Will Smith/Chris Rock Oscars - where do you stand?

[Jaggerdagger]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/entertainment-arts-60898250

I'm a bit on the fence at the moment but shocked from watching this - wondered what others think?

YABU Will Smith had every right to wallop Chris. His wife was clearly deeply insulted. He deserved it.
YANBU Chris was just reading from a script and didn't deserve such a public assault.

@ENoeuf

I’ve just read that Smith refused to leave when asked. I can’t get past a standing ovation for him and then him just having a blast (apparently) with people at the after party. There should be visible consequences for acts of violences for these ‘role models’.

I think the laughing at the joke and the standing ovation are 2 sided of the same coin.

People react in a socially conditioned way, then think about it afterwards.

I’m quite sure he was using coke

His sudden change, aggression and self righteousness all very typical of someone using coke who has flipped for whatever reason. You can’t reason with them

:50Merrymouse

"1) laughing in that situation is an instinctive social response
2) at least half the audience probably weren’t aware of the details of a 25 year old film that flopped at the box office."

It was the Oscars. I'm sure everyone knew what GI Jane was.

It was the Oscars. I'm sure everyone knew what GI Jane was.

It was released in1997 and flopped. Anyone under 30 was no older than 5.
An American audience will be familiar with GI Joe, but the film was a critical and box office failure.

@Merrymouse

It was the Oscars. I'm sure everyone knew what GI Jane was.

It was released in1997 and flopped. Anyone under 30 was no older than 5.
An American audience will be familiar with GI Joe, but the film was a critical and box office failure.

Independence Day was 1996.

I don’t think the age of GI Jane or it’s box office take is really an issue in a room full of the Hollywood greatest and good, who are (mostly) over 30 and steeped in movie culture both good and bad.

It was a shit joke, we can all agree. But it was just a shit joke, not the horrifically cruel put down it’s been portrayed as. And Will Smith violently overreacted, which was much more damaging in all sorts of ways than shrugging off a shit joke.

It was so shit it wasn’t even a joke. It was just an insult. He should apologise. Also Will Smith shouldn’t have been violent and it’s up to the relevant authorities to decide what they want to do about that.

Or maybe if you think it was a joke you could explain why.

@Merrymouse

Or maybe if you think it was a joke you could explain why.

I'd bet my bottom dollar you're a teacher

While I agree that it was unfunny and an insult, the dictionary definition of 'joke' is pretty broad so I think we may struggle here.

@WizzardPjs

What has Jim Carey ever done? I thought he was a good guy?

Supplied the drugs his gf used to commit suicide (allegedly)

And Jim Carrey knew she had depression and had attempted suicide before.

the dictionary definition of 'joke' is pretty broad so I think we may struggle here.

Yes ‘joke’ has many meanings. However if the goal here was humorous, it should be possible to explain how or why.

@Merrymouse it was pretty much: he thought she looked funny because she is a woman and yet is bald. And he thought he would point that out so that other people could appreciate the humour of a bald woman.

Which is thoroughly shitty, but there we go.

Supplied the drugs his gf used to commit suicide (allegedly)

Wrong. The case never even went to court:

news.sky.com/story/jim-carrey-cleared-of-role-in-suicide-of-ex-girlfriend-cathriona-white-11232171

@Merrymouse

It was the Oscars. I'm sure everyone knew what GI Jane was.

It was released in1997 and flopped. Anyone under 30 was no older than 5.
An American audience will be familiar with GI Joe, but the film was a critical and box office failure.

But Demi Moore got worldwide publicity because she shaved her head for the role - the pics & references to the hung around for years. The image of her with that look was way more memorable than the film - which barely anyone I know saw..

I'm 51 and British, there was huge media fuss around DM's role in that film in the uk when it came out. Anyone at the Oscar's would have known what CR was referring to.

@cushioncovers

I'm 51 and British, there was huge media fuss around DM's role in that film in the uk when it came out. Anyone at the Oscar's would have known what CR was referring to.

