Will Smith punches Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars.

[CheeseMuffin]

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

@rabbitwoman

Sorry, you are comparing alopecia to cerebral palsey?

?????

Would Chris Rock even have known that jada Smith had alopecia? I didn't. And lots and lots of women shave their heads.

Will Smith is a beloved actor, who has always seemed so lovely, cool, easy going; he lost his cool, for no reason. It makes everyone less uncomfortable to try and pretend Chris rock deserved it rather than admit that there might be a nasty side to will Smith we have not seen before.

But Chris rock did not deserve it. I have seen this before, men needing to take aggression and frustration out on the nearest target and using the tiniest excuse, and it does not impress me much.

There is definitely something else going on.

This.

[quote MrsLargeEmbodied]@Caminante

turns out that is fake
be careful what you believe on twitter[/quote]
Yes, glad that it's not, and you're right, I took it at face value

If that's the aggression he reacts with on a globally televised broadcast what is he like behind closed doors? A dignified response to the inappropriate home would've been to call it out in his speech. Absolutely hold Chris rock to account, hitting him hasn't solved anything other than to prove celebrity buys you the right to assault another person.

@Onlywomengivebirth

It was a stupid and incredibly lazy joke, much like the joke before directed at Penelope and Javier. ( haven’t read the entire thread so not sure if anyone clocked that already). Total yawn fest. Typical jokes made by stupid bloke. Will’s reaction, was also a predictable yawn fest. Im sure his wife can stand up for herself in a more dignified manner. I’m embarrassed for the both of them.

It was an Oscar's joke. Not particularly funny but the kind that has been going on forever - bald jokes, fat jokes, hair jokes, dress jokes...The difference was that Penelope and Javier laughed, they understood is all a game ....and Will reacted violently. And in public.

Jada is one of the most open minded actresses around, she'd talk about her alopecia and joke about it without a problem. The problem was her husband violence.

Will was high. And when a person is high they react in unpredictable ways.

The whole format seems exposed now. It’s becoming a tired event so people pushed the joke part and the veneer slipped

@Caminante

I think thats worse than the original clip to be honest.

It's also not a clip of anyone involved in the incident.

Chris Rock isn't in it.

First mistake was making a joke about someone else's illness. That's never okay imo. That needs to be drummed into kids and young adults whatever their own issues may be. I know it happens because one had it walking down the street: you can imagine the lowlifes who do this, don't be that lowlife, kids.
Second mistake , never throw the first punch.

Will took exception to the jumped up little comedy guy trading on his family personal (but very public) stuff and decided to show him who is boss.

well he failed then. Chris handled it well & Will looked like a mess & has invited even more gossip re his marriage

@Febrier

I've seen a clip supposed to be Chris Rock and his entourage afterwards when they're explaining to him that it wasn't a joke. Rock seems to be shouting for Smith as if he's upstairs or something. If this is real, it makes me wonder what their relationship has been like to date.

It’s very obviously not Chris Rock in that video

*joke

Will Smith laughed at the joke at first, only when he realised Jada wasn't laughing did he react.

If smith turns to violence so easily in such a public event, I can only imagine what he is like when the camera isn't on him.

The only person I feel for in this is Jada. Dreadful joke made at her expense, which her husband laughed at then her husband then resorts to violence. Amplifying the 'joke' even more

Should read " because I've had it walking down the street."

@Ohmnomnom

Will Smith was an absolute coward. If he really needed to resort to physical violence he should have waited until they were outside and Chris could defend himself. Will knew full well Chris wouldn't fight back while he was in the middle of hosting the Oscars. Like when people are rude to waiters or customer service reps as they know they won't react for fear of losing their job.

And Chis was a coward, standing there knowing Will and Jada could do nothing about he said.

It is absolutely not like customer service, where the employee is just trying to help. What a ridiculous comparison.

Chris did verbal abuse, Will reiterated with physical abuse. You sometimes don't get to choose what form someone is going to come back at you. Maybe next keep a check on yourself.

