“I just felt so awful for my friend, Chris. And it was sickening. I physically felt ill. And I’m still a little traumatized by it.
For them to let him stay in that room and enjoy the rest of the show and accept his award, I was like, ‘How gross is this? This is just the wrong message.’
You assault somebody, you get escorted out the building and that’s it. For them to let him continue, I thought it was gross. Plus, I wanted to be able to run out after he won and say, ‘Unfortunately will couldn’t be here tonight…'”Wanda Sykes speaking to Ellen Degeneres about Will Smith assaulting Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards.
Related: LGBTQ celebrities react to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars
Mister P
Wanda Sykes is correct. I love her.
Jaquelope
I may have a minority opinion, but it all looked staged to me.
Bosch
I was suspicious at first too, until I remembered that Will Smith has smacked someone in the face on television before. Seems like a behavioural pattern.
Donston
I’m thinking that that’s the reason he wasn’t immediately escorted. People couldn’t tell if it was staged/if Will and Chris had preplanned it. And yes, Will being a big star and likely winner had a lot to do with him not being forced out of the building.
There really isn’t any defending what Will did. It wasn’t instinctual considering that he waited a minute after the joke and had to climb up that big ass stage to get to Rock. And it wasn’t about “defending his wife’s honor”. It was a stupid, not at all personal joke. What Will did was more about his own hyper emotions, his ego, his narcissism. He also dimmed the triumph of his win and dimmed the moment for the Williams and for the hosting black performers.
Mack
I, too, thought it was faked but since it’s been still going on and no one has stated “it was a joke” I guess it’s real. Assault in horrible but words do have consequences.
Me2
The thought crossed my mind too. I almost needed to believe it was staged because it was so pointless.
Mattster
I wondered at first too, but then there was dead air (huge no-no on TV) even though you could see they skipped a couple seconds on the tape delay, and the sound cut out as Smith was shouting curses and Rock wondered WTH do I do here. In pro wrestling terms, it was not a work, it was a shoot.
TimidTim
Finally someone with accurate judgment and to everyone saying “I did too BUT…..” please trust your first instinct. This is Hollywood remember. Heck they’re honoring people for their performances at this very show. That’s the irony. They do this every year at the Oscars. Some cheap PR ploy for ratings to get people gossiping all week long than the week before the next Oscars they bring up the “scandal” to remind people that they should watching cause they never know what they’re going to see this year. ie they’re basically out themselves by saying this. Hollywood has always been about unionizing and blacklisting those who don’t cooperate. In pro wrestling before Vince MacMahon spilled the beans they called in “protecting the business.” Where do you think the home of sports ENTERTAINMENT got it from? Again emphasis on entertainment. There’s a pattern here. They try not to make the scandals too over the top every year because it will make people suspicious. So the big ones they space out like the Warren Beatty reading the “wrong” best picture. Anyone familiar with the Oscars knows of all categories the Best Picture Award is the most protected and fool proof and for them to announce every award in history with no controversy than the one time there was a mistake it just so happens to be that very Best Picture award? Cmon! Y’all know better than that. This is Hollywood kaybabe at its finest. Nobody’s gonna fess up for fear of being blackballed especially a woman well past 40 who never relied on sex appeal and is still relevant which is beyond rare in itself. Read the signs folks.
Polaro
Seriously, once he started screaming, it became clear it was not staged.
G R
LOLOLOL. So the LAPD investigating and the Academy in discussion about what will ultimately be done (despite Smith’s resignation) feels staged to you??
You should stop drinking or using whatever mind-altering substances you’re on. Dude…
dario717
Yaaaasssssssssssssssss!
johncp56
Ditto!! Not to Cancel but He should had been kept off the stage after that display of toxic manhood!!
Matthewnow
Smith’s true self came out. Will never support him again.
richybruce
Ditto to that.
Creamsicle
It makes sense for a comic to defend another comic. Stand ups need to have the toughest armor of all the entertainers.
