Reply With QuoteSounds like Chris Rock hit a nerve, I doubt the joke was said with any malice and Smith needs to learn to take a joke.
Especially considering about 60% of the jokes in fresh Prince came at the expense of Uncle Phil’s weight.
Some are saying it was staged but it seemed pretty real to me. Why would you even stage that?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-60897004
Sounds like Chris Rock hit a nerve, I doubt the joke was said with any malice and Smith needs to learn to take a joke.
Especially considering about 60% of the jokes in fresh Prince came at the expense of Uncle Phil’s weight.
Later in the show watching Smiths acceptance speech I felt like he was losing the point regarding acting and real life, he was very emotional - maybe something in his private life?
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
Something in his private life like a comedian making jokes about his wife’s hair loss in front of a global audience of millions? That might do it……Originally Posted by number2
Yup that might well do it.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
It was pretty tasteless jibe given his wife is struggling will alopecia.
But definitely better ways to handle it given the Oscars are viewed by so many including many younger viewers, no doubt kids will see it as green light to replicate in the playground.
Rock not pressing charges.
Maybe next year The Rock can present and see if someone tries the same thing as Will ?.
I think as bad and hurtful a joke as it may have been for Smith and his wife, what Smith did was totally unacceptable.
I agree it looked scripted, but having watching it in slow motion on the Independents website, it's clear it was an actual slap.
Chris Rock has my respect and admiration for the restraint he showed and how he kept it together and moved on so professionally, despite just having been slapped in the face.
Not sure the tears at his winners speech can undo the damage of reacting in the way that Smith did.
Such a shame as I really do like Will Smith.
"Rock was later overheard saying backstage, “I just got punched in the face by Muhammad Ali and didn’t get a scratch.” (Smith played Ali in a 2001 biopic about the boxing champion.)"
What a line!
Chris Rock's delivery is absolutely painful to watch - or is it to allow cameras to catch reaction to the slow, spelled out gags?
When did slapping become a thing grown men do?
Dunno I find him painful to watch at the best of times.
The slapping thing, erm might it be from 'bitch slapping', something rappers reference obviously not condoning men hitting women, or trying to culturally sterotype...though Fresh Prince has just done that to himself really.
Big Willy seems to have merged his acting role/life with real life...it was a poor taste joke, though you might argue Rock was attempting to empower Jada, with the GI Jane crack rather than undermine her...whatever, massive sense of humour fail, ego explosion from multi millionaire actor, celebrity, phenomenon that is Mr Smith.
I always remember there was a kid at school. He was a weedy little shit, but he was a Gypsy and his family and friends would gang up on people who ever stood up to him.
One day he picked on one of my friends and my friend basically slapped him around the classroom to the cheers of everyone else.
The Gypsy kid was so humiliated I don't think he even told his family it had happened.
Punches wouldn't have had the same effect.
M
Sent from my ASUS_X00PD using Tapatalk
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
He got in one little fight....
Didnt realise she suffered from hairloss! She should be a member on here!!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
RIAC
Assuming it was genuine and not staged, a slap dies a number of things. It bloody hurts, it's embarrassing for the slappee, and unlike a punch its unlikely to result in physical injury or worse which would result in legal proceedings for Smith.
When Rock cracked the GI Jane gag, Smith and his wife were both laughing at the joke. So it seemed odd that 20 seconds later he decided to get up and slap him.
He also seemed to slap his own chest at the same time, which is how a stage slap is done.
All very odd.
In the minimal amount of martial arts training I have done I've always been taught you use a slap in self defense. Just as effective but preserves your hand.
Obviously there are actions that include a closed fist but open handed first.
Definitely odd
“Started makin trouble in my neighbourhood”
Yup noticed that as well, hollyweird huh.
lolz.
Just seen it and Ricky Gervais must be hard as given no celebrity tried to slap himI've always liked Will Smith but that's straightforward assault and should be dealt with as such. Wonder if Smith will be checking into some programme or other to explain this away?
It's the second time CR cracked a joke at Jada's expense.
Last year she was fair game, as he mocked something she had said about boycotting the ceremony.
This year he mocked what was an illness which she had made public (so he knew)
For those who don't know: As a molecular biology student, after my MSc I worked in cancer research and as such was visiting the cancer ward regularly.
Chemotherapy made them really sick, and many if not most were also taking strong pain medication.
Yet the one thing that got most women (and some men) in tears was the resulting hair loss. It was psychologically very distressing for them.
