What's Behind Will Smith Slapping Chris Rock at Oscars Over a Joke?
10:52 GMT 28.03.2022 (Updated: 11:09 GMT 28.03.2022)
© REUTERS / BRIAN SNYDER
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The Oscars have been going through rough times recently when it comes to ratings: in 2021, the ceremony turned out to be the least watched and lowest rated Academy Awards show ever, hardly eclipsing the 10 million viewer threshold.
Will Smith's escapade at the 2022 Oscars on Sunday has certainly become one of the biggest moments of the show: it seems that people are far more interested in him slapping Chris Rock than Smith actually securing an award as Best Male Actor.
Why such drama, though? In the first moments after Chris Rock's fateful joke, Smith could be seen smiling and laughing in the multiple videos now circulating online.
Rock said, speaking about Smith's wife Jada Pinkett, that he "can't wait for G.I. Jane 2", apparently hitting a nerve, since Pinkett is known to have battled alopecia - a hair loss condition.
It appears that when Will noticed his wife's bitter reaction to the joke, he immediately felt less in the mood for having fun.
"Keep my wife's name out your f***ing mouth!", he yelled at Rock after going up on stage and slapping the comedian in the face - a moment that was doomed to become viral later.
While it's unclear whether Rock was aware of Pinkett's struggle with her hair condition, Mrs. Smith herself first revealed that during a 2018 episode of her Facebook Watch show "Red Table Talk".
"It was terrifying when it first started. I was in the shower one day and had just handfuls of hair in my hands and I was just like, 'Oh my god, am I going bald?''' she said at the time.
The incident has split social media into several camps: some people sincerely enjoyed the show and even had their interest in the Oscars re-ignited after the ceremony's ratings failure; others condemned Smith's move. But hardly anyone was left indifferent.
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© Photo : Twitter / @lamdeechairman
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© Photo : Twitter / @kingbeams
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© Photo : Twitter / @RealAver4ge
Still, when Will Smith returned back on stage - this time to collect his own Oscar, not to punch anyone - he tearfully apologised for the incident. Not everyone was convinced, however.
Apologize to Chris Rock. And to the young people who look up to you. You can keep the crocodile tears. You missed a moment to hold yourself accountable. On a world stage. Make it right, man. #Oscars2022 #WillSmith https://t.co/PFnZd5FTze
— Charla Pinkston (@CharlaPinkston) March 28, 2022
Apparently, there's only one way for the internet to forget this incident now.
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© Photo : Twitter / @CircaAzul
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