smith apologized directly to the Academy but did not seem to feel remorseful toward Rock.

Following the incident, Smith has since issued an apology to the comedian. “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 emotionally,” Smith explained. “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.”

Image Courtesy: The Scotsman

In an interview with Good Morning America, Oscars producer Will Packer claimed police told Rock they could remove Smith from the audience and arrest him for battery. According to Packer, the cops said: “We will go get him, we are prepared to get him right now. You can press charges. We can arrest him.” Rock stopped the police from arresting Smith and did not want to press charges. 

Image Courtesy: Strike Magazine Tallahassee

When the incident occurred, social media platforms lit up with a hot take: the whole thing was staged. Packer also mentions in his interview that he believed the whole interaction between Smith and Rock was staged, like many viewers watching from home. “I thought it was a bit,” Packer said to the interviewer. Social media users broke down the specifics of the entire situation, for example, some claim that Rock barely moved while others claimed that the incident was a pathetic attempt to get more viewers to tune in. 

Staged or not, it is wrong on both sides. It is quite evident that Pinkett Smith’s medical condition is something she struggles with, and she is trying her best to cope with it; Rock could have left his G.I. Jane joke out. On the other hand, although it is understandable that he would want to defend his wife, Smith could have probably handled things differently, especially because the Academy Awards are broadcast to all age groups. 

Strike Out,

Writer: Fatima Hamad

Editor: Noelle Knowlton

Graphic Designer: Luis Arriaga

Strike Magazine Tallahassee