But at the same time, Chris Rock produced a documentary film about black hair and how much hair means to black women in particular. He knows that it’s a particularly touchy topic and many black women, especially in entertainment, spend thousands of dollars every year on hair and hair treatments.
The joke itself was kind of innocuous. I barely caught it on a recap. But it’s hard to keep in mind that Smith was a child actor. He’s been a public figure and target of public scrutiny and ridicule for basically his entire adult life. Not saying that he’s in the right to slap another grown man like that in public, but if this is the worst behavior ever seen from a wildly successful black entertainer in a career that started in 1986, then he actually handled it with a surprising amount of composure.
Bosch
If this is what he’s like when people are watching, what’s he like behind closed doors?
London_resistance
Foolish of Will Smith not to announce he’s trans! Cos if he did then he’d be instantly forgiven for all crimes and misdemeanours
mferrera7466
Hateful.
THAT Steve
Because that’s worked so well for Caitlin Jenner.
Bosch
Picking on a marginalized group is so manly
/s
Leash
This will not change your opinion or help you become a better person or anything like that, but I still feel like someone should tell you: You seem like a dumb piece of shit.
Jack
It’s weird that we constantly forgive reality TV stars (if not encourage them) for behaving this way. Will f*cked up and should have been kicked out. I just don’t think condemning him or canceling him when Porsha Williams drug Kenya Moore by the hair of the head…and they both kept getting checks from Bravo. I hold Will Smith to a higher standard, but I don’t think he’s a monster by any means. He just fuuuu’t up.
Me2
The Oscars and a Houswives reunion show aren’t comparable events. But physical violence of any kind shouldn’t be tolerated on either show. There should be serious consequences for what Will did.
Prax07
Jada probably made him do it, he was laughing until he saw she had her bitch-face on. But he really should’ve been escorted out and not gotten an Oscar afterwards. Rock should’ve pressed charges on his ass.
Ronbo
First off, bald jokes are just too, too life destroying to be allowed. Unless it’s a joke about men. s/ the sexism.
If anything was staged, it was JPS shaving her head. What? If JPS was sensitive about alopecia, then someone should have warned her about going full bald. Even men wear a piece; some women have even live in wigs! My MIL snaps on one of her many Zsa Zsa rugs and looks marvelous.
Will Smith initially did the go-along-get-along Hollywood laugh, THEN look at JPS’s face. It is the perfect meme – something evil is going to happen.
Seems security (and laws) don’t apply to famous people. I’d like to see his Oscar revoked, and given to the deserving actor, BC. Although Power of the Dog wasn’t a pleasant romp, Cumberbatch’s performance was stellar. I’m biased because I’ve known and recognized Phil Burbanks.
How important is this saga? tRump and his convicts engaged in attempted killing of Democracy / 10. Putin is parroting our regime change wars – threatening nukes / 10. We lost over 6,000,000 people to a self-inflicted pandemic / 10.
Hair on fire rating of Will Smith: 2
Fahd
Ronbo = pathetic Russian troll who needs to practice his English grammar. Be gone!
Capawok
I STILL have a head ache.
Polaro
Ditto. Its almost like a culmination of what’s wrong today.
Fname Optional Lname
To hear Will basically try and pass off his behavior on where he grew up was just insulting! Nobody has ever looked at Will Smith and feared for their safety. On a good day they might have thought “i think he plays racquetball with my dad”..
Also, the fact that he bit$h slapped him just made me think he was in an episode of Bridgerton defending his woman’s honor in 1800’s London.
Fahd
Coulda, shoulda, woulda, but think how much more effective it would have been if when Will Smith walked up there instead of slapping Chris Rock he had insisted on talking about alopecia – live before a huge audience. Would have changed the whole narrative.
Workplace violence is an important problem and people can’t be allowed to hit others in the workplace even if they feel terribly offended. For that simple reason, for the Academy to carry on and to allow Smith to remain was wrong and perpetuated the stereotype that powerful celebrities aren’t held accountable for bad behavior.