We’ll have to agree to differ on how many people care or know about the film, but even then the main take away seems to be shock that Demi Moore shaved her head.

I don’t see the joke and I don’t understand why anyone would think the film is culturally relevant now.

It’s just an insult that relies on a dated reference.

In case there was any confusion, alopecia is absolutely a disability

Alopecia is usually a very distressing condition, but it's not a disability

I'm 52 and British and could not remember anything about the film. It was only when people mentioned Demi Moore and her hair that I vaguely recollected what she looked like in it. It's so long ago! I had no idea Chris Rock was as old as he is - he looks much younger - but this joke really ages him.

[quote southeastdweller]Supplied the drugs his gf used to commit suicide (allegedly)

Wrong. The case never even went to court:

news.sky.com/story/jim-carrey-cleared-of-role-in-suicide-of-ex-girlfriend-cathriona-white-11232171[/quote]

Yet at the bottom of that article it interestingly says about another matter '<a class="break-all" href="https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pcs/click?xai=AKAOjstalBhMHeZ81FBQkcRxRjLNfIDvZiBn-dHKdUN1WWCQtfLaJ9pJtipZsj0eAYabwJz-ATxAb-kmV9NRuOn68tZPcmWANS8jTLVRILDxVlf0ZvZqvhB4lyyHskFfOyzvdy-JiJ5rGi2G1ynYJMhcbjnPYUMtUA95M8X4ogL_L6d6AMQVijtsDhnXnLqa2bxeMGjCFIZEPTqZsC2cU1TTTdmXVz8UdHdTYFAds5iCxw2pZobf_b2eL7r0iq1H0GDkv46XvBJsszH1pKj7PBDwJeA88k_Hhs4qma50iUgdrHCyDdZNwUqJerWWG5gEYhRcAMLs33iL&sai=AMfl-YR-MIQR1BQ4ZTG-lrysI0Y9dMFetfPaOCf0T_ZXAJ6tb_PT0RXjmFWx6N2goRmba6j88xOtAUVhQ20BjWIy4r2vRoZJDCU71Sj6U9eh7FgzUhwysaQUaLlNIKc67WE&sig=Cg0ArKJSzNve_AJu0Pix&fbs_aeid=%5Bgw_fbsaeid%5D&adurl=www.sky.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">He had previously paid her an undisclosed sum to settle the accusations.' And I did say 'allegedly'. Just because a case doesn't go to court doesn't mean total innocence. Carrey is no angel.

Yet at the bottom of that article it interestingly says about another matter 'He had previously paid her an undisclosed sum to settle the accusations.' And I did say 'allegedly'. Just because a case doesn't go to court doesn't mean total innocence. Carrey is no angel.

I think bringing this up about Carrey's past - something completely unproven - in a thread about someone who has proved to have physically assaulted someone is appalling.

@southeastdweller perhaps you should read the entire thread as I have. Someone asked a question after Carrey waded in on the matter and I answered it. This is a forum after all. And you are right. It remains 'unproven' who Arthur King was (the name on the pill bottle.) Carrey stated WS should have been arrested. No-one made him say that. I'm just pointing out 'some' people may believe Carrey should be arrested. Personally I believe if you live in a glass house don't lob boulders.

I’ve no idea about gi Jane or Demi Moore to be honest.

amp.usatoday.com/amp/1087667001

Says here he regretted settling and only did so to avoid legal action. I don’t really have an opinion on Carrey himself but I agree WS has acted appallingly - that’s clear from footage etc

@merrymouse
Even if all you take from the joke is that it's an insult (and it is a joke, even if you didn't find it funny), insulting the rich and powerful has been a mainstay of professional comedy since the days of the court jester at the very least.
I would argue that the idea that comedy should not risk offence is a relatively modern one.

Even if all you take from the joke is that it's an insult (and it is a joke, even if you didn't find it funny)

How is it funny, and if nobody finds it funny, how is it a joke?

I understand that a joke can be funny and witty and insulting, but without humour and wit it is just an insult.