From jokes to commentary on privilege and marriage, reaction to actor Will Smith slapping comedian Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards show exploded online Sunday night.
On stage at the Oscars, Rock made a crack about Smith’s wife, actress Jada Pinkett Smith, before Smith walked up and slapped an unknowing Rock across the face. Daily Wire entrainment writer Katie Jerkovich reported on the incident:
“Jada, I love ya,” Rock told the audience. “G.I. Jane 2 movie, can’t wait to see it.”
The “Red Table Talk” host rolled her eyes and appeared to be upset.
Her husband, the “King Richard” star, looked like he too did not appreciate what appeared to be a remark about his wife’s alopecia battle.
The superstar actor got up out of his seat, walked right up on stage, and struck the comedian in the face. It didn’t appear to be a planned move.
“Will Smith just smacked the s*** outta me,” Rock told the audience after the assault.
“Keep my wife’s name out your f***ing mouth!” Smith yelled back at Rock, overcome with emotion.
“Wow, dude. It was a G.I. Jane joke,” the comedian said, before turning back to the award show.
Some online joked about the incident, while others highlighted the celebrity couple’s notoriously open marriage and Smith’s apparent privilege.
“Will Smith’s mom about to ship him off to live with his uncle in Bel Air,” writer Harry Khachatrian posted, referring to the Smith-starring hit show “Fresh Prince.”
Will Smith’s mom about to ship him off to live with his uncle in Bel Air #Oscar
— Harry Khachatrian (@Harry1T6) March 28, 2022
“Turns out the cure for boring Oscars was just violence,” Twitter account Comfortably Smug joked.
Turns out the cure for boring Oscars was just violence
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) March 28, 2022
CJ Pearson took a shot at the couple’s marriage, “Will Smith’s marriage is open to EVERYTHING except jokes.”
Will Smith’s marriage is open to EVERYTHING except jokes.
— CJ Pearson (@thecjpearson) March 28, 2022
Similarly, Daily Wire host and author Michael Knowles said, “Chris Rock’s (mild) joke about Jada’s haircut was the straw that broke the cuckold’s back.”
Chris Rock’s (mild) joke about Jada’s haircut was the straw that broke the cuckold’s back.
— Michael Knowles, Biological (And Spiritual) Male (@michaeljknowles) March 28, 2022
“We’ve reached the inevitable conclusion of ‘words are violence,'” writer Bridget Phetasy commented.
We've reached the inevitable conclusion of "words are violence."
— Bridget Phetasy (@BridgetPhetasy) March 28, 2022
“I don’t know who needs to hear this but Will Smith is not the victim here,” she later emphasized.
I don't know who needs to hear this but Will Smith is not the victim here.
— Bridget Phetasy (@BridgetPhetasy) March 28, 2022
“Pretty sure that any normal human being who walked on stage during an awards show and slapped a man in the face in front of thousands of people would be in handcuffs within 15 seconds of the assault,” Daily Wire podcast host and author Matt Walsh asserted.
Pretty sure that any normal human being who walked on stage during an awards show and slapped a man in the face in front of thousands of people would be in handcuffs within 15 seconds of the assault
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) March 28, 2022
“Will Smith will not tolerate other men making jokes about his wife. He will however tolerate other men having sex with his wife. This is a man of principle,” Walsh also mocked.
Will Smith will not tolerate other men making jokes about his wife. He will however tolerate other men having sex with his wife. This is a man of principle.
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) March 28, 2022
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