If you're in a bar and some jagoff makes a joke at your wife's expense, that's one thing. If you're in a group of friends and someone makes a similar joke, it's likely something different entirely. If it's a comedian making jokes at everyone's expense as part of a presentation, it's something different still.

To equate slapping a comedian on stage at the Oscars to protecting the "delicate" women of the world in ordinary circumstances, or the Williams father protecting his children from racism or whatever else they ran into growing up, is fundamentally misguided.

As for how those at the Oscars responded, I don't see how what Will Smith did doesn't qualify as "toxic masculinity." The notion that a man has an obligation to protect a woman is quaint at best by most of the standards they espouse. Seems like they would be attacking him first for coming to her defense at all as though she needed it, and then second for using violence to do it.

Anyway, this reeks of something personal between them in particular. It reminds me of the dozens of arguments and fights I've seen in my life where that one friend nobody likes thinks they can get away with making a joke that the others have all been making.

Gigem314 said:

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Iowaggie said:

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Gigem314 said:

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Hincemm said:

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Gigem314 said:

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Rock showed poor taste with the joke, but Smith made it worse.

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it's amazing how the perspective toward comedians has shifted over the past 20 years of my life.

Anyone who listens to/enjoys Chris Rock (or DOZENS of other comedians of his ilk) would find his comment last night far from "poor taste" compared to some of the stuff he has said over the years.

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Oh no, I'm well aware of Chris Rock's style. I find a lot of his stuff funny. Not all of it, but he's a talented comedian. In the context of hosting a prestigious program like The Oscars, i still think that was done in poor taste. It's not some late-night comedy bit.

And given Jada Smith's condition, I think that was a poor choice. Not on the level of making fun of someone with cancer...but getting into that sphere.

It just seems like there's much material right now, why go there?

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Yes, we should continue to do jokes on diabetes, obesity, glasses, goiters, old age, boob size, bladder control, botched plastic surgery, eczema, but avoid the topic of balding, unless it is a joke at a man who is balding.

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I mean, are jokes that involve medical conditions a regular at the Oscars? Just doesn't seem like the stage for that. I get that comedians push the envelope and will use that kind of comedy in their routines, that's been the case for a long time.

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Was it a joke about a medical condition or a joke about a haircut?

I know the haircut may be because of the medical condition, but do you think Rock was joking about the medical condition?

AustinAg2K said:

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Is it confirmed that Jayda has alopecia? Or is it just speculation because of her haircut? I don't really follow Hollywood, but if Will didn't slap Rock, I would have just assumed it was her hair style. I feel like the shaved head thing is fairly common for women now days, especially Black women.

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she's open about having it. she's open about a lot of stuff apparently.

Willy Wonka said:

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What a crap position to put a comedian in in the first place. You're either unfunny or crossing someone's line and opening yourself up to criticism.

Couldn't pay me enough if I was a comedian.

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I honestly felt kind of bad for Chris Rock afterwards. He's not the most relevant anymore and I bet it was a pretty big moment for him and the last thing he expected was something like this. You could tell it threw him way off but he stammered through better than just about anyone else could. Would have loved for this to have been Chappelle though, like others have joked. He's not a little runt, and he's the type that would dish it back and maybe pour fuel on the fire. Possibly even fight back.

Chris Rock took the high road for sure.

Will Smith is a little *****, sucker punched (slapped) Chris Rock…..knowing good and well NOTHING would be done to him for it. I would have loved to have seen Rock whip the **** out of that arrogant *****.

“And she's got alopecia. So... not a happy homelife." pic.twitter.com/b1NYWWIncX

— David Brent Music (@DavidBrentMovie) March 28, 2022

RT by Gervais.

It was a sucker punch in that I don't think anyone, even Chris, expected that to actually happen until he had already been smacked. Nothing like this has ever happened and comedians do this gig all the time.

Comedians also cross the line all the time, Smith has got other **** he is upset about and is obviously overcompensating or easily upset with things involving his marriage.

I don't think he should be allowed back at the Oscars at the very least if he is going to act like a man child.

Iowaggie said:

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Gigem314 said:

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Iowaggie said:

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Gigem314 said:

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Hincemm said:

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Gigem314 said:

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Rock showed poor taste with the joke, but Smith made it worse.

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it's amazing how the perspective toward comedians has shifted over the past 20 years of my life.

Anyone who listens to/enjoys Chris Rock (or DOZENS of other comedians of his ilk) would find his comment last night far from "poor taste" compared to some of the stuff he has said over the years.

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Oh no, I'm well aware of Chris Rock's style. I find a lot of his stuff funny. Not all of it, but he's a talented comedian. In the context of hosting a prestigious program like The Oscars, i still think that was done in poor taste. It's not some late-night comedy bit.

And given Jada Smith's condition, I think that was a poor choice. Not on the level of making fun of someone with cancer...but getting into that sphere.

It just seems like there's much material right now, why go there?

