OPINION: Why we need to change how we’re talking about the Oscars slap
On Monday, Hollywood actor Will Smith made international headlines when he stormed the Oscars stage and slapped comedian and presenter Chris Rock.
What prompted the outrage? Chris Rock making a joke about Will’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, and her buzzed haircut.
As Chris took to the stage to present the Best Documentary award, he bantered with the crowd saying, "Jada, I love you. GI Jane 2 — can't wait to see it, alright."
It was then that Will stormed the stage and slapped Chris Rock, before returning to his seat and bellowing, “Keep my wife's name out of your f***ing mouth."
In true Hollywood fashion, the moment was swiftly moved on from, with no immediate ramifications for the actor.
Not an hour later, Will Smith went on to win the award for Best Lead Actor, where in his tearful speech, he attempted to condone his own actions as being driven by protection.
"In this time in my life, in this moment, I am overwhelmed by what God is calling on me to do and be in this world," he said. "I'm being called on in my life to love people and to protect people ... and to be a river to my people."
As he went on to apologise to the Academy and his fellow nominees for his outburst, he noticeably failed to apologise to Chris Rock (a matter which he has since recifited in an Instagram statement).
His emotional speech earned him a standing ovation from Hollywood’s biggest stars in LA’s Dolby Theatre, as he went on to say, “Love will make you do crazy things.”
Following the incident, online spaces were justifiably dominated by discussions about who was in the right, and if you were team Chris or team Will.
This kind of discourse has since led to conversations about violence and ableism, which rightfully turns the incident into something far more serious.
The question of whether or not you disagree with Chris Rock’s joke is completely irrelevant when looking at the bigger picture.
What we saw at that event was a now Oscar-winning actor being given a standing ovation after he took to a global stage that was being broadcast to millions of people – after he assaulted someone.
Will Smith walked on that stage and assaulted Chris Rock, while no one did anything.
In a room full of the Hollywood elite, no one had the guts to stand up and condemn his actions, regardless of whether he was destined to win a later award or not.
The event was brushed over while everyone in the room fell quiet and decided to ignore what they had just witnessed, much like other instances of violence in Hollywood.
People often wonder how sexual abuse at the hands of people like Harvey Weinstein went unnoticed, or ignored, for so many years before the spark of the #MeToo movement in 2006.
The abuse that we witnessed at the Oscars is the foundation of that very movement.
And while, yes, systemic sexual abuse is different to Will Smith’s actions, covering up any kind of abuse is all the same.
Being complacent and choosing not to stand up for what is right is how abusers are permitted to continue their dangerous patterns.
In Will’s speech, he said, “Love will make you do crazy things.”
This kind of speech and justification is the exact same kind of rhetoric that victims hear at the hands of domestic abusers.
He flouted his actions as those of a “protector of his family”, which is another rationalisation of abuse that should not be accepted.
There were a thousand other ways this situation could’ve been handled without it escalating to violence.
Will could’ve found Chris at the after party and explained to him why his joke wasn’t cool, or he could’ve clapped back at him on stage with an even more brutal roast, or he could’ve done literally anything other than what he did.
Whether he was annoyed at the joke or not, assaulting someone who was just up there to do his job is not how you handle a situation, regardless of if you felt you were “defending” someone’s honour.
The joke in question has left a lot of people divided, with many jumping to Will and Jada’s defence.
As the joke in question targeted her shaved head (a result of her alopecia diagnosis), it’s worth taking a look at the history of bald jokes and the blatant double standard in the scenario.
For decades, slapstick comedy has relied on making a bald joke to get a quick laugh.
Nine times out of ten, these jokes are at the expense of men.
The most notable example comes from Will Smith’s own show The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, which constantly relied on the character of Uncle Phil, a heavy set balding black man, to be the butt of all jokes (and there were a LOT of them).
So for Will Smith to have his most famous character constantly be telling bald jokes with no ramifications is just plain hypocrisy.
And if bald jokes are okay to make for men, then they are not off limits for women either, because you have to be consistent in your prejudices.
Regardless of the joke, or the aftermath, or the apologies, or the sappy speeches, we cannot deny that what we all witnessed on the Oscars stage was completely unacceptable.
And the fact that the room full of influential people chose to do nothing only further perpetuates the fact that rules are different for the rich and famous.
The fact that Will Smith just sat back in his chair after assaulting a man on live international television only cements the fact that if you have enough money, fame and power, you can seemingly get away with just about anything.
Image credits: Getty Images