[imagesource: Neilson Barnard / Getty Images]
If all goes to plan, this is the second and final story we write about the slap.
Today, because tomorrow is another day and it’s going to be unavoidable.
Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars after Rock joked about Jada Pinkett Smith and her hair loss due to alopecia.
At first, it seemed as though it was possibly a scripted bit but the wheels came off when Will started swearing.
You can see all the videos covering the slap here.
The next part of the news cycle is the celeb reaction on social media, and we’ll start with Jaden Smith.
His message was short and sweet:
And That’s How We Do It
— Jaden (@jaden) March 28, 2022
He could also have been talking about his dad’s Oscar win, to be fair, but perhaps it’s intentionally worded that way.
Before attending the Oscars, Will Smith uploaded this video to Instagram:
View this post on Instagram
After the slap was thrown, Will added a comment reading “You can’t invite people from Philly or Baltimore nowhere!!”
If Will Smith was less popular, he would likely be panned across the board.
But he’s been a crowd favourite since his days as the Fresh Prince (that trip to Bel-Air appears not to have taught him much), so a great deal of the criticism comes with a disclaimer.
Here are some standout celeb reactions:
Wtaf????? That wasn’t scripted?????
— Trevor Noah (@Trevornoah) March 28, 2022
Let me tell you something, it’s a very bad practice to walk up on stage and physically assault a Comedian.
Now we all have to worry about who wants to be the next Will Smith in comedy clubs and theaters.— Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) March 28, 2022
At your highest moment …be careful that’s when the devil tries to come for you
— Cardi B (@iamcardib) March 28, 2022
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
Judd Apatow deleted his tweet where he said Will Smith’s slap ‘could’ve killed’ Chris Rock pic.twitter.com/4LPOfVhvjP
— Culture Crave
(@CultureCrave) March 28, 2022
Will Smith owes Chris Rock a huge apology. There is no excuse for what he did. He’s lucky Chris is not filing assault charges. The excuses he made tonight were bullshit.
— Rob Reiner (@robreiner) March 28, 2022
We should never get to a place where we sit and watch a movie star hit someone on global television then, moments later, get a standing ovation while talking about love. #WillSmith #Oscars
— Maria Shriver (@mariashriver) March 28, 2022
It was just a joke. Jokes are what Chris Rock does. Always has been edgy. This was a mild joke for him. And i love GI Jane
— Mia Farrow (@MiaFarrow) March 28, 2022
I think we should take a moment to appreciate this gem:
Will Smith used an open hand on Chris because paper beats rock
— Lauren Scharf (@LLcoolscharf) March 28, 2022
At the ceremony itself, host Amy Schumer handled things quite well in the aftermath of the slap:
#Oscars host Amy Schumer jokes, “I’ve been getting out of the Spider Man costume…did I miss anything?” https://t.co/EViXaQY1NZ pic.twitter.com/H5r24mtZw3
— Good Morning America (@GMA) March 28, 2022
She delivered a few zingers, actually.
This list via The Guardian:
… on co-hosts Wanda Sykes and Regina Hall: “This year the Academy hired three women to host, because it’s cheaper than hiring one man.”
… on Leonardo DiCaprio: “He’s done so much to fight climate change and leave behind a cleaner, greener planet for his girlfriends.”
… on the film King Richard: “After years of Hollywood ignoring women’s stories, this year we finally got a movie about the incredible Williams sisters’ dad.
Can anybody say, off the top of their heads, who actually won in the major categories this year?
Aside from Will Smith winning for King Richard, probably not.
You can find the full list of winners here.
[source:guardian]
