Culture Attack: Will Smith Has Lost The Popular Vote

LOS ANGELES, CA — Shocked, baffled, and angered, those who work in entertainment and the media are reeling days after actor Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock on live television. In case you have been living under a rock, the rapper-turned-movie star rushed the stage at Sunday’s 94th Academy Awards while Rock was presenting during the telecast. Without warning, Rock was assaulted by Smith in a now infamous moment that stunned a worldwide audience, and one that has everybody talking.

What in a normal situation would be considered fair to joke about, Smith took offense and acted violently to express his disapproval of Rock’s humor directed towards his wife Jada Pinkett Smith. In recent months, Pinkett Smith has been in the spotlight for her battle and empowerment attitude regarding alopecia, a medical condition she is battling that has caused her to have significant hair loss. Rock thought it would be funny to make light of it. In a very unconventional way of handling disputes, Smith physically attacked Rock over a joke.

In the wake of the assault a startled Rock blurted out, “Will Smith just smacked the s -- out of me.” Showing little emotion Smith exited the stage. Worse, once he got back to his front-row seat, he shouted to Rock, “Keep my wife’s name out of your f -- mouth!” It was a comment only those in attendance witnessed because the outburst was censored during the broadcast for U.S. viewers.

Instantly, international media went into viral mode and distributed the footage where Smith can be heard multiple times yelling, “Keep my wife’s name out of your f -- mouth!” Later reports said immediately thereafter Smith was seen being comforted by industry heavyweights such as Tyler Perry and Denzel Washington. Following the incident, Smith was not asked to leave the Dolby Theatre and later took to the stage and apologized to the Academy after receiving “Best Male Actor” for his role in “King Richard.”

To put this ordeal into more precise terms: This was awful behavior. It was a sad end to a lifetime of hard work and previous nominations for Smith. The “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” finally had his Oscar-Winning moment, but that moment was overshadowed by what would later become his biggest role in one of the wildest and most embarrassing Oscar moments ever.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences issued a statement Wednesday to Variety which says, “Things unfolded in a way we could not have anticipated. While we would like to clarify that Mr. Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, we also recognize we could have handled the situation differently.”

After witnessing the events that unfolded, Joy Parris, a producer and talent manager in Hollywood sat down with Los Angeles based journalist Germany Kent Tuesday and opened up about why Smith’s behavior and actions at the 2022 Oscars will have lasting consequences.

Parris began by saying, “I feel like it was unacceptable. Shameful. Once you reach a certain level you have a responsibility on how to present yourself. Hollywood worships you — it’s not okay, if you think it’s okay, you’re wrong. He just put us [black] people back years. It is a cultural slap because he went on stage and slapped another black man.”

Dating back to the 80’s, Parris has worked around major celebrities in show business, been a staple on red carpets, and finds this sort of behavior disgraceful. “This was Will Smith, a global icon. One man who was a father intentionally, deliberately and with conscious awareness went and slapped another man who is a father. What he did is an impression that is imprinted on America’s psyche — it’s a stamp now. That is how it is going to be imprinted in young people’s minds. Will Smith can do it and get away with it. Will Smith gets away with slapping someone with no repercussions. That was not a good message to send,” said the talent manager.

Parris also said she was repelled when Smith failed to address Rock during his winning speech, “You apologized to the Academy, to your fans, but you didn’t say you apologize to Chris Rock.”

“I was shocked for sure. I said what just happened and questioned if this was in the script,” said television producer Britte Blair. “I feel like he [Smith] should have taken him [Rock] to the side. He should have done it privately. He could have done it in a better way. Don’t hit. I understand him protecting Jada’s honor. I understand but I don’t condone violence. I think something is going on with him mentally. It’s shocking. I don’t agree with it,” Blair said.

Parris, calling Smith, “The Golden Child of Hollywood,” called into question his mental illness as well, which is something that a lot of people are throwing around. “There’s something psychologically wrong with him. If you have a mental problem, mental or personal issues, then you should take a break from the business. At the end of the day, class is class and integrity is integrity. How is what happened acceptable in anybody’s mindset?” Parris proposed.

