Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on Will Smith

via Buzz Harris facebook ^ | 3-29-22 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

[raccoonradio]

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (UCLA ‘69) writes:

"When Will Smith stormed onto the Oscar stage to strike Chris Rock for making a joke about his wife's short hair, he did a lot more damage than just to Rock's face. With a single petulant blow, he advocated violence, diminished women, insulted the entertainment industry, and perpetuated stereotypes about the Black community. That's a lot to unpack.

Let's start with the facts: Rock made a reference to Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, as looking like Demi Moore in 'G.I. Jane,' in which Moore had shaved her head. Jada Pinkett Smith suffers from alopecia, which causes hair loss. Ok, I can see where the Smiths might not have found that joke funny. But Hollywood awards shows are traditionally a venue where much worse things have been said about celebrities as a means of downplaying the fact that it's basically a gathering of multimillionaires giving each other awards to boost business so they can make even more money.

The Smiths could have reacted by politely laughing along with the joke or by glowering angrily at Rock. Instead, Smith felt the need to get up in front of his industry peers and millions of people around the world, hit another man, then return to his seat to bellow: 'Keep my wife's name out of your f---ing mouth.' Twice. Some have romanticized Smith's actions as that of a loving husband defending his wife. Comedian Tiffany Haddish, who starred in the movie 'Girls Trip' with Pinkett Smith, praised Smith's actions: '[F]or me, it was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen because it made me believe that there are still men out there that love and care about their women, their wives.'

Actually, it was the opposite. Smith's slap was also a slap to women. If Rock had physically attacked Pinkett Smith, Smith's intervention would have been welcome. Or if he'd remained in his seat and yelled his post-slap threat, that would have been unnecessary, but understandable. But by hitting Rock, he announced that his wife was incapable of defending herself—against words. From everything I'd seen of Pinkett Smith over the years, she's a very capable, tough, smart woman who can single-handedly take on a lame joke at the Academy Awards show. This patronizing, paternal attitude infantilizes women and reduces them to helpless damsels needing a Big Strong Man to defend their honor least they swoon from the vapors.

If he was really doing it for his wife, and not his own need to prove himself, he might have thought about the negative attention this brought on them, much harsher than the benign joke. That would have been truly defending and respecting her. This 'women need men to defend them' is the same justification currently being proclaimed by conservatives passing laws to restrict abortion and the LGBTQ+ community. Worse than the slap was Smith's tearful, self-serving acceptance speech in which he rambled on about all the women in the movie 'King Richard' that he's protected. Those who protect don't brag about it in front of 15 million people. They just do it and shut up. You don't do it as a movie promotion claiming how you're like the character you just won an award portraying.

But, of course, the speech was about justifying his violence. Apparently, so many people need Smith's protection that occasionally it gets too much and someone needs to be smacked. What is the legacy of Smith's violence? He's brought back the Toxic Bro ideal of embracing Kobra Kai teachings of 'might makes right' and 'talk is for losers.' Let's not forget that this macho John Wayne philosophy was expressed in two movies in which Wayne spanked grown women to teach them a lesson. Young boys—especially Black boys—watching their movie idol not just hit another man over a joke, but then justify it as him being a superhero-like protector, are now much more prone to follow in his childish footsteps. Perhaps the saddest confirmation of this is the tweet from Smith's child Jaden: 'And That’s How We Do It.' The Black community also takes a direct hit from Smith. One of the main talking points from those supporting the systemic racism in America is characterizing Blacks as more prone to violence and less able to control their emotions. Smith just gave comfort to the enemy by providing them with the perfect optics they were dreaming of. Many will be reinvigorated to continue their campaign to marginalize African Americans and others through voter suppression campaign. As for the damage to show business, Smith's violence is an implied threat to all comedians who now have to worry that an edgy or insulting joke might be met with violence. Good thing Don Rickles, Bill Burr, or Ricky Gervais weren't there. As comedian Kathy Griffin tweeted: 'Now we all have to worry about who wants to be the next Will Smith in comedy clubs and theaters.' The one bright note is that Chris Rock, clearly stunned, managed to handle the moment with grace and maturity. If only Smith's acceptance speech had shown similar grace and maturity—and included, instead of self-aggrandizing excuses, a heartfelt apology to Rock."

[Candor7]

You need to watch a video of Mrs Smith's reaction on hearing the comment.....but then , chances are you are as ignorant as Chris Cox is...LOL.When is the last time you wore a tux?LOL.

It was not an innocuous comment, a lot of crap been happening to Mrs. Smith.

