Oscars 2022’s viewership skyrocketed when ‘Hitch’ actor Will Smith smacked comedian Chris Rock during the live broadcast of the significant awards in the entertainment industry.
It so happened that the host of the show, Rock joked about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith who suffers from alopecia which caused her hair loss and balding.
Here's the moment Chris Rock made a "G.I. Jane 2" joke about Jada Pinkett Smith, prompting Will Smith to punch him and yell, "Leave my wife’s name out of your f–king mouth." #Oscars pic.twitter.com/kHTZXI6kuL
— Variety (@Variety) March 28, 2022
Post Smith’s violent act, he was given the ‘Best Actor’ award. And while delivering his acceptance speech, he got teary-eyed and apologized to the Academy, among others, without mentioning Chris Rock.
https://twitter.com/theartforest/status/1508282792857137152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1508282792857137152%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fstorypick.com%2F%3Fp%3D464639
The episode garnered a lot of eyeballs with people sharing their two cents on the matter. The Academy also criticized the violent act.
The Academy does not condone violence of any form.
Tonight we are delighted to celebrate our 94th Academy Awards winners, who deserve this moment of recognition from their peers and movie lovers around the world.
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) March 28, 2022
A lot of people including some Bollywood celebs condemned Smith’s action saying that physical assault can’t be justified. The Academy also received a backlash for not taking action against Smith.
Among them were comedians who expressed worry that someone might come up and physically assault them on stage for their joke and probably get away with it too.
Violence is never the way but cracking jokes about someone’s medical condition should not be acceptable either. This was supposed to be a career high for one of my favourite artists for a superb performance. Instead he’ll be remembered for this crazy incident? #willsmith #Oscars pic.twitter.com/EBuEOiKNwu
— Sophie C (@Sophie_Choudry) March 28, 2022
Not cool #willsmith ??#willsmithchrisrock #Oscars2022
— Shweta Basu Prasad (@shweta_official) March 28, 2022
Please tell me I didn’t see what I just saw. Somebody please tell me that @willsmith was joking and it was part of the show when he just smacked @chrisrock on National Television. I’m begging y’all….please don’t tell me @willsmith would do something like that???
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) March 28, 2022
Dear Will Smith, I am a fan of yours.
I can NEVER accept any kind of Violence, even more so, for this historical moment,violence is never lawful and justifiable. You used Violence, probably provoked, but this DOES NOT JUSTIFY your gesture.
#Oscars #Oscars2022 #Oscar2022 #Oscar pic.twitter.com/wMBt30uDPU— AXEMII (@axemii_ap) March 28, 2022
Will Smith deserves another Oscar for pretending to be a gentleman all these years. #Oscars pic.twitter.com/sHeIeBfLTE
— Ashwani Kumar ?? (@Ashwani67792789) March 28, 2022
You laughed at the joke. Then you punch Chris Rock for making the joke. Then your laughing after punching him. Lost all Respect for Will Smith. It’s NOT okay to lay your hands on anyone. #Oscars #WillAndChris pic.twitter.com/gcRlyHKr2J
— ZZ ?? (@ZZPease) March 28, 2022
Will Smith committed assault in front of millions of witnesses. He should have been removed from the show, and not allowed to receive the award, let alone give a speech. #willsmithchrisrock #WillAndChris #willsmithoscars #IStandWithChrisRock #IStandWithChris pic.twitter.com/L0FCz2oLKT
— Bryce Zabel (@BryceZabel) March 28, 2022
You can't hit somebody like that. Even that on international stage. It's fucking deplorable. It was a joke. You didn't like it? There are other ways to convey it. Disgusting!#Oscars #willsmithchrisrock #WillAndChris
— Rupesh (@givemeparathas) March 28, 2022
Very disappointed that his assault on Chris Rock live, no less, is normalized and justified. No amount of disrespect warrants violence like this. I'm actually disgusted by the #Oscar show now. Points to double standards. What if the victim had been a woman? #notok #WillAndChris https://t.co/K729pAETW7
— Tiffany Challe (@TiffanyChalle) March 28, 2022
I'm mad AF! #WillSmith should be ashamed of himself! He didn't even have the decency to apologize to #ChrisRock He should win an #Oscar for the performance he gave giving that acceptance speech! #Cancelled in my book! pic.twitter.com/AjITOYksav
— ONEofaKIND (@i_onekind) March 28, 2022
#Oscars2022
Imagine if Will Smith went on stage, took the mic, and said,“My wife has been public about her struggle with alopecia, we don’t like that joke, and she’s still the most beautiful woman in the room.”
