They are
calling it ‘the slap that was heard around the world.”
Earlier
today, actor Will Smith won the Best Actor Oscar for his role in the movie “King
Richard”. However, in one of the greatest acts of self-sabotage in the history
of Hollywood, no one is talking about his win. Everyone is talking about what
Will Smith did about an hour before he picked up his Oscar.
About
halfway through the show, comedian Chris Rock went on stage to present an Oscar
and made an off-colour joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Rock joked
that Pinkett Smith, who has alopecia, should star in a “G.I. Jane” sequel due
to her bald head. The audience laughed. Will Smith laughed. Pinkett Smith did
not and rolled her eyes. Then, Will Smith storm onto the stage and slapped
Chris Rock.
Rock was
visibly stunned while Smith went back to his seat and yelled at Rock to Pinkett
Smith’s name out of his mouth. Rock tried to defend himself by saying it was a ‘G.I.
Jane’ joke. Smith then repeated himself, which Rock replied by telling the
audience “That was the greatest night in the history of television.” He smiled
to the camera, handed over the best documentary prize, which was the reason he
was on stage, and moved off the stage.
Now, stand-up
comedians are usually adept at handling hecklers, but I don’t think anyone
expected Will Smith to react the way he did. In fact, I didn’t think the joke
was all that offensive. It wasn’t funny, it was off-colour but there were far
more offensive jokes said at the award show. If you don’t believe me, just look
up Amy Schumer’s joke on Leonardo DiCaprio and his girlfriends. That was far
worse.
So, I must
say this. Chris Rock is a pro. He handled the matter like a total professional
and kept the award show going. A different person would have handled the matter
differently and caused the whole show to come crashing down. Chris Rock did
not. Rock came out of the whole thing looking like the most mature person in
the whole affair. Chris Rock!
Now, that is
history-making.