I'm going to say it: There's a class divide in the Will Smith incident

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I have a wide social circle.

What I've noticed today on social media is those from blue collar/working class backgrounds are defending Will Smith's actions, the women saying "he's a real man" "that's what men should do", "he was defending her" and those from white collar backgrounds/middle classes completely condemning Will's actions as pure unadulterated violence/assault.

Both obviously agreeing Chris' joke was in bad taste and not funny.

What's everyone else's experience been from their social media reactions?

@Clarabe1

On a side note - I have yet to see a patch of alopecia on Jada’s head? There are no shiny bits which there would be if she had alopecia.

I agree. My husband has alopecia and his shaved head looks patchy even freshly shaved. Maybe she has hair tattoos.

I find it quite amusing to read that some many people understand WS reaction because he was triggered/provoked etc…
But his wife who was on the one on the receiving end of the joke somehow managed to stay calm and not go in stage to physically hit the person making the joke/bullying her.

How is it that she managed to control herself but he didn’t??

Can't get too worked up over a man bitch slapping another man for slagging off his wife. So what it's not really newsworthy, probably happens every day in real life. Wouldn't like if my dh did it and don't think I would slap someone for roasting me or dh but don't think it is a. Outrageous reaction and even if not staged it was for show.

I read Will's autobiography last year. There are a few bits where Will mentions Jada being cross or frustrated by his over the top gestures and displays. I felt quite sorry for her when I read it, but respected how he included stuff that didn't show him in a good light. The slap last night just made me feel more sorry for Jada, I would assume she was embarrassed by the "joke" and by Will's reaction. I hope she's ok.

Side note, I think he deserved the Oscar, shame it's not celebrated for the achievement it should be today thanks to his bad temper. He's a terrific actor.

I'm WC. I thought Will Smith acted appallingly, both smacking Chris Rock and screaming like a fishwife from his seat.
He just embarrassed all 3 of them imho.
He could have "gripped him" backstage if he was so inclined.

Both takes miss the real story here, which is Will Smith having an obvious mental health problem. He assaulted somebody in front of a massive live tv audience. In front of the entire world once it hit the news. That’s not normal at all. He needs help.

His wife isn’t the victim here, he is. His wife is utterly vile and manipulative. Truly toxic.

Violence is never the answer BUT what Chris Rock said was absolutely disgusting and not funny at all. I get the anger.

Neither behaved well. Chris Rock was worse imo. Sticks and stones, etc, is BULLSHIT - words can have a much more significant and long lasting impact on people than one slap.

Solidly middle class.

I'm not Wc and can sympathise with WS
It was the straw that broke the camels back, he and Jada have been mocked and ridiculed for years including by CR in 2016.

You don’t hit someone, unless it’s in self defence. I can’t believe he was left to finish the evening.

Oh and I don’t do class and don’t know which class I belong to, definitely the lower third though.

Regardless of what “class” it might be, Will Smith ran up on stage on live television and slapped Chris Rock across the face. He then went back to his seat.
That’s assault in the U.S.
My question is: where was security? If I had been the butt of Rock’s joke and my husband had done what Smith did, he would’ve been arrested on the spot — regardless of it being live tv or not.
Where are Will Smith’s consequences?
And why was he allowed to simply continue on with his evening as though he had not accosted another man?
This would not have been acceptable if he weren’t Will Smith.
Double standards at their very worst.
(Rock has said he will not file assault charges.)

I'm working class, so is all if dhs family and our friends and majority of people have said the opposite to what you say working class people think. Never once heard anyone say that's what real men do. Quite the opposite and I've heard people say it takes a bigger person to walk away and deal with it privately.

Ive once seen a man go to hit other man for making jokes about his sisters serious illness (sister had cancer and had lost her hair and overheard some other bloke saying she's not a 10 anymore and he wouldn't fuck her) and even then all the men in the pub weren't encouraging him to thump him, they were actively stopping him.

I actually thought the thread was gonna be about how, if, a show runner or prop guy with a loved one suffering from alopecia went on stage and lamped him he'd be carted off and arrested.

I can understand wills anger but majority of people around me are not saying that's what real men. Maybe it's just your own social circle who think that way.

@TheNameOfTheRoses

I find it quite amusing to read that some many people understand WS reaction because he was triggered/provoked etc… But his wife who was on the one on the receiving end of the joke somehow managed to stay calm and not go in stage to physically hit the person making the joke/bullying her.