Its a hard one I don't agree with physical violence and things shouldn't be off limits for comedy but he made a joke about his wifes bald head when she suffers with alopecia.

I can't help thinking what kind of reaction there would have been to Jada going up there and slapping Chris Rock or just shouting him down for an apology? All a bit wild west for Will going up there to 'protect' his wife's honour. I wonder what her face was like when she saw him do that 'for' her. I feel embarrassed for her - she'll have all the fall-out to deal with. Not a good place to be when they should just be celebrating his Oscar win.

I'm so surprised no one has done the same to Ricky Gervais.

Will looked altogether too comfortable dishing out that kind of one off slap to me. He didn't stay to fight, he didn't grab Chris R by his lapels or get in his face as most men I have seen fight start out a confrontation by doing. He walked onto that stage and dished out a big chastising slap and then walked away safe in the knowledge he'd not be challenged.

He's a disgusting, arrogant bully.

honestly this thread! Can’t believe WOMEN are condoning a violent act from a man!! Esp on mumsnet when a poster even mentions a man breathing the wrong way and you have everyone saying he is abusive 🙄

At the end of the day his response was not equal to the situation… Yes he can be pissed and rightly so, but it would have been a great opportunity to also use his words to speak of it, that would have put rock in his place rather than resorting to violence… And then using love as an excuse for being violent 🙄

Poor Jada 😣
I'm honestly shocked at Will.

@Swayingpalmtrees why should she have to handle anything?
What a ridiculous thing to say

[quote MrsLargeEmbodied]@Caminante

turns out that is fake
be careful what you believe on twitter[/quote]
But it's clear Chris Rock isn't in the clip! I'm surprised anyone who has presumably seen pictures / video of the original incident would then watch that clip and think it's real... because Chris Rock very clearly isn't in it!

So it seems like it's an issue of people not bothering to distinguish between POC which is offensive, disappointing and sad all at once.

@picklemewalnuts

What would the right response be?

To publicly ridicule a woman's appearance and health condition- which has potential to be related to underlying trauma- on tv, in front of a packed room of celebrities and powerbrokers- that's despicable, and no amount of later apologies from the event organisers was going to cut the mustard.

He took a moment of maximum visibility and impregnability and abused it.

What is the correct response to that? Clearly it isn't punching the guy. What should have been done instead? What would make people think twice about prioritising their cleverness over a woman's pain?

If he'd stuck to yelling at him from the audience to keep his wife's name out of his fucking mouth and not punched him we'd be applauding Smith now.

Chris did verbal abuse, Will reiterated with physical abuse. You sometimes don't get to choose what form someone is going to come back at you. Maybe next keep a check on yourself.

Men use this excuse for domestic violence all the time!

Will has ADHD, I wonder if he normally takes meds and he was off them? My sympathies if this was the case, can totally relate.

I can’t believe the justifying of violence I am reading on here. It is never justified unless in physical self-defence. What he did was terrible. Those of you excusing it or “seeing his point of view”, I hope you don’t have children that you are passing this moral code onto.

It was a joke. Not a nice one but not the end of the world. I didn’t know Jada had an illness, would Chris Rock know? I thought that was just her look. Also her husband laughed heartily until he saw her eye rolling reaction.

His sudden explosion of rage was frightening.

@Covetthee

honestly this thread! Can’t believe WOMEN are condoning a violent act from a man!! Esp on mumsnet when a poster even mentions a man breathing the wrong way and you have everyone saying he is abusive 🙄

At the end of the day his response was not equal to the situation… Yes he can be pissed and rightly so, but it would have been a great opportunity to also use his words to speak of it, that would have put rock in his place rather than resorting to violence… And then using love as an excuse for being violent 🙄

I know of this was a post saying:

‘DH’s friend made a joke about my bald head and DH assaulted him’ there’s be LTB and 🚩 a plenty!