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Original poster

Will Smith punches Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars.

999 replies

CheeseMuffin · 28/03/2022 04:10

I think I speak for us all when I ask WTF just happened?

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/mar/27/will-smith-punch-chris-rock-wife-joke-gi-jane-video-oscars

OP posts:
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5
Moaningturtle · 28/03/2022 08:43

@Swayingpalmtrees

What if you were being attacked? What if a grown man was attacking a child, you wouldn’t hit and kick and push him off? Or would you call 999 and wait 20 minutes by which time it’s too late?

That is called self defence.

We can not apply it to this situation because Will was not being physically attacked nor a child of his.

You said there’s “never a justification for violence”

Well there is. Self defence is violence. You should be more clear.

MrsLargeEmbodied · 28/03/2022 08:43

neither of these men come out in any glory whatsoever

what about ukraine, was that mentioned at all?

658Doyouknowwheremysparkis · 28/03/2022 08:44

It looked staged to me, there was little recoil or shock imo. if not, massively poor behaviour to hit anyone and yes, the ‘joke’ was inappropriate ….. still, fragile LA egos, bad behaviour are not exactly unusual.

Febrier · 28/03/2022 08:44

@Febrier can you link to that?

I've been looking and can't find it now Confused

Doubleraspberry · 28/03/2022 08:45

Physical self defence is a total irrelevance here, isn’t it? Because that’s not what happened here or what posters are saying is unacceptable. Physical aggression is what we saw last night.

GoofyIsACow · 28/03/2022 08:46

I thought Rebel Wilson’s joke about them at the baftas was below the belt too tbh

Swayingpalmtrees · 28/03/2022 08:47

You are missing the point moaning. There is never justification to punch someone for a joke/insult.

Self defence is not what happened here. We are talking about Will Smith choosing to walk on stage and punch someone.

MrsLargeEmbodied · 28/03/2022 08:48

twitter.com/i/status/1508305911164592131

after the hit

Lweji · 28/03/2022 08:49

I'm in two minds about it, but the emotional hurt tends to last longer than physical hurt.
Will could always say his slap was also a joke in poor taste.

Women's appearances have been the punch bag for too long. 😔

Still not OK for Will to march up to someone and slap him. He could have chosen to speak back and Chris would be the one who ended up looking bad.

gazprom · 28/03/2022 08:49

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roast_(comedy)

Don Rickles was one of the earliest proponents.

This is actually crucial to understanding why this situation is so bizarre

Swayingpalmtrees · 28/03/2022 08:50

Jada should not have been there if she was feeling too fragile full stop. The oscars is well known for this kind of stuff. You can not control what other people say or joke about, life isn't like that.

Moaningturtle · 28/03/2022 08:51

@Doubleraspberry

Physical self defence is a total irrelevance here, isn’t it? Because that’s not what happened here or what posters are saying is unacceptable. Physical aggression is what we saw last night.
I’m wasn’t saying last night was self defence, but many people on this thread have stated there is “never an acceptable level of violence” and I’m saying that’s not true. Legally there is, and actually you can be excused in law (particularly in some states in America) for hitting someone because someone has insulted you/offended you. You can be excused in law for shooting someone for looking at your house wrong in some states. Not saying it’s right, but in law there is a tolerated level of violence up to and including death that doesn’t even require a physical assault from the injured party.
DidymusAmbrosius · 28/03/2022 08:51

For me, Will Smith has not defended Jada - he has instead twisted the conversation to one about violence ands about him. Now, all we are talking about is how he hit Chris Rock and whether the joke justified the smack.

Without the slap, we have Chris Rock making a cruel joke - perhaps even a bullying one. Called out, the talk would have been about how wrong Chris was to target Jada like that. By hitting him, suddenly the talk changes tangent to whether or not Rock deserved the hit.

He could have did all he did, minus the slap (i.e. go up to Chris, tell him to 'keep his wife's name out of his fucking mouth' etc) and it would have still been a strong statement about how wrong Chris was. Suddenly instead of a straight forward condemnation of the joke, we have this nuance about whether or not Rock is both the bully of Jada and a victim of Will. That's a real shame (for Jada).

(Out of all of this, Denzel comes out looking like the coolest of the cool.)

