Will Smith just gave the Oscars its ~viral~ moment by slapping Chris Rock‘s across the face after the comedian made an ableist joke. But, despite the slap finding instant memedom, it’s left a bitter taste in the mouth for some.
In case you missed it, the offending joke was about Jada Pinkett Smith being bald. In the footage, Jada looks unimpressed by the joke. Which is fair since she has alopecia. Not exactly the greatest punch line.
It’s then that we see Will walk up and deliver the slap, before sitting down and yelling “keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth” at Chris Rock. He justified it in his acceptance speech as “protecting his family”.
Language warning for this one! 😳😳😳 #Oscars pic.twitter.com/qlBRjC0sI3
— Channel 7 (@Channel7) March 28, 2022
Obviously, the internet’s initial reaction was a slew of memes fossilising the moment of pure shock in the audience. I mean, who expects a slapping on stage at the Oscars? Not Nicole Kidman, it seems.
https://twitter.com/PopCrave/status/1508279405298204675?s=20&t=Xm0nckDWhhk6pQ3GLO_JDg
Andrew & Zendaya telling Tom about Will Smith and Chris Rock in the Spider-man group chat #Oscars pic.twitter.com/JC9GarivcN
— 𝐥𝐲𝐧𝐧 💚 | (@ClNEMAHS) March 28, 2022
https://twitter.com/ghyter7/status/1508285036201664515?s=20&t=Xm0nckDWhhk6pQ3GLO_JDg
But now, the internet is divided on whether or not the slap was a fair response at defending a woman’s honour, or if it was assault. Let’s examine the debate, shall we.
https://twitter.com/EmmanuelAcho/status/1508284561125359617?s=20&t=Xm0nckDWhhk6pQ3GLO_JDg
I think it’s fair to argue that the situation was uncomfy. No one is safe when it comes getting roasted by a comedian and we’ve seen far worse jokes with a lot less slapping.
While joking about Jada’s alopecia is in poor taste (it’s literally ableist), there’s probably a million ways Will could have clapped back without, you know, literally clapping back.
I don’t know who needs to hear this but Will Smith is not the victim here.
— Bridget Phetasy (@BridgetPhetasy) March 28, 2022
Yell out your own roast! Tell Chris to fuck off! Just say what you already said without actually getting in Chris’ face! Don’t hit or threaten people for doing their job, even if their jokes are are gross!
I think he does nothing and I respect the fuck out of him for that. He’s a comedian who made a joke. Will Smith is the loser in this. https://t.co/vfdR5lyRtm
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) March 28, 2022
Will Smith won and got a standing ovation – I’m in awe the show went on like nothing happened.. will smith punched a comedian for doing his job. He’s a celebrity in the front row of the Oscars where it’s normal to be roasted, bad taste or not
defending will = brainrot
— Ethan Klein (@h3h3productions) March 28, 2022
Chris Rock has so far not gone to police after he was hit by Will Smith. If he does, police would launch a misdemeanor battery investigation – NBC
— BNO News (@BNONews) March 28, 2022
But some have taken this further, claiming that Will Smith is violent and dangerous. That the slap could have been lethal. That this is proof Will is abusive.
https://twitter.com/Lexialex/status/1508279261014024195?s=20&t=EEtMlc7tAVMnPJGk4C8ywQ
Comedian and director Judd Apatow wrote and then swiftly deleted a tweet which said: “He could have killed him. That’s pure out of control rage and violence. They’ve heard a million jokes about them in the last three decades. They are not freshman in the world of Hollywood and comedy. He lost his mind.”
Killed Chris? With that open palm? I doubt it.
What concerns me about tweets like this is the way they further the dangerous stereotype of the “Angry Black Man”.
https://twitter.com/haltercroptop/status/1508290734314688512?s=20&t=Xm0nckDWhhk6pQ3GLO_JDg
Sure, the slap was out of pocket and uncomfortable. But going as far as to frame it as attempted manslaughter, or to say that Will has a rage and violence issue? Now we’re getting into racially dicey territory.
judd apatow talking about violence and rage after a tiny slap but not about continuing to work with james franco after multiple instances of him being violent against women pic.twitter.com/AYkbXIXPbC
— mitsuki (@mitskiIeaks) March 28, 2022
https://twitter.com/rgay/status/1508289336525131786?s=20&t=Xm0nckDWhhk6pQ3GLO_JDg
There is something icky about the way non-Black people are extremely quick to rinse Black men for poor behaviour, which they seldom hold white people accountable for.
Catch this pic.twitter.com/Tqwo3Hu6bf
— smells like bitch in here (@ightsolisten) March 28, 2022
That’s not to say that what Will Smith did was okay. Buuuuut, almost all the criticism and character assassinations in response to the slap have been by non-Black people.
Yes, call men out for unnecessarily choosing to react physically to provocation. No, do not use racially loaded language to do it.
