Will Or Chris, Whose Side Are You On

From what I read, mostly everyone is condemning Will Smith.

I am divided. Of course, slapping anyone is not right. But that's not the end of it.

The most to blame IMO are the writers who wrote the script. Who researched this joke? Did they check how Jada Pinkett Smith has talked about the hair loss? Jada Pinkett Smith's Most Honest Quotes About Alopecia and Hair Loss

Celebrities have to take such jokes in their stride. But, it was not a late-night show where the joke was used and all have time to think and react to it the next day. It was at a live ceremony like the Oscar's, where the camera immediately goes to her face for her reaction. That is cruel.

Will Smith resorted to going on stage and slapping. That is wrong, of course. But, any other action, such as the "use your words" approach would be weak.

Chris Rock.. poor guy, he was only delivering the jokes written for him. I doubt he wrote them himself. Or did he? And, does he get to approve the final script?

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I am also half-tempted to believe it was staged. How was Will Smith's voice so audible in a large auditorium? I don't think the audience are fitted with mikes?

 

Hey!!! You can't add options after vote(s) have been cast! Anyway, I wouldn't change mine.

 

OK then here's some convincing for the opposite camp: In this day and age, do women need a man to stand up for their dignity? If Will Smith could walk up to stage and deliver the slap, Jada Smith could have also walked up to the stage and said something short like: "Not cool" or "Not done." Or, she could have simply stood up where she was sitting and an eloquent shake of the (proudly shaved) head.

Would a wife stand up for her husband like that? I doubt it. I have only seen wives support a husband like Bill Cosby or other politicians who express regret about an affair with wife standing solidly next to him in support.

Like we are setting aside the staged speculation, we have to set aside the race card. Just be thankful all involved have the same skin color. : )

I barely watched some Japanese TV footage of the incident. I thought initially Will Smith sort of laughed/smiled at the joke. After he saw her facial expression, he started walking to the stage.

The apology Will delivered when accepting his award pointedly excluded Chris. He apologized to everyone else. All next day apologies are from PR, strategist etc.

And here goes an admission: It felt so darned good to watch him say, "Keep my wife's name out of your <expletive> mouth" : ) If an Indian man says a polite version of that to his parents/siblings/anybody for offensive comments about his wife, he will be set for life. : )