“Keep my wife’s name out of your f***ing mouth…”
We all heard this unscripted on-stage altercation between Will Smith and Chris Rock during 94th Academy Awards.
Will Smith shocked the audience on Sunday when he slapped the famous comedian Chris Rock on stage after he joked about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith. Well, the joke indirectly pointed to Jada’s bald head which is certainly due to a terrible disease called Alopecia.
It wasn’t the first time he poked fun at someone but facing this kind of reaction was definitely his ‘first-ever experience’.
So, What Happened During the Oscars? And What Caused Will Smith to Lose it?
Chris Rock is an outstanding American actor, comedian, film producer, and writer who has received mind-blowing appreciation due to his contribution to the film industry. The 57-year-old Grammy-award holder experienced an unexpected backlash during the 94th Academy awards in the US after making a joke about Jada’s appearance.
The actor arrived on stage to do a little roasting of the audience and cracked jokes about Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz first. Soon he turned his eyes onto the very famous Jada Pinkett Smith, “Jada, I love you, G. I Jane 2, can’t wait to see it.” The comment was indirectly pointed to her shaved head which was very similar to Demi Moore in GI. Jane.
With other audiences, Will laughed a bit at the joke but as soon as he discovered Jada is not happy, he went up to the stage and slapped Chris’s face, which he covered very gracefully and professionally. Audiences heard Will Smith yelling at Chris Rock “Keep my wife’s name out of your f***ing mouth…”
But What Exactly is Alopecia?
Alopecia Areata is one of the most common autoimmune diseases that usually results in some unpredictable hair loss. In this disease, a person starts losing his hair in small patches but sometimes, it gets pretty serious and people lose all the hair in a matter of days.
6.8 million people are suffering from the same disease in the US. Unfortunately, Jada Pinkett Smith is one of them. She really got upset by Chris Rock’s comment which triggered her husband Will Smith to walk onto the stage and slap Chris in front of thousands of audience.
So, for all those who think Jada’s bald head is a fashion choice or film requirement, it really is not a truth. She stated in one of her statements that she got bald after her daughter’s birth and soon suffered from Alopecia.
Is there a Cure for this Disease?
No. Despite lots of technological advancements, there is still no cure invented so far. The reason is, its causes are totally unknown. There have been some rare cases in which hairs start growing on their own. But most of the time, a person couldn’t experience any regrowth.
Will Smith’s Instagram Apology Note – Was That a Way to Save His Reputation?
Now let’s talk about Will’s formal Instagram apology note which he issued the next day after the incident.
Will Smith issued a formal public apology on Monday, right after the Academy announced that they would launch a formal review of that incident. Will Smith directly addressed the Academy and Rock, saying:
“Violence in all its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable.”
He further said that “Jokes at my expense are part of the job”, “but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally.”
He apologized to Rock and admitted that “I was out of line and I was wrong.”
In the end, he also apologized to the Academy by saying, “everyone watching around the world,” as well as “the Williams Family and my King Richard family.”
Many people on social media platforms believe that it’s just a way to save his ass and gain sympathies. He actually is not ashamed of what he did but just wants to save his reputation.
Celebrity Responses on Twitter:
The moment the incident happened, it spawned a frenzy of responses from anger to sarcasm and concern to delightfulness.
How Did Twitteraties React Over the Incident?
We see all positive, negative, and mixed responses. Some people believed Will was right as nobody should ever joke about one’s family or medical condition.
While some people said it’s a form of violence and Will Smith should have been escorted out by police.
Well, there is still a lot to unpack here, but I think it’s time to show some grace and kindness to each other and consider it a teachable moment for all instead of sparking spicy conversations over media channels. Support women and condone any act of violence, that’s the least we could do to make this world a better place.