Will Smith being photographed partying and dancing with joy at an after party was a bad PR move and shows that no one had been able to convey to him that assault/violence is a crime and that he had done himself real career damage. I think his remorse the next day was all about potential roles and dollars lost. I’ve heard he hasn’t personally even tried to contact Chris Rock, and let’s not forget his first reaction to Rock’s remark was to laugh.
Maybe I’m overreacting, but I had the opportunity to watch King Richard again yesterday, and I chose not to do it.
AZ71
The Academy needs to rescind his Oscar. It’s been done 7x in the past. Its the only way to clearly put out the message that physical violence is never acceptable. We seem to be giving excuses and a pass because it was two men (possibly two black men?). But what if he walked up on stage and slapped Amy Schumer or one of the other comedienne hosts? Would this even be discussed? I believe Rock should file a permanent restraining order against him. Smith expelled from the Academy and no longer invited.
One thing is for sure. His insurance policy on movie sets just doubled with him showing his lack of anger management. That will severely limit his future opportunities.
bachy
Honestly, it made me think Smith is struggling with mental illness. Been noticing a lotta crazy in a lotta people lately. The Trump debacle, followed by the insurrection, followed by the worldwide pandemic has left a lot of peeps just… spinning. Worldwide PTSD, anyone? Add personal problems n’ pressures on top and you’re looking at a population full of powder kegs.
Keep your wits about you. In this climate, you never know what insignificant, little thing will set someone off.
Polaro
I agree. Mental illness is not an excuse, but I do think he’s cracked.
jamescastlerock
I live with a debilitating illness. I’m not an actor, and thusly I don’t rely on my appearance for a living, but I do know what it is to have a condition you can do nothing about. What I’d like to know is where is all the moral outrage about making fun of someone’s medical condition on national television. What would it take for THAT too, to not be okay??? Cancer?? Autoimmune?? This isn’t Rock’s first insult directed at Pinkett-Smith’s MEDICAL CONDITION . . . violence takes many forms, and all this “outrage” without ANY consideration for the other point of view is seriously f**ked!!
white-queer-african
@jamescastlerock, you did not state the debilitating illness you live with and I respect that. It does make it difficult for me to try and identity and possible sympathize with you. Having said that. No excuse for anyone resorting to violence. I did that at the age if 13 when i was called a c*ck sucker. I did beat the sh*t out of the bully that thought he was tough.
Please seek professional counselling if you not having that support currently.
Love and peace.
v6origal97
Sorry for your illness. However, she has bald spots. Half the women in that audience probably had on wigs. It’s not like she couldn’t get a hair transplant, and Rock said he had no idea it was a medical condition. It was meant to be an innocuous GI Jane reference, calling her a badass, strong woman. I wouldn’t be happy if someone picked on me for how I looked, either, but I don’t make hundreds of millions of dollars pretending to be a nice family guy, while I go off and get it on with other men, and while my wife has sex with half the men and women in town. He wasn’t defending her honor. There was some Scientology-level bridging and he read her mood, and felt like he had to produce. On top of that, he clearly looked like he was on some sort of drug. Personally, I’m glad he showed who most of Hollywood knows him to be, behind the scenes. People only put up with the Smiths because they want to make money. In a true world of equals, they really would be out on their asses, because they’re horrible people.
bachy
@jamescastlerock: Excellent point.
Polaro
Jada has been very clear that she does not care what people say about her hair. Google it. Seriously, stop making excuses for violence.
daddytop
Like Jada Pinkett Smith can’t afford a wig? She was wearing a couture Jean Paul Gaultier gown.
jackscott
Good for her to speak up for Chris. Plus, all the effort the hosts and crew put into the show was overshadowed by that creep Will Smith. His assault on Chris Rock should have put him in jail. The Academy should have never allowed him to stay and accept his award in person. It is a shame that one person could ruin a night that celebrate the love of movies. Jada & Will should never be allowed back at the Oscars!
v6origal97
I hope they ban him for life.
Diplomat
I think one of the main topics of this subject that has not been brought up yet is: who wrote that bomb#shell joke? The academy? Contracted writers?
The academy may not have taken action because it may be liable for that joke. Something to ponder.