[Candor7]

This is also a good book on manners in Japan.

https://www.amazon.com.au/47-Ronin-Story-John-Allyn/dp/4805312033

[eyesopenandsee]

“Smith just gave comfort to the enemy by providing them with the perfect optics they were dreaming of.”....No need to dream, just look at democrat run cities (chicago, baltimore, etc.)......And those who see the reality occurring in US cities at the hands of young black men are not the enemy.

👍👍 Suppose having eyes that see makes ME the enemy...Typical....No respect for the writer....Zip

[dfwgator]

chances are you are as ignorant as Chris Cox is...

You mean as ignorant as Chris Rock.

[Candor7]

Yep. Chris Rock.

[Tired of Taxes]

I suspect she was upset for being compared to a white person.

That must be the real reason. Earlier in the night, another comedian (Regina Hall?) poked fun at their open marriage, and the Smiths both laughed.

[Tired of Taxes]

Mrs Smith has a disease of the scalp requiring her to shave her head.

No, she is not required to shave her head. I know many women with the same condition. They either style their hair to cover the bald spots, or they choose haircuts to cover the bald spots, or they wear hairpieces or wigs. She opted to shave her head clean and not wear a wig. And good for her. But, it's a hairstyle choice. Her daughter doesn't have alopecia, and her head is shaved clean, too. They're not the only women to ever keep their heads shaven.

The Academy was wrong to hire Chris Cox for such a formal event

I don't watch the Oscars. Too much political garbage. But, now I've been watching clips online. Aside from the gowns and tuxes, there was nothing formal about that event. The comedians roasted everyone and poked fun at themselves. Earlier in the night, one of the other comedians joked about the Smiths' open marriage, and the Smiths both laughed.

His name is Chris Rock. I've never been a fan of his comedy, but he's known as a nice guy. His jokes were tame compared to what the female comedians were doing onstage.

[Candor7]

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/video-why-smith-slapped-chris-190538170.html

You can see the whole replay there. The comment made Mrs. Smith cringe, and I do not hink the comment was mannerly. It was offensive at a formalevent with everyone dressed in Tuxes and full length formal attire.

Rock was not an appropriate person to be an MC....he made his “jokes” personal. and they sjould have been general in focus. Try that at a wedding reception and the fists will start flying.

No , everyone is supposed to grin and bear the Chris Rock jokes? Well he simply pissed opff the wrong guy, thats all.

I do not blame Smith at all. I blame the Academny for hiring Rock and I blame rock for making inappropriate, agressive remarks via a sordid attempt at humor at a sick womans expence.

Rock is popular as all get out but that doesn’t mean he has a license to break the rules of mannerly conduct.Rock had the sting put on him. I have no problem with it.

[Tired of Taxes]

We will have to agree to disagree.

As I stated earlier, I’m not a fan of Chris’s humor, but that particular joke was not offensive. Smith’s wife is neither ill nor bald.

With that said, the story doesn’t stop with the slap. Smith then began screaming profanity. Where’s the honor in that?

If we can hit people for being offensive, then someone should’ve hit Smith, or at least escort him out.

Other people in Hollywood have been complaining that Smith has a bad temper, and now the whole world has seen it.

[Candor7]

Other people in Hollywood have been complaining that Smith has a bad temper, and now the whole world has seen it.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

So now its gauche to dosplay bad temper? There are certain issues whichi require a bad temper. Not many, but if you eff with my guns, my dog or my wife, you will indeed see bad temper.

And there is not a thing wrong with it.Thats whyt we have law enforcement ......or do we?

Soon iof one does not have bad temper,one’s survival will be in doubt.

Men of peace can have bad temper. It acts as deterrence to those who would upset social order itself.

[Tired of Taxes]

There are certain issues which require a bad temper.

I agree with that statement, but I disagree with your assessment that this was one of those issues.

[Ancesthntr]

A few thoughts:

1. Kareem is correct about Smith demeaning women by necessarily implying that they cannot defend themselves. My 17 y.o. son disagrees, thinking that he did the right thing...but he's 17, he's of an age when emotions definitely rule - and that was Kareem's point, that what Smith did was as immature as Hell.

2. Kareem is also right about Pinkett defending herself. Most women want to be viewed as independent, as equal to a man - well, physically they're not, but when it comes to defending themselves in a strictly verbal argument, they should need no defense - and the very idea of a woman being defended by a man, even her husband, *should* be anathema to the womens-libbers. Yet, somehow, they always WANT to be defended. I wish that they'd make up their minds...but I guess that I'm only the 46,464,088,875th guy in history to want women to make up their damned minds about ANYTHING.

3. Kareem can take his gratuitous shots at anyone more conservative than he is and still them where the sun don't shine. He is, of course, entitled to his opinion - as am I about his opinions.

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