A more in-depth conversation emerged as we delve deeper into the outlandish behavior displayed by Smith at the awards ceremony. Parris was even more forthcoming citing how, “Smith’s behavior is a reflection on his entire race and those who have come before him. To think about what [black] people have gone through, especially in entertainment, all the back roads, everything so that he could win an Academy Award. Sidney Poitier would be appalled. Hattie McDaniels would be ashamed."

"Once you reach that level you are a reflection and you have to consider other people who have paved this way for [black] people to be at the Oscars. Think of all of the African Americans who have worked so hard at their craft to get up on that prestigious stage, so no this behavior is not acceptable,” Parris stated passionately.

For his part, Rock is being praised for the way he responded. “I’m shocked that Chris took it so well. He didn’t curse. I was surprised that he didn’t curse back at him. I was a little put off by it all because this was the first time that they had a black producer for the Oscars, and so I wanted everything to go well for him,” Blair expressed.

Blair was referencing and paying homage to filmmaker and Emmy-nominated producer Will Packer, who in October, was confirmed by Academy President David Rubin to serve as producer for the show.

When asked if there were any protocols in place that could prevent these sorts of things from happening on live television, the television production veteran responded, “It was beyond their control — things happen during live shows all the time that are not expected.”

From my observations I’d say that’s a true statement. Though flaws exist in broadcasting, what we witnessed Sunday was the biggest vulnerability of broadcast mistakes when a heckler cuts loose. And that’s precisely what Smith did.

Amy Schumer, one of the three co-hosts of Sunday’s memorable ceremony, commented Wednesday on Instagram that she was “Still triggered and traumatized,” by it all. The comedian also offered her support to the fellow comedian Rock, stating in part “I love my friend Chris Rock and believe he handled it like a pro.”

The massive outcry and outrage at Smith forced the actor to consider the impact of his conduct. For the sake of his image (and perhaps the pleading of his fans, too) the actor Monday released a statement via Instagram saying, “I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris.” Smith went on to say, “I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be.”

But ultimately it is foolish to attribute a public apology with how someone truly feels because it could all be just for show, and it does not erase the disturbing behavior that we all witnessed. “Audiences need to be wary of everything we see on television, according to Tami Devine, a veteran producer and media consultant who has developed content for NBC, FOX, CBS, and ABC affiliates.

“Most TV shows, every second is scripted and planned. You just never know what’s real and not on television. Rarely will something be done spontaneously on shows like this. Many times there is usually some monetary benefit when you see some wild or crazy things happen. Usually they [celebrities] will be promoting some property that is coming out — show, movie, album — and they need to do something to gain raw media so that their name will always be in the news so people will want to see what they are doing next. That’s my take,” Devine proclaimed.

When asked what media teams for both Smith and Rock need to do, Devine was very candid about how public relations really works and said, “Both of their media teams are celebrating today. They are rejoicing today. It was a slap heard around the world. It is a win for them. It’s no secret when you get your name out in the news everyone is talking about you.”

When asked if there should be any repercussions for Smith’s actions, Devine stated, “In a situation like this, I try to picture what would law enforcement do. In my opinion, My guess is that different law enforcement in different jurisdictions would act differently. Overall, police are supposed to act and protect when there is a physical attack."

Given the evidence going against both of them, I would say that it was pretty harmful and nasty not only for Jada but for all who suffer in this way making fun of alopecia, and making fun of people who have serious health issues. Chris was not seriously injured although he could press charges and if that is the case police would have to cite Will for assault. We have to look at the big picture that it was probably initiated by Rock’s big mouth, that’s my guess,” Devine shared.

Devine refused to take either side. But did say, “I’m not saying don’t stand up for your family or don’t stand up for your wife. I’m always going to say defend the people that you love. However, on an internationally seen and recognized platform may not be the best way. That was not the right way. I believe the incident is an embarrassment to Americans, to black people and to families. Both of them are an embarrassment, staged or not staged, it was wrong and dumb of both of them.”

All of the coverage surrounding this incident has made people more aware of boundaries that celebrities should not cross, and the accountability thereof.

In the wake of the attack, Rock declined to press any criminal charges. Many legal analysts have weighed in on this issue and suggested that Smith “should” be prosecuted for slapping Rock. Steve Cooley, the Los Angeles County District Attorney from 2000 to 2012, spoke to The Washington Post Monday and said that the city attorney could bring charges against the actor based upon the evidence without Rock pressing charges.