---

Yes, we should continue to do jokes on diabetes, obesity, glasses, goiters, old age, boob size, bladder control, botched plastic surgery, eczema, but avoid the topic of balding, unless it is a joke at a man who is balding.

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I mean, are jokes that involve medical conditions a regular at the Oscars? Just doesn't seem like the stage for that. I get that comedians push the envelope and will use that kind of comedy in their routines, that's been the case for a long time.

---

Was it a joke about a medical condition or a joke about a haircut?

I know the haircut may be because of the medical condition, but do you think Rock was joking about the medical condition?

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This. The haircut and the decision to wear it instead of a wig is a choice. It wasn't a good joke, but I have a hard time getting offended as though Rock was explicitly attacking her medical condition. It wasn't any worse than a thousand other Oscar jokes.

Agreed. Jokes at the expense of balding men would have to be equally criticized otherwise.

The memes from this.

pic.twitter.com/1P66Vvqytn

— Erika Ann Christensen (@PatriotNews76_) March 28, 2022

pic.twitter.com/VN6FtoJX4M

— TPS (@TotalProSports) March 28, 2022

Will smith vs Chris rock pic.twitter.com/bUYK7uY92l

— kim (@babusa_) March 28, 2022

Because we all thought it.

Uncle Phil after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock pic.twitter.com/0YCDGuxjwB

— Matthew Kick (@MatthewKick) March 28, 2022

I think he had been stewing ever since that very first open marriage joke about them early in the show. That and people knowing his wife messed around on him caught up and he was like a pressure cooker at that moment.

Sapper Redux said:

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Iowaggie said:

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Gigem314 said:

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Iowaggie said:

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Gigem314 said:

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Hincemm said:

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Gigem314 said:

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Rock showed poor taste with the joke, but Smith made it worse.

---

it's amazing how the perspective toward comedians has shifted over the past 20 years of my life.

Anyone who listens to/enjoys Chris Rock (or DOZENS of other comedians of his ilk) would find his comment last night far from "poor taste" compared to some of the stuff he has said over the years.

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Oh no, I'm well aware of Chris Rock's style. I find a lot of his stuff funny. Not all of it, but he's a talented comedian. In the context of hosting a prestigious program like The Oscars, i still think that was done in poor taste. It's not some late-night comedy bit.

And given Jada Smith's condition, I think that was a poor choice. Not on the level of making fun of someone with cancer...but getting into that sphere.

It just seems like there's much material right now, why go there?

---

Yes, we should continue to do jokes on diabetes, obesity, glasses, goiters, old age, boob size, bladder control, botched plastic surgery, eczema, but avoid the topic of balding, unless it is a joke at a man who is balding.

---

I mean, are jokes that involve medical conditions a regular at the Oscars? Just doesn't seem like the stage for that. I get that comedians push the envelope and will use that kind of comedy in their routines, that's been the case for a long time.

---

Was it a joke about a medical condition or a joke about a haircut?

I know the haircut may be because of the medical condition, but do you think Rock was joking about the medical condition?

---

This. The haircut and the decision to wear it instead of a wig is a choice. It wasn't a good joke, but I have a hard time getting offended as though Rock was explicitly attacking her medical condition. It wasn't any worse than a thousand other Oscar jokes.

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And never mind that there is an entire sub industry that critiques what people wear and how they look at the Oscar's.

But her haircut is off limits!!

That's probably exactly what it was, but I can't feel the least bit sorry for him because that's part of the risk when they chose that lifestyle.

I have always been one to think that nothing is off limits when it comes to comedy. We have to be able to laugh at ourselves and the human condition to get through this life.

I remember when Robert Palmer died, and my friends and I were joking about what his next singles would be:

"Simply Irrevivable"

or

"Might as Well Face it You're Addicted to Dirt"

We would probably be cancelled for those jokes , these days. But we're a few schmucks who nobody knows. We're not on stage at the Oscars.

If Smith had not gotten up and the show went on no one today would be talking the inappropriateness of the joke.

Nothing was wrong with it.

The dude is an A list celebrity that's so-so into Scientology but his wife is big time and they sleep around on each other…..yeah…..you give a professional comedian material they're going to use it.

Will was 100% in the wrong and is looking even worse that he hasn't come out and publicly apologized or better yet, done it privately and he and Chris just come out together and say they've settled it.

Harry Lime said:

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You know better than that. Making fun of a woman's appearance to her face is always dangerous. Always has been. Even more so now.

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this was at the oscars and said by a professional comedian....not at hurricane harrys by a drunk hillbilly (speaking of dated references)

Please let at least one of @JRsBBQ, @JerryLawler or @steveaustinBSR react to this genius by @Benstonium: pic.twitter.com/YkSfGDHnjY

— Adam Clanton (@adamclanton) March 28, 2022

No upside for Will on this one....especially since he seems to be OK with other dudes dropping bait in his fishing hole.