THE DIFFERENCE.
And the only fool is Chris Rock.#AcademyAwards— @GaryTraynor? (@GaryTraynor21) March 28, 2022
Will Smith walks up to Chris Rock, asks him to apologize for his tasteless joke. Explains to the audience what alopecia is. Expresses love for his wife and all people who suffer with hair loss. Walks back to his seat.
See the difference?#WillSmith #WillAndChris
— Cheff Goldblum (@_miked) March 28, 2022
The only thing worse than taking a bad action is justifying taking a bad action. And justifying a bad action for five minutes, invoking God’s name in the process, and apologizing to everyone except the person you need to apologize to, is even worse. #ToxicMasculinity
— MAURICE LAMARCHE (@MAURICELAMARCHE) March 28, 2022
Some also came in support of him for standing up for his wife. Moreover, in the comedy scene, it’s unethical for comedians to ‘punch down’ on a subject. Basically, mocking people who suffer from a physical ailment, are marginalized in society, or those less powerful than us.
will smith smacked a mf and won an oscar 10 minutes later that was some legendary shit
— nathan zed (@NathanZed) March 28, 2022
We’ve officially reached the stage as a society where we’ve begun to recognize how terrible physical abuse is, but sadly, are still minimizing & defending verbal abuse.#Oscars #WillSmith #WillAndChris
— Anne Boleyn (Sussex Supporter) (@TudorChick1501) March 28, 2022
I stand with Will,a lesson to you all, you should stop this consistently shading and insult to artists. Be disciplined even in your jokes. Sometimes it's ok not to be a big person to protect yourself from bullies#WillSmith #whatjusthappened #WillAndChris
— Thozama Jojo?♥️ (@Thozzyjj) March 28, 2022
He was sticking up for Jada who has alopecia ( which caused hair loss ). Chris joked about her lack of hair ( GI Jane II) i am proud of will for standing up for Jada who was obviously shocked by the comment
— just a gal & her dogs tryin’ to carry on. (@marylouise996S) March 28, 2022
Chris Rock messed up. Jada has a medical reason for the short hair. pic.twitter.com/sIywcHAqLE
— Hangry Sue (@suewilbur) March 28, 2022
I’m not advocating violence but fuck a dude who takes to the Oscars stage and makes fun of a woman who is dealing with alopecia. How pathetic and weak of spirit do you have to be, to mock someone’s suffering. And that joke was misogynist and a whole host of other things. Jesus
— The Disordered Cosmos by Chanda Prescod-Weinstein (@IBJIYONGI) March 28, 2022
Both of them were wrong, opined some.
https://twitter.com/funder/status/1508292584434810885?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1508292584434810885%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fstorypick.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost.php%3Fpost%3D464639action%3Deditclassic-editor
Violence isn’t ok. Assault is never the answer. Also? This is the 2nd time that Chris has made fun of Jada on the #Oscars stage, & tonight he went after her alopecia. Punching down at someone’s auto-immune disease is wrong. Doing so on purpose is cruel. They both need a breather.
— Sophia Bush (@SophiaBush) March 28, 2022
Assault is wrong.
Alopecia is a painful experience that many Black women go through and should not be joked about.
The concept of being ‘the protector’ can be a form of toxic masculinity.
Black women are rarely protected and deserve to be protected.
— Amanda Parris (@amanda_parris) March 28, 2022
Chris Rock literally made a documentary about the historical issues and shame around Black women’s hair. And then make a bald joke about a woman with alopecia. Dude.
(Also, hitting people is stupid.) #Oscars
— Adam Campbell-Schmitt (@adamcswrites) March 28, 2022
Clearly, Twitter is divided. What do you have to say about this incident?