Most of us can agree that we dig Smith’s acting, and would not fault anyone for taking up for a family member. We want to look the other way because he is who he is. In some measure it is a double standard. The message here seems to be if you’re rich, powerful and famous the rules don’t apply to you. The big question is whether we as society are going to tolerate this sort of behavior from our role models.

“We have a responsibility as African Americans to point out that these things are not acceptable. We have to point out things that are wrong. We cannot tap dance around this narrative. You cannot slap someone because he made a joke. You have a responsibility in this business. To support this behavior is to say this is how I handle the situation when things don’t go my way — because Will Smith did it,” Parris affirmed.

And this is only a part of it. Parris was even more forthcoming in her reminding of another crucial subject, and that is the long-standing negative image surrounding black-on-black crime in America. Parris asserted, “You are so far up in your ego that you don’t see what you just did. This was not the ghetto, this was the Oscars. We’ve been talking about George Floyd and black-on-black violence, well Will Smith just pressed his knee on black American culture and has slapped this culture backwards.”

“I’m looking at it with a grain of salt. I don’t believe it’s real, but if it is then it was a big deal.” The media veteran spoke briefly about the sorted history of Smith and his wife. “Was it really him going to honor his wife? It’s not really a secret their marriage is an open marriage. All of this terrible stuff in their relationship has happened so it’s a joke and then he defends his wife on this. In my opinion, both of them were wrong. They did not handle it well. Chris should not have made the joke and Will would not have slapped him. They need to apologize to society and not necessarily to each other for putting them through all of this,” Devine said.

This is not the first time that Smith has publicly attacked someone. Ten years after his explosive “Men in Black 3” premiere where Smith slapped a prankster that tried to kiss him on the red carpet, he is back in the spotlight for the same action. The Hollywood megastar remains one of the few people in our society that I am aware of who can slap another person in the presence of countless witnesses and walk away unscathed.

There is a high likelihood that Smith will only receive a slap on the wrist, once again. Although with this latest incident seemingly his erratic behavior acting out has put his on-screen acting abilities in the background. Some people seem to support the notion that Smith should return his statuette, others have suggested that the A-lister be banned from attending the Oscars in the future.

Devine questions whether or not the whole thing was a hoax. “In America, we can do a lot better than this form of entertainment. We need to know if this was staged or not staged. And if it was staged the producers need to apologize to the whole country, and viewers need to look for better, more wholesome means of entertainment,” said the media mogul.

For the most part, Pinkett Smith has remained silent over the uproar. On Tuesday the actress went on social media to address the whole ordeal in a single sentence writing, “This is a season of healing,” she posted on Instagram, “and I’m here for it.”

Perhaps the biggest consideration moving forward is the Academy and how they should rethink and rebuild the show. Given they were in the process of reform, exploring and implementing multicultural efforts to promote diversity and inclusion, the goal should be to improve the way the world sees the Oscars. Organizations, no matter who they are, must be accountable to the people they serve. So not to become an embarrassment to the world, the Academy must stand for integrity and live by the high standards it sets.

Devine also commented, “This is not what people should be talking about, but it is. It is also a part of the nastiness of Hollywood which has devastated our American society.”

“Consistent with the Academy’s Standards of Conduct, as well as California law, Mr. Smith is being provided at least 15 days notice of a vote regarding his violations and sanctions, and the opportunity to be heard beforehand by means of a written response” said the Academy today.

The Oscars will have to make transparency a priority moving forward because the stakes are high. Addressing security will certainly be a factor however, few decisions demand as much consideration as human rights. Yet when you come right down to it, the answer is simple. A lot of people will suffer now at the hands of one or two people who wittingly played a part in roles that crossed the line.

I can honestly say I did not see this one coming. I don’t think anyone else did either.

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Germany Kent is a nationally syndicated journalist. The former FOX News anchor, host, media personality and content creator writes as a guest correspondent for multiple outlets across the country. Kent’s work has been featured in Inc., Forbes, Fast Company, HuffPost, Cosmopolitan, Yahoo, MSN, and countless other national media outlets. Kent is also a best-selling, award-winning author, and nationally recognized media expert.