NOTE: If you don’t know what happened, here’s a link but be warned there’s bad language. Because we live in a world full of judgements, let me be clear, I’m NOT making fun of autoimmune diseases. I have lived with RA for two decades and generally I don’t laugh at sick people. But human behavior? I will laugh or wield sarcasm so I don’t cry in despair.
So onto my questions about or related to The Slap:
Why wasn’t Will Smith removed from the stage at the Academy Awards by security after the slap heard around the world?
Where the heck was security?
Was security even there?
Is slapping only wrong if the slapper or slappee isn’t famous?
Do two wrongs make a right now? Or not? I feel like a really need clarity on this point, because my mom insisted two wrongs did not make a right. If she was wrong, I need to know that before I see her again in the afterlife because I want to tell her she was wrong. Wait, oh crap, I think I taught my kids the same thing. What if I was wrong and they find out???? I’ll never hear the end of it. I’ll never live it down!
How am I supposed to take Will Smith seriously as an actor when his solution to a cruel joke is a slap in front of millions of viewers?
And exactly what kind of jokes did The Academy, the rest of the entertainment industry and viewers, expect from Chris Rock? I mean he isn’t known for dad jokes or knock knock jokes, right? I didn’t watch the awards because I had zero interest, but I got a news alert on my phone about the incident. (And sadly, I clicked on the replay, so I’m part of the problem, I guess.)
Which brings me to another question: What is happening in this ridiculous world when that’s the breaking news alert on my phone when there are real problems happening daily? Women are murdered by husbands, children are abused and killed by parents, scammers are stealing retirees life savings, and oh yeah, there’s a dangerous war happening…but I get breaking freaking news about two children dressed in suits playing grown ups on TV. One mouths off, the other one slaps and I’m supposed to care…why?
Was this event staged for attention because the only way to get coveted recognition for overblown egos in a world inundated by desperate people vying for notice is to be outrageous rather than good at something, or you know, just a decent, respectful, and kind person?
I just have so many questions. How about you?
March 30th, 2022 at 5:45 am · Link
:shrug: It’s the world we’re living in now, I guess. I heard something about Chris Rock making fun of someone else’s wife minutes before he did Smith’s, It’s what he does. Making fun of other people probably dates back to caveman comedy. Ugg’s wife was so fat, the t-rex had to eat her in shifts. Nogg’s mother is so ugly, a sabertooth tried to bury her in the sand. Or something like that.
I miss the old days of ‘sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me’. I think if Smith had just left it alone… maybe spoken out about his wife’s illness after the show… Rock would have gotten a boatload of crap for making fun of her illness. As it stands now, Rock is the victim of assault. And his ticket sales are soaring. The only thing I can think of that I liked Chris Rock in was where he was the voice of the guinea pig on Eddie Murphy’s version of Doctor Doolittle. Oh, and he was okay in What to Expect When You’re Expecting.
March 30th, 2022 at 5:55 am · Link
So many questions and conflicted emotions. I still haven’t seen the clip, I refuse to elevate it by one more person, but it’s a really sad commentary that both of those people think being mean is acceptable. Once more, rich and privileged people can do something that mere mortals cannot do. Still shaking my head over those “adults”.
March 30th, 2022 at 7:55 am · Link
First, I haven’t watched any award show in years. This year, I saw an article about the best movie nominees and hadn’t heard of one of them. I can’t remember the last time I actually watched a recent movie. Like you, Jen, I got an alert and I caught part of the clip on the news because I happened to glance up. My thought at the time was, “Who cares? It’s just effing Hollywood.” Now it’s a big deal because it is just effing Hollywood.
If the Academy decides to strip Smith of his academy award, I will probably become a social media activist (and probably get myself canceled in the process) for their hypocracy. Roman Polanski–AFTER BEING CONVICTED OF CHILD PORN AND RAPE–received his award and got a standing ovation. Harvey Weinstein also kept his award after being convicted of rape, sexual battery, and other terrible stuff.
Should Smith have slapped Rock? No. Do I sympathize with him? Yes. This was not the first time Rock has gone after Jada Pinkett Smith. Rock is a sleezeball of the first order but he’s Hollywod POC VIP. Had Smith been White, there would be a HUGE public outcry instead of just a big one. If Rock had been White, he would be condemned for picking on a Black woman with a disease–one which Rock claims he was unaware. Yes. That’s my very cynical view of the world currently.
