Will Smith slaps Chris Rock on stage live at the OSCARS

[K9Enzo]

Someone sent me the clip this morning. I don't think it was staged, even though the Oscars have been a bore to the general public for many years based on low ratings.

Chris Rock gets a huge nod from me for keeping his composure.

Will Smith appeared unhinged and should have been escorted out of the event. Sure he had every right to be upset about the joke, as well as his wife, Jada. But that? No way dude.

(side note on entertainment: I'm still sick over the drummer masterpiece Taylor Hawkins from the Foo Fighters passing. That one hurts.)

 

[KarenUK]

Really odd behaviour given that he laughs at it first

 

[MrsWatson]

This is the most buzz the Oscars have had in years.

All publicity is good publicity, right?

 

[Elley Mae]

Just to clarify, it was Chris Rock, not Kevin Hart who was involved in this incident from last night’s Oscar ceremony.
Kevin Hart had his own Oscar controversy in Dec 2018 when he withdrew as the designated host only 2 days after being announced when some of his tweets from years earlier were unearthed as insensitive to the LGBTQ community.

Kevin Hart says he won't host Oscars after furor over homophobic tweets | CNN

Well Dang, my bad.

Yes Chris Rock it is, thanks Coco.

He as well is funny.

 

[Elley Mae]

Really odd behaviour given that he laughs at it first

I noticed a grin on WS face as he walked away from the slap.

 

[mickey2942]

It probably was staged.

 

[FlossyMay]

I just read that Rock will not file charges. My question is, since it was televised, can't charges be brought anyway? I mean it's not just one guy's word against another's. Everyone saw it.

 

[K9Enzo]

I just read that Rock will not file charges. My question is, since it was televised, can't charges be brought anyway? I mean it's not just one guy's word against another's. Everyone saw it.

IMO, if this was me or any of my co-workers that behaved in this way at a work event, we would have violated our code of ethics and conduct and been terminated. A call would have been made to LE as well because of the assault. I'm not sure if the "Oscars" have any sort of policy that is signed by attendees. IMO

 

[Gracenotes]

For real, the death of Taylor Hawkins has hit me hard! (Reply to k9enzo)

I think the slap was real and I think it’s a bad sign for someone to go off on someone else like that on live tv. I heard Will Smith’s abusive father’s voice come out of him.

 

[FlossyMay]

I keep thinking if Will had handled it with some class, Chris would probably be getting called out in the media today for making that joke, but since Will decided to respond in such a ridiculous manner, he took the spotlight off the insulting comment.

 

[RANCH]

LAPD issues statement after Will Smith's Oscar slap of Chris Rock

The Los Angeles Police Department is not investigating the incident that took place on the 94th Academy Awards stage in Hollywood when actor Will Smith slapped host Chris Rock in front of a live audience, as the latter is not pressing charges, the department said in a statement.

 

[Luna20]

IMO, if this was me or any of my co-workers that behaved in this way at a work event, we would have violated our code of ethics and conduct and been terminated. A call would have been made to LE as well because of the assault. I'm not sure if the "Oscars" have any sort of policy that is signed by attendees. IMO

Yes it was mentioned somewhere that this was a violation of the Academy’s code of ethics. It’s a poor choice to let this slip by. We are having major problems with people not paying for their crimes and this is no different. Actually worse being as kids look up to him.

Violence is not okay. Women get assaulted in volatile domestic violence and suffer greatly for it. This sends a horrible message that assault doesn’t warrant any punitive consequences.

 

[Luna20]

I just read that Rock will not file charges. My question is, since it was televised, can't charges be brought anyway? I mean it's not just one guy's word against another's. Everyone saw it.

Yes charges can be brought anyway.

 

[rosesfromangels]

They can co-host the Oscars together next year and the ratings will go through the roof....

 

[Allabouttrial]

Apology tour here we come.....

I think it was real, but I bet their management teams have been in talks to declare it as fake.

ETA: Scrap that last paragraph. Just been on catch-up and there's no way people would buy it.

 

[x_files]

Think it might backfire if it is... bigger things going on in the world this year and they just look ridiculous.

I also read extremely expensive goody bags are given out, not going to impress the general public in times of hardship.

Ratings are EVERYTHING now, I wouldn't doubt this will become the norm from now on. Drama creates ratings.

 

[x_files]

They can co-host the Oscars together next year and the ratings will go through the roof....

Staged or real I think they will take this route. Ratings win out over everything now. It shouldn't but it does. Just look at Jerry Springer's success it went over the top and inspired countless Reality TV Shows.

 

[tara83]

I thought it was a tasteless joke because Jada has been open about her struggles with hair loss.Of course the best way to have handled this was for Will to have told him after the show he thought it was a rude thing to say.

 

[Laughing]

Both of them could make a sizable donation to alopecia research

National Alopecia Areata Foundation |

and come out of this looking rather better, IMHO.

Especially if managers arranged for them to do this jointly.

jmho ymmv lrr

 

[happyday]

I don’t buy that the Smiths didn’t expect for her shaved head to be the talk of the night. I mean, come on. If she was sensitive about her hair loss she could have afforded the best wig and nobody would ever know. The joke wasn’t even insulting at all. He basically compared her to another beautiful actress with a shaved head in a movie—the tamest of the night IMO. Weird reaction by WS, and CR seemed genuinely shocked. TMZ claims he had no idea about her alopecia. Something is really wrong with Will Smith because that was not a normal reaction, and I felt like Jada was more upset by his reaction than by the joke. But who knows. Maybe he was just overcompensating for all the rumors about their marriage by “standing up” for her. Did not work. Does WS have substance abuse problems?