EsmaCannonball · 28/03/2022 08:51

I understand that if you struggle with alopecia then jokes about it could be tiresome or upsetting, but just because Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith regularly invade their own family's privacy in the most cringeworthy and uncomfortable way, they shouldn't just assume that everyone knows the ins and out of their health issues. You'd have to be the kind of person addicted to their need for attention to know about all their health problems.

toomanytwinkies · 28/03/2022 08:53

@Lweji

I'm in two minds about it, but the emotional hurt tends to last longer than physical hurt. Will could always say his slap was also a joke in poor taste.

Women's appearances have been the punch bag for too long. 😔

Still not OK for Will to march up to someone and slap him. He could have chosen to speak back and Chris would be the one who ended up looking bad.

Yes the pen is mightier than the sword and all that. Calling it out after would’ve made Chris Rock look and feel bad but instead, by assaulting him, all that attention is now on Will Smith. He’s come out of it looking worse imo.
MrsLargeEmbodied · 28/03/2022 08:53

@Swayingpalmtrees

Jada should not have been there if she was feeling too fragile full stop. The oscars is well known for this kind of stuff. You can not control what other people say or joke about, life isn't like that.
what an awful response

Jada had every reason to be there, She should not have to Hide Away

GatoradeMeBitch · 28/03/2022 08:53

Reddit has decided, predictably, that Jada was to blame. She should have laughed and not somehow pushed Will (in the second the camera was off her) to go and defend her. It's all her fault for looking sad. Hmm

The whole thing actually has made me a bit concerned about her. I'd heard Will Smith could be a bit intense, but that he could lose his temper that badly... Anyone thinking this was a set up - how much do you think they could pay Will Smith to damage his reputation so badly? He got the hugs and applause tonight, but don't be surprised if we start to see a lot less of him.

Swayingpalmtrees · 28/03/2022 08:55

I agree you can't overshare your issues, then expect others to respectfully stick to your narrative and on your own terms, especially in a setting like the oscars. I am not condoning hurtful jokes, but it is supposed to be light hearted comedy and not a personal attack on a person.

Either way the violence was a massive overreaction.

Saucery · 28/03/2022 08:55

@MrsLargeEmbodied

twitter.com/i/status/1508305911164592131

after the hit

Oh, he’s all talk there with his security around him, knowing there’s zero chance any more punches will be thrown.

They are both pathetic.

Wagsandclaws · 28/03/2022 08:55

That Twitter clip isn't Chris Rock 🤣

LosingTheWill2022 · 28/03/2022 08:55

What we saw was a very public demonstration of how men in positions of power are enabled to abuse. Security didn't act and the academy didn't act because Will Smith is one of the most successful men in their industry.

Smith has shown who he is. No way would his first act of physical aggression have been this one.

Rock has shown who he is by his offensive and hurtful words. But I'm appalled that people think those words justify physical assault.

Jada was abused by both men.

Papayamya · 28/03/2022 08:55

[quote Moaningturtle]@Swayingpalmtrees do you also think the defensive violence from the Ukrainians is unacceptable?[/quote]
Oh fuck off, how dare you bring that up to try and justify this. Disgusting.

WildFlowerBees · 28/03/2022 08:55

I think it was real, afterwards he's shouting 'Keep my wife's name outta your fucking mouth' I don't think they'd allow that sort of language on live tv.

These kinds of jokes need to stop they aren't funny, Rebel Wilson and her crass humour and her jibe at JK Rowling. They all think they're above everyone, they give themselves the title of celebrity.

What WS did was wrong, violence is never the answer.

Cancel the bloody lot of them!

donquixotedelamancha · 28/03/2022 08:57

Nice to see the disablism apologists out in force.

Anything about a disability you think shouldn't be the butt of a joke or is everything OK?

Being bald is not a disability, don't be so fucking stupid.

I decided to stop trying to hide my hair loss and shave my head a week ago. Got my first joke about it yesterday.

In no way does feeling slightly hurt about an embarrassing feature justify violence. The people excusing a coddled millionaire behaving like a thug need to get a grip.

Saucery · 28/03/2022 08:57

@Wagsandclaws

That Twitter clip isn't Chris Rock 🤣
Omg, is it not? I’m watching on a small phone with the sound down. Then….only Will Smith is pathetic.