When you love someone, it is hard not to defend them. That said, words fight with words and fists fight with fists. As for that stupid old saying about sticks and stones? Any pyschologist worth their salt can explain how words not only hurt but can emotionally damage someone for life. Yes, we need thick skins. Yes, we need to ignore the alpha hotels and hope that Karma bites them. Smith has apologized. Rock refused to press charges. They’ll never be friends. They weren’t before this incident. Rock will go on to make another small fortune being an alpha hotel with this incident as new “comedic” fodder. I saw a poll where a majority agreed with Smith’s actions so most of his fans won’t care and he has enough money and clout that this too shall pass.
It’s Hollywood. Lord knows how many times we’ve made excuses for the idiots out there. And the vast majority of them are vapid narcissists with no real clue of the real world or their place in it.
And…wow. Sorry. I don’t normally unload like that in “public.” And before anyone who doesn’t know me jumps to conclusions, technically, I’m a POC. I’m 1/4 Choctaw married to a member of the Muskogee Creek nation.
Anyway, Jen. Again, apologies. I started to just delete this and instead say, “Yeah, what y’all said…” but I didn’t because I do feel strongly about this.
Does anyone else hear Nero playing his fiddle in the background?
March 30th, 2022 at 2:59 pm · Link
I don’t watch these stupid shows anymore but I was made fully aware of the incident when I got up to lift.
I honestly didn’t think it was that awful a joke and Will was laughing until Jada rolled her eyes. He really took it way out of hand and he should be treated like the rest of us would have been. But we all know that nothing will happen to him.
In my opinion he should not be stripped of the Oscar. He won it for good reason but there should be some discipline. Maybe ban him from the Oscars for a couple years. You know, if they don’t do anything, things will be worse in upcoming years.
I have had a DAY! I’m on the floor in the family room and notice water all over the place, including the fireplace. I look up and it’s coming from the ceiling light. So I run upstairs and I guess a gasket in one of the toilets has cracked and the water leaked from there. I called youngest at work after shutting off the water and flushing the tank. He’s going to stop at the hardware store and see about buying the part and fixing this toilet for me tonight.
Yesterday hubs filled the coffee pot with water for this morning twice. I heard dripping from another room and yelled to him (he didn’t hear it – needs to see a Dr.) from another room. He yells back that he has a problem. I walk into the kitchen and he’s just standing there looking at water flowing all over the counter and down into the drawers and cabinets (that’s what made me ANGRY). So I got to clean that up too.
I think I have issues with water ;).
I hope you have had a good day!
March 30th, 2022 at 3:43 pm · Link
B.E., I’m pretty sure you’re right about comedians in cavemen times. And you know what? They’re joke-targets probably had more self control. There were better ways to handle it–for both Smith and The Academy.
I’m sure I’ve seen Chris Rock in movies, but he’s not on my radar. Will Smith I enjoy in movies. Not sure that will change, honestly some of my disgust is with the Academy and the fact that no one did anything when they should have. Chris Rock was left to fend for himself when he was attacked doing a job he was hired to do. It doesn’t matter whether or not they liked his job, he deserved to have security remove the threat.
Huh, so I guess I have some feelings, LOL. But I will stop now.
March 30th, 2022 at 3:44 pm · Link
Carrie, totally agree!
March 30th, 2022 at 4:04 pm · Link
Silver, oh man, I didn’t even think of Roman Polanski. That is an excellent point. If the Academy would to take the Oscar away, they’d need to make a public acknowledgement of their mistake in not taking away Polanski’s.
What’s funny is I deleted this blog after I wrote it, then recovered it because I really humans are ridiculous. And I think this was a very public example of how people everyone are losing control of their actions, and thinking because they are mad/hurt/upset about something they can lash out. (Airlines are a great example too).
But I won’t go into all that
It’s also amazing how people “interpret” what happened. That’s just me and my fascination with human psychology, LOL. I’m also intersted in dog psychology but dogs are a lot more predictable
March 30th, 2022 at 4:12 pm · Link
Viki, it seems many people support Will Smith and believe he should keep the Oscar. I don’t have a strong opinion there.
My opinion is that the Academy screwed up not removing him from the stage and showing some kind of ability to handle the moment. What if that had escalated?
Next time it might.
But again, that’s just me.
YIKES!! I’m so sorry for the leak. There’s not much worse than finding water dripping from your second floor to your first. I still remember the stomach drop I had when it happened to us. Hope it can be resolved with minimal repairs. And yay for your youngest son! He sure comes through for you!
Um, did you show hubs where the towels are? Maybe he was shocked? I can remember the last time Wizard made coffee — probably when I had surgery. But if Maggie throws up in the house when I’m home, then he calls me :-).
I hope your week gets better!