to think Will Smith should be stripped of his Oscar?

[BloodyloveGeorge]

The Academy is supposed to have a code of conduct ( post Weinstein) so can take his Oscar away.
Given that this was a blatant assault, and a clear case of toxic masculinity at it's worst, he should lose his Oscar. He's not a role model, his behaviour isn't something that should be celebrated. There should be consequences for this example of violence.
Even a 6 year old knows you can't punch someone because they say something you don't like.

How do we have any hope of sorting the issue of male violence when so many people don't disagree with it? I despair.

@EmpressCixi

I am not talking about his rubbish apology at the ceremony I’m referring to his after party antics!

What is most disturbing is that after it happened Will Smith was crying about this. Probably worrying about his career. Then he got some support and now he's laughing and boasting about it. How are we at a position than people are applauding someone for committing an act of bodily harm against another person? Will smith is one of the most famous actors in the world, (used to be one of the most respected til Jada Pinkett started oversharing their sex life) so he had plenty of opportunity to address this like an adult.
I used to love Will Smith but his behaviour over the past year makes me wonder if he has some serious problems.

The ‘victim’ was a massive guy who was deliberately insulting Will’s wife,

Chris Rock is 5ft 10, Will Smith is 6ft 2. Not getting where Chris Rock is 'massive'.

People saying its not linked are missing the point that the oscars who awarded it to him have a code of conduct that applies to people who have won an award from them- of course they can take it if they want.

And if they want to take Will Smith's oscar away for slapping Chris Rock, but they don't want to take Polanski's away for drugging and raping a child then what does that tell you?

Yes, he might have. My point still stands. If you weren't there you don't know, therefore, you can't judge his motivation. Judge his action all you want because he was wrong but you can't say for certain why he did it.

@neverbeenskiing

People saying its not linked are missing the point that the oscars who awarded it to him have a code of conduct that applies to people who have won an award from them- of course they can take it if they want.

And if they want to take Will Smith's oscar away for slapping Chris Rock, but they don't want to take Polanski's away for drugging and raping a child then what does that tell you?

This.

In the past violent white men have escaped censure so now we need to give this man a free pass???
Or should the message be, no violence by ANyONE is acceptable?

But taking away Will Smith's oscar, and his alone, doesn't send that message at all does it?

@teaandtoastwithmarmite

He defended his wife against an idiot saying twatty things about her. I applaud him. I don't condone violence but Rock was verbally abusing his wife.

Yes, she was clearly upset, he reacted as most husbands would. I don’t agree with violence, but don’t dish it out, unless you can take it.

But taking away Will Smith's oscar, and his alone, doesn't send that message at all does it?
I don’t think I’m on board with taking away his Oscar, given that the same hasn’t happened for far more problematic people.

But I find the defence (or even whole hearted support) of this act of violence to be disturbing.

So Chris Rock is allowed to verbally abuse someone and that's ok?
She is struggling emotionally with this and this was below the belt.

@Morfil completely agree.

@EmpressCixi

you can't punch someone because they say something you don't like.

It’s true you can’t smack someone (it wasn’t punch) for saying something you merely dislike. But the joke was a two pronged attack on Jada Pinkett...the “GI Jane” was both referring to her alopevia medical condition and a biphobic slur regarding her sexuality (GI Jane was accused of being a closet lesbian just like Jada has been in the past when she came out as bi).

So while I agree one should not hit someone making biphobic or homophobic jokes using such slang based slurs, it’s a little more than “disliking” an acceptable joke that wasn’t bigoted in any way....

I think that’s a massive stretch. I really doubt Chris rock has the ability to think that deeply about a joke. Also, there is no ‘but’. Assaulting someone who’s words you don’t like is not ok.

@goodnightgrumble

So Chris Rock is allowed to verbally abuse someone and that's ok? She is struggling emotionally with this and this was below the belt.

No one is saying it’s ok. It’s not ok. And had Will reacted like a normal person he would have had everyone onside. But his actions shifted all the attention on to himself because they were so outrageous.

So Chris Rock is allowed to verbally abuse someone and that's ok? She is struggling emotionally with this and this was below the belt.

I don't think those expressing disapproval towards Will Smith's actions are necessarily saying Rock's joke was ok. I think the joke was cruel and inappropriate. But I also think Will Smith was wrong to respond with violence.

No. Being a child rapist doesn't take away anything from Roman Polanski's artistry in The Pianist and being deserving of his Oscar.

How many people here have seen King Richard? He was mediocre and unconvincing but then he's always been a limited actor.

What annoys me is that his wife is more than capable of defending herself. It's not like she was being physically attacked and needed someone stronger to step in and help.

I admire his loyalty to her but let her fight her own battles. And certainly don't go around assaulting people on her behalf.

For all we know, she may have laughed it off. If you're in the public eye by choice then I'm afraid you to have to put up with all kinds of nastiness, unfortunately, whether it's comedic or not.

No excuse for violence. It was on prime time TV so many easily influenced people will follow his lead. He should never have been awarded his Oscar.

[quote EmpressCixi]@5zeds
Yes. Agree such bantz was far from benign and was clearly verbal abuse. Chris Rock should never have been allowed to say that GI Jane “joke” about Jada Pinkett. It was pure misogyny. But of course, let’s condemn the man who defended her but happened to go over the top in the heat of the moment and not focus on the rampant misogyny he was defending her against. It’s almost like people think what Chris Rock said was perfectly ok or even funny on some level. It was public abuse of a woman for her medical condition and her sexuality.[/quote]
It wasn’t ok or funny.
But that wasn’t a heat of the moment reaction. He laughed. Sat. Got up really calmly and walked over and then belted him in the face. It was a good long gap between the two things. Long enough to think about what he was doing.

Neither of them were right. But Chris rock didn’t physically assault anyone and he didn’t win an Oscar and then try and excuse his actions by crying. Smith is a great actor.

No one is saying it’s ok.

Yes, they are:

Don't humiliate a man's wife in front of millions of people over a very sensitive medical condition and perhaps you won't get slapped.

I think that remark posted earlier in the thread is tantamount to justifying Smith's actions, don't you? Just one example.

@southeastdweller

No. Being a child rapist doesn't take away anything from Roman Polanski's artistry in The Pianist and being deserving of his Oscar.

How many people here have seen King Richard? He was mediocre and unconvincing but then he's always been a limited actor.

I stopped watching his self congratulatory films long ago. A film about a deeply unlikeable over bearing father played by a deeply unlikable over bearing father isn’t for me.

Will shouted out abuse and assaulted another person.

He should be charged with assault. Disgusting example to set.

@OppsUpsSide

No, he slapped another equally matched male for making a joke at the expense of his wife 🤷🏻‍♀️

When you say equally matched, do you just mean physical height/age/weight, what about morally and psychologically?

Are you suggesting we should all allowed to slap anyone as long as they are the same size as us? Would make legal judgements much easier and cheaper, all we would need is a tape measure and set of scales. Maybe when it is physically mismatched people the smaller people could be given a weapon to even things up a bit too? 🤷‍♀️

[quote EmpressCixi]@Picoloangel
Will Smith did not laugh about hitting Chris Rock later! He was in tears, head in his hands and then he did a public apology.[/quote]
And there’s the acting that won an Oscar

@southeastdweller

No one is saying it’s ok.

Yes, they are:

Don't humiliate a man's wife in front of millions of people over a very sensitive medical condition and perhaps you won't get slapped.

I think that remark posted earlier in the thread is tantamount to justifying Smith's actions, don't you? Just one example.

I was referring to Chris Rock’s joke as not being ok in my post if you read the rest for context.