Mocking someone -especially a woman- for it is akin to mocking their child for a disability: it's not on.
Will Smith just reminded Chris Rock of that, and I believe it hit home.
I probably would not have had the guts to do it in front of the type of audience he did, but I would have done the same in smaller committee.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
I heard he's moving in with his Auntie & Uncle...
In Bel-Air
Rocks a hardly funny, total idiot, and I don't blame Smith for whacking him. Very offensive to pull a jibe at his wife. Good for Will Smith👏
So is it ok to punch comedians who mock peoples private lives or family now?
Could be interesting.
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
I'm thinking it was staged, now..............
If it wasn’t staged Rock should have smacked him back
Last edited by adrianw; 28th March 2022 at 13:53.
Watched it a couple of times now, think you're right.
He looked quite emotional, for something staged. But then he is an actor and got an Oscar, so he can act
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
I'm not sure with the outburst from his seat it was staged, not many people swearing at the host from their seat at the Oscars.
Is it ok for someone to sit and listen to personal family insults? A good comedian wouldn't do that and he's hardly good.
I agree, though what throws me somewhat is that Smith appears to be the one that laughs loudest at the joke in the first instance, which made me automatically assume it was staged when I first saw the clip.
I would say it's not ok, but it's not like he's the first comedian and will certainly not be the last to have done this.
This was exactly my thinking too.
Hard to believe that they would stage him dropping the F-bomb twice, with so much of America watching live on tv.
I don't know why it would be staged? Why would you, what would be the gains?
My opinion of Will Smith has really changed as a result. Such a childish response from someone in a privileged position being lauded by their peers. One of the most embarrassing things I’ve seen in a long time. Time to stop playing make believe and grow up imho!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Absolutely zero gains on the face of things.
That said modern society accepts all sorts of pointless celebrity type incidents, which means we could never really rule out that it was staged, even with no apparent logic or motivation behind it being so.
I wonder what would have happened if Dwayne Johnson was hosting and made that joke... Such a juvenile way to resolve some displeasure at a tasteless joke.
Can't deliver much of slap though, yes definitely an actor.He looked quite emotional, for something staged. But then he is an actor and got an Oscar, so he can act
Surely it would have been more dignified for Smith and his wife to have quietly stood up and walked out.
Nothing staged about that. They were laughing at the previous joke, but as soon as what Rock says sinks in it is clear the laugh drops and Jade realises it was at her incredulous expense. Will Smith did the right thing. Wash yer mouth out, Rock!
For anyone who thinks Smith was out of order... you think it's ok for someone to make fun of your spouse/wife's illness in front of millions and your face? If Smith had not done something right then and there, he would only have been saying - "yes, it's fine to make fun of the mother of my kids with an illness she did not choose - in front of ME and millions - and which we as a family have had to endure, and I don't stand with my wife, and and and..." Turn the tables and let's rip make fun of your wife in public on this forum, and do we think you'll be cool with that? Hmmm... I didn't think you would be.
For your consideration...Twitter link.
There's no excuse for violence (in response to a joke, even one in bad taste) and mentioning someone's wife on the forum is a specious equivalence.
Will Smith is one of my favourite actors.
The joke at his wife’s expense was mean spirited and in poor taste. I don’t support what Will Smith did, but I do understand it, and won’t condemn him.
I wish he had done something more powerful like standing up, looking Rock in the eye, turning on his heals and walking out with his wife.
D
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'm just relieved that neither party was white or else it could of turned really nasty.
I would of been pissed someone making a joke about my wifes hair loss but I hope I could of reacted with a little more dignity/class as what Smith did in front of millions doesent send a great message.
I have a disabled child and very quietly and without resorting to any act of violence have on a number of occasions stood up for him and my wife. It’s not my place to say it but I’m told I am quite physically imposing, and I have learned that speaking quietly and sternly and calling someone out in the right way can be done without resorting to any physical violence - or threat of physical violence - at all. In my book that’s what being a man is all about, as opposed to a child who cannot manage their temper. And if you can’t manage it in front of a global TV audience you really need to take a long hard look at yourself!!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
But do you not agree there was more than one way of doing something about it and the way he chose was perhaps not the best way?
As previous poster has said it may have been more dignified for him to have walked out with his wife to show their disapproval.
No, I don't think it is. But I have seen many comedians making personal attacks on people and not being called out for it.
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
Posting Permissions