Charlie in Charge
The Academy claims it was an ad lib.
Diplomat
Interesting. Thx.
daddytop
Since when is telling a joke as a presenter at the Oscars a crime?
Jim
He was asked to leave!!!
If you see an assault are you polite to the perp or do you call the police.
And don’t get me started on those feckless narcissist that later gave Smith a standing ovation.
Terrycloth
Will could have waited till commercial break and confronted Chris backstage .now all comedians have to have a few seats upfront reserved for security ? Yesterday’s comedians didn’t have this problem. Even Carlin who really crossed. It many times but reeled it in to where it all made sense. .comedians have more on their plates to be aware of. ,lgbtq issues ,don’t say gay , abortion , Biden , Trump Ukraine / Russia. Lots of touchy subjects…it’s a minnefield
Polaro
Wanda +1.
cubcmh
According to the news, the Academy asked him to leave, and he refused. They were left with the option of having security remove him. That would have required interrupting the “live” broadcast and going to some pre-recorded content. They chose not to do that.
I understand *why* they made that decision, but do not agree with it. They chose to preserve the broadcast/show, and avoid possibly creating a worse PR situation over doing the right thing, upholding their own policies, and/or supporting the victim(s).
Just.my.opinion
I do not like Will Smith. I do not watch any movie that he is in – haven’t since the early 1990s. It seems that my opinion of him has been correct all along.
Polaro
The two things are not related. Your opinion of his entertaining ability does not directly correlate to liking him as a human. Because Will Smith did something horrible does not make MIB 3 a bad movie.
TimidTim
Well the thing he did that made him the most horrible was agreeing to be a pawn in the academy’s annual cheap publicity stunt to get people to watch. Everything else is just people talking out their backsides in hopes to keep this hoax relevant enough to keep it fresh on peoples minds to want to watch next year. Trust me, mark my words, a few weeks before next years Oscar’s Smith or Rock are gonna bring it up again in some tell all, likely top TMZ story. Can’t y’all see the pattern here? It’s not rocket science.
And referring to The Rocks reaction to me I read it as “not this again!” Someone who knew all the tricks of the selling it kaybabe trade and was hoping to get past that. Where as everyone else was actually selling it and making sure it upstaged poor Ukraine in the headlines. The Rock was the one guy who who’s reaction actually spoke volumes. Of course now like everyone there he’s gonna sell it and make sure his career is protected by not giving away that it was a work. He dealt with Shawn Michaels and the Kliq and was one of the few people they didn’t screw over. Rock is smart and knows exactly how to keep himself protected.
And I’m not even getting started about the incident itself. I laughed when I first heard about it on the news immediately realizing it was one of their yearly cheap heat works. Than I saw the slap itself. Double downing on my opinion is the ultimate understatement. That looked like a scene from the Razzie dazzled “winning” Wild Wild West only even that movie made the slap look like Frazier/Ali (ironically) How are you all not seeing this? Tix sales to Chris Rocks next show are throw the roof. It’s already working like a charm. You got played plain and simple. Shame that it upstaged terrible current events like poor Ukraine but that’s self absorbed, superficial entertainment for you.
Joshooeerr
So Wanda was “sickened”, traumatised and believes WS should have been immediately escorted from the building. Yet she had air-time after the incident and said nothing. All we got was Amy Schumer making light of the violence by saying “did I miss anything?” And then we all saw half of Hollywood / most of the audience join in an enthusiastic standing ovation for WS. So excuse me if I’m more than slightly sceptical about how sickened and traumatised Wanda is, and how utterly appalled and outraged Hollywood generally is. Nobody had what might be deemed a reasonable response to a public assault. And WS will most likely get off with something like a six-month suspension from the Academy, so he’ll still get to vote next year.
inbama
Leave Wanda alone – she’s a credit to the community.
Everybody’s always picking on lesbians here.
DHT
If Will had been escorted out would Jada have left too? I would bet no, but we will never know.
MISTERJETT
would Will had been so quick to go up on stage if it was Dwayne Johnson or Terry Crews up there? i’m guessing no.