At the 94th Academy Awards, Chris Rock took the stage during the Oscars 2022 to present the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Chris Rock joked about Will Smith’s wife and actress Jada Pinkett Smith being in ‘G.I. Jane’ because of her shaved head while presenting the award. Actor, rapper, and film producer Will Smith interrupted him shortly after, climbing to the stage and slapping him across the face.
Will burst out laughing from his seat during Rock’s joke, while Jada looked unimpressed. Will then took the stage and smacked Rock across the face, later winning Best Actor at the ceremony. That’s when he punched Rock. Will yelled asking Rock to keep his wife’s name away from his mouth, after which he took his seat again.
Since the Oscar moment was so shocking, one has to wonder what motivated Will Smith to punch a fellow artist.
According to British journalist and media figure Piers Morgan, the words that could have triggered Will Smith’s rage were Rock’s jibe, “Jada, I love you” and his nickname for her, GI Jane 2.
After the experience of battling with alopecia, the medical condition that causes people to lose their hair, Jada revealed being emotionally upset with the deeply personal and harrowing time in her life. So, when Chris Rock compared her appearance to GI Jane, Demi Moore’s shaven-haired character, it stung.
Comedians like him should be able to make risqué jokes, particularly about other wealthy celebrities, without fear of being smacked in the face. American comedian Tiffany Haddish has also spoken out about Will Smith slamming Chris Rock at the Awards, explaining why she thought the contentious moment was “beautiful.”
She said that when she saw a Black man defend his wife, it meant a lot to her. Rock, according to the comedian and actress, is “Will and Jada’s friend” and asked, “Why would you do that?” He did not even tell her the joke, but she was hurt, she said.
Smith also mentioned the incident in his acceptance speech, saying that he was doing so to protect his family. He is so mainstream that, in many people’s eyes, he is no longer a person of colour.
Whatever his background, Smith’s expletive-laden outburst on a show broadcast to millions of homes around the world demonstrates a complete lack of control on his part. It is also a stark contrast to the family image he and his wife have carefully cultivated over the years.
The Full Uncensored video of Will Smith’s altercation with Chris Rock at the #Oscars pic.twitter.com/cGQ3plSEiz
– Movies (@moreoffilms) March 28, 2022
