By: Joerly Johnson
At the 94th Academy Awards, Chris Rock, a comedian, made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head. Her shaved head had been due to alopecia, a disease that causes hair loss. Pinkett was seen rolling her eyes at the comment however did not react further. These words, however, caused Will Smith, Jada’s husband to walk up to the stage and slap Rock in the face. When Smith returned to his seat he was heard yelling, “Keep my wife’s name out your fu**king mouth!”
Rock responded to Smith’s actions by simply saying, “Oh wow!” before finishing the presentation that he started. The incident was on live television and became a moment that instantly went viral on social media. The incident caused social media to go into a wide debate about violence, comedy, and ableism.
Some defended Smith’s actions arguing that he was defending and standing up for his wife and her condition. However, many argued that Smith should not have used violence to stand up for his wife, even when a situation like this occurred. It is important that we analyze both sides of the situation, and see why people would support each side.
Supporters of Smith made an argument that defending his wife was important. Many applauded Smith’s defensive actions, and saw it as a stand against insensitivity, and was his way of showing that there must be a boundary between jokes that are made, especially about people with illnesses.
In contrast, there are many that defend Rock. Many believe that it is important to understand that Rock is a comedian and it is his job to make jokes, which can sometimes come off as offensive. Even today, Rock still discusses the incident. In an article by Jake Coyle for AP News titled, “Year after the slap, Chris Rock punches back in new special.” he discusses what Rock said in a recent standup show, “You never know who might get triggered. Anyone who says words hurt hasn’t been punched in the face.”
In a Refinery29 article, by Ineye Komonibo, titled, “Was Will Smith’s Oscar Slap In Solidarity With Black Women Or An Egregious Assault?” Komonibo states, “Yes, Rock is a comedian with a reputation of saying whatever he wants under the guise of entertainment, but we all know that ”comedy” isn’t a hall pass for marginalizing people.” This article further discusses how important it is that we understand that even though he is a comedian, he should be held accountable for jokes that have gone too far or could be considered insensitive, especially when it goes as far as goes against someone’s illness.
The incident also raised talk and awareness about alopecia, which is a condition that affects over a million people worldwide. Many people who are suffering from alopecia took the time to speak out about the impact that the disease takes on their lives and how important it is to have sensitivity and understanding.
It is also important to understand that Pinkett-Smith has spoken out about her struggle and complicated journey with alopecia. She has openly discussed how it has affected her personally. Before speaking out about her alopecia, she would be seen on her Red Table Talk podcast wearing a turban, which she later discussed that she would use to cover her shaved head.
The situation sparks a big debate for many people, and it is important to see both sides of the situation whether you side with Smith or Rock. However, it is important that we as humans handle situations better, but also remember that we should not be so insensitive when talking about others’ personal lives. The whole incident could have been handled better if each party would not have reacted nor said either of the comments made.
Since the incident, Smith has since apologized to Rock. In a video interview with ABC News, Smith states, “Chris, I apologize to you. My behavior was unacceptable and I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.” Smith apologizing shows that how he chose to react goes deeper than just anger that he felt over what Rock said, as he since has discussed that he was going through a lot on the night of the Oscars. Additionally, Jada and Will had been a popular topic in the media leading up to the Oscars, as the media had shed light on the popular story known as Jada and Will’s entanglement. With the pair being a popular discussion prior to the Oscars, it is understandable to see why Smith was so emotionally affected by Rock’s words.
As we look at both sides of the situation and analyze what has happened, it is clear that Smith reacted emotionally when Rock’s words were said, however it is important that we are still watching what we say as it can come off as insensitive. Rock thought that as a comedian he could make a joke about the pair, however the Smith’s having their marital issues out for the public to see, it is easy to see that both sides could be affected highly by the situation.
Whether you support one side over the other, it is important to analyze all of the issues that led to the situation at the Academy Awards. Each party involved was affected in a different way, and with the media dissecting this topic, it became a worldwide topic of violence, ableism, and comedy.