How is it that she managed to control herself but he didn’t??

How is it she managed to control herself? Maybe because women generally tend to internalise this sort of thing and taking it out on herself.

I'm neither condoning his actions or otherwise but really it's not main news. In real life, the police wouldn't be interested considering the tasteless joke and that no real injury occurred it might be time to call it a day on the judgementalism.

He's a prick. Dp was like:"but he insulted his wife!" So? It's fucking juvenile. Imagine how much better pubs would be, if blokes didn't feel the need to defend their wives'/ girlfriends' honours. It's all about him and his feelings, not hers.

Think dp was surprised at my response.

The people condoning it are the same sort of people who'd fly off the handle at someone in a pub, or expect their partner to, because "I don't like the way they're looking at me." The type of person who you have to be wary of in a taxi queue after a night out, because they think that anyone sniggering and looking vaguely in their direction is insulting them and they're all "what did you say? Did you just call me a . Because they can't have anyone dissing them in public, can they? Then they start rolling their sleeves up while their mates tell them to calm down.

It's pathetic.

Mine seem to think Will Smith is on the verge of a total break down. I agree.

They are both in the wrong. The whole thing is awkward and embarrassing.

@Random789

I have alopecia (actual pic of me: ) and I don't think Rock overstepped, given that the person he compared her to looks very lovely with a shaven head. Also, if someone made a genuinely hurtful remark about my hair(or lack of it), I wouldwant DH to give me a handsqueeze and a silent "You ok my love?" look, rather than to peacock about with his fists.

I was struck by the words WS used - "Take my wife's name out of your mouth," as if no man should comment on 'his' woman. I think it was his sense of masculinity that was hurt, by someone who (in his mind) seemed to disparage the status he feels himself to have gained by having a beautifl partner. I think it was f*ck all to do with supporting his wife.

Totally agree, it was all about him and being macho. Nothing to do with his wife.

He felt untouchable as the current King of Hollywood and his ego couldn’t handle a diss even if indirect.

I am a high earner from more humble origins and I think WS was disgusting. Nothing justifies physical violence other than self defence, you know as per the law…

My facebook is only people I know personally -- no one has mentioned the incident. My aunt has a professional profile on FBk so probably will pronounce some condemnation.

Instagram - mix of personal contacts & local businesses: no one has mentioned it.

Twitter = mix of journalists, news sources, commentators, humour, experts, some colleagues: the few who mentioned the WS incident, they condemned WS or took the piss.

me: I would like WS & CR to make up & be friends. That process probably needs to start with CR apologising to Jada. The rest of the evolution of whole incident is none of my business. The world has enough ppl with opinions. I don't need to be one of them. I don't believe in "Never Forgive!"

I’m with Chris he showed great strength not to hit Will back. Will wasn’t sorry there was no apology to Chris, just to the people who can break his career. Chris was stupid and made an ill judged comment did he deserve to get hit… no

I was struck by the age thing- my parents (in their 70s) thought it was fine as did my kids (in their teens). I’m mid 40s and the only one who seems bothered by if at all. We’re all upper middle.

My social media is divided along race/nationality lines. African-Americans, especially women, solidly pro Will Smith. White Americans, more mixed, but the pro-Smith ones are talking about the racial dimensions. British of all races seem less likely to be talking about it, but more likely to take the view that both parties were in the wrong.

I do t think jada needs 'defending', I definitely don't think he did that.
He reacted, pure and simple.
But it wasn't a joke. It was an attack on his wife and it was cruel.
I've never been in that situation so I won't presume to know how I would react.
I dont think he should lose the Oscar. That was for work done prior to this incident. I think the academy would be hugely hypocritical if they did this considering they allow the cruelness/humour.

I'm half WC ad half MC and cannot for he life of me see what Will Smith did wrong. He didn't exactly beat Chris Rock to a pulp, he gave him slap because he publicly abused his wife due to her disability. She's already spoken out about how difficult/ embarrassing she finds having Alopecia, Chris Rock has made jibes at her before and now learns that being a misogynistic dick can occasionally cost him a smack in the mouth.

I don't think it's a class issue at all but a morality one - we don't , ( or shouldn't, in Rock's case), deliberately humiliate and goad people for their disabilities.

Who are Will Smith and Chris Rock annyway? IDK and I don't care either..... an actor and a comedian... I don't care enough to have a opinion.