The Oscars have been waning in popularity for a decade, but after the events of last night, the award show is all anyone can talk about. News outlets and social media users alike have been speculating about the situation all night long, and everyone has strong opinions. At first glance, many viewers believed that the dramatic moment was scripted, but as the story unfolds, more watchers believe that the altercation was real.
Chris Rock Speech– 2022 Oscars
Last night, comedian Chris Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith, poking fun at her for her shaved head while introducing the candidates for the Best Documentary Feature Oscar award.
“Jada, I love ya. G.I. Jane 2– can’t wait to see it!” quipped Rock. At first glance, Will Smith appeared to laugh along while Jada responded with an eye roll. The cameras quickly panned back to Rock, and moments later, Will Smith was seen striding up the stairs and slapping Rock across the face before returning to his seat. From the audience, Will Smith yelled, “Keep my wife’s name out your fucking mouth!”
To which Rock simply replied, “I will,” before continuing his monologue and making a couple of jokes about the uncomfortable situation.
Jada’s Battle With Alopecia
Actress Demi Moore shaved her hair for the 1997 film G.I. Jane, a style Rock suggested mimics Jada’s since she shaved her head after losing her hair to Alopecia, an autoimmune disorder she has openly struggled with since 2018.
Pinkett Smith has been incredibly forthcoming about her struggles with Alopecia and how hard it has been to deal with it.
Many viewers critiqued the comedian for using Jada’s illness against her as the punchline for a bad joke.
The Rock-Smith Oscar History
This isn’t the first time Chris Rock has made jokes at the Smith family’s expense– although it may very well be the last time.
In 2016, Rock joked about Will and Jada boycotting the Oscars over #OscarsSoWhite, a movement geared towards addressing the lack of diversity at the Academy Awards. That year, Rock joked, “Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties– I wasn’t invited.”
Chris Rock’s Supporters
Many celebrities, especially comedians have expressed their derision for Smith’s violent display and are pondering the repercussions the lack of consequences will have on the industry.
Comedian Rosie O’Donnell even went so far as to tweet, “so upsetting – on every level – bravo to Chris Rock – for not eviscerating will smith – which he could do any day of the week – he walked away – bravo from a sad display of toxic masculinity from a narcissistic madman.”
Will Smith’s Supporters
On the flip side, celebrities like Denzel Washington, Nicki Minaj, and Tiffany Haddish showed their support for Smith following the 2022 Oscar fight.
Washington spoke with Smith privately saying, “At your highest moment, be careful, that’s when the devil comes for you,” before the actor took the stage to make his acceptance speech.
Haddish was significantly more public in her support saying, “Maybe the world might not like how it went down, but for me, it was the most beautiful thing I ever seen because it made me believe that there are still men out there that love and care about their women,” said Hadish.
“And that’s their friend,” Haddish continued. “As a friend, why would you do that? He didn’t even run the joke by her, but she was hurt, though. If she wouldn’t have been hurt, he probably wouldn’t have said nothing. But you could see he was clearly … And they exploited it. They exploited her, so … He protected his wife.”
The Aftermath of the 2022 Oscars Altercation
Later in the night, Will Smith won best actor. During his acceptance speech, he explained away his behavior saying that love will make you do crazy things. He also apologized to the Academy for his behavior and lamented that he hopes they’ll welcome him back next year. He did not apologize to Rock for the assault.
This morning, news outlets nationwide reported that Rock has decided not to press charges for the assault.
A-EZ Out– Assault Bail Bonds in Dallas, Texas
Let us know in the comments if you think the Will Smith-Chris Rock drama is real or a hoax!
While most of the internet is still amazed and shocked over this event, and others are looking for humor in the situation by making memes of the attack, assault is very serious– especially in Texas.
If you assault someone in Texas, you will likely be charged with a misdemeanor for a comparable assault. The fee for a misdemeanor can be anywhere from $500 to $4,000, and the perpetrator could spend up to one year in jail.
However, you can only be charged with a Class A misdemeanor (the most severe misdemeanor charge) if you injure the person or threaten bodily harm to a protected class such as an elderly person.
If you’re being accused of committing assault and need to get out of a Texas jail– look no further than A-EZ Out Bail Bonds. Give us a call to start the bonding process today.