Assault at The Oscars

According to the internet (yes, I know) there is historical beef between Rock and the Smiths. He made a joke about them, specifically Jada, at an Oscar's ceremony for their no show. Jada had claimed she was boycotting the event, and Rock made a joke about it along the lines of her not being invited anyway (which was probably true).

So there is perhaps more reason for the joke to be taken in bad faith, but still no excuse for assault or a gushing standing ovation for the assaulter. I've seen some claim that Denzel was reassuring or consoling Will, but based on what Will himself said, it's likely he was telling him that he was wrong and should apologise, but tactfully so he'd listen.

Are you male or female? If I made a joke that deeply, personally offensive about a potentially debilitating physical condition, to your face, either in private but even worse in front of a crowd, and you are someone of the same sex and physical build to me then yes, you'd be perfectly justified in responding by slapping me in the face.

The thing is as well that nobody would even be talking about the joke if it wasn’t for the incident. I didn’t know that Jada had Alopecia before this and by the look of Twitter a lot of other people didn’t know either. So of course Jada had every right to take the joke personally and be offended by it but Will’s actions only brought more attention to the joke.

Chris Rock has declined to make this a police matter. Understandable in so many ways.

I realise that the Academy would have had to act very quickly to make this happen but it was very wrong to allow a person who had just assaulted someone in front of a global audience to be allowed a platform to speak at that same event.

I would have still have confirmed the result as that is what the Academy voters had determined but Smith should have been removed from the audience and his award collected by someone else and delivered to him later.

Physical violence is never the answer under these circumstances. Never.

We all know that freedom of speech does not mean freedom from repercussions. But we also have seen the 'offensive' comedy has been tested in the courts and in most cases, the right of the comedian to push boundaries has been upheld.

Smith's violence last night has taken the focus away from what Chris Rock said.

In terms of outrageous comedy, this joke was in poor taste and possibly informed by personal animus between them. But it really doesn't come close to meeting any sort of bar whereby we should be seeking to censor.

If the Smith family had walked out of the ceremony, that would have made a more powerful statement. But violence was the chosen response and placed all the attention on that.

Chris Rock is not a comedian I like or find hugely funny. But his roast style humour is his trademark and most people are able to brush it off for what it is.

Assaulting him was not the right response. It never will be the right response.

Crow, you don't physically violate or assault other people, no matter what they say. A person with character is above that.
There is a huge gap between a remark and physical violence. Please learn to understand that.

The appropriateness of Chris Rock’s humour and joke can be debated. And the people on the receiving end of that joke have every right to be offended. But Will Smith’s reaction is I think pretty indefensible and I’m shocked that he was then simply allowed to sit back down and enjoy the rest of his evening like nothing happened.

Isn't Smith supposed to be a role model for boys/young men, especially black ones? What sort of message is he sending that group, a group that is already disproportionately likely to be involved in violence.

Definitely a violent crime. Police have dusted Chris Rock and found fresh prints

I think it's the other way around. There's no doubt that deliberately cruel, or even careless words, can be hurtful. But something intended as a joke, no matter how ill-advised, does not justify assault. I understand why Jada would be upset, but the joke was based on comparing her to an iconic and bad-ass action character. The odds are he naively thought she'd be cool with it. 

There are a number of things that bug me about this, but one of them is that Smith is an articulate man. He's in his 50s and I've heard no-one say anything about him having had a couple of drinks too many. Who knows what he had in mind when he left his seat, but he had enough time to think of something to say by the time he got to Chris. Perhaps he originally planned to punch him, and it got downgraded, thankfully, to a slap. 

I agree that the ceremony organisers should have removed him from the room and had someone collect his Oscar on his behalf, but I don't suppose anyone ever thought of this eventuality when they did their contingency planning. There's no need to press charges IMO. The whole world saw what he did, and those who made excuses won't change their mind because the legal system confirms it's assault. 

In hindsight if Will had shouted something like "Say that again" or "Say it to my face" it would have done him a lot less damage. But then he risks Chris Rock coming back with a sharp one liner. Also if they walk out CR may well have made a parting remark after them.

Also CR pitched the joke wrong as Willow Smith also has very short/Army haircut. If he'd say hey Will are Jada and Willow both up for GI Jane role then it widens the joke.

The joke about her hair loss is a fine line, effects of chemo causing it I'd say no go, baldness there have been jokes before but would a toupee or wig be called out publically?