Posted on 03/30/2022 6:04:15 AM PDT by 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."
The entire continent of Africa is a sewer due to the savage belligerence there.
The whole episode was idiotic, but I doubt it made people more likely to believe the stereotype that black people are more violent. These were celebrities, for gosh sakes. And it wasn’t especially violent.
So true. He'll never unpack that for the rest of his career.
And: Nolte, on Breitbart
>>That’s my opinion of the psychology behind this…
Despite what some left-wing sociopaths are saying, Rock didn’t deserve that. It was an uncontrolled, rage-filled overreaction on Smith’s part that had nothing to do with Rock and everything to do with a cuckold’s need to reassert his manhood in front of a world that’s either laughing at him or pitying him.
If that idiot would be willing to assault someone on live network TV what do you think he would be capable of in a more private setting......there’s no telling.
The black on black altercatin in public at the Oscars is no different than similar Black altercations at Walmart or McDonalds every day.
It’s ingrained in the Black culture
It’s an error to care about the stupid actions of play-actors and movies. Stop watching movies and TV and your life and outlook will improve by leaps and bounds. “Comedians” are sick, maladjusted jerks. They are quite easily ignored.
Just think: What if something like that happened and nobody cared? That would certainly take the wind out of their sails (and their sales).
It doesn’t matter if they are black, white, or other - they’re all a bunch of idiots. People take them too seriously.
Mr K - not the one on this forum - said “Maybe next year there’ be a gun battle!”
I think Will Smith just thought he was in his next big action movie. Chris Rock was obviously the white antagonist seeking to enslave the world’s women and take them to Mars. The thunking sound of Smith’s hand stringing Rock’s face wasn’t vey convincing, though. If I was the director I would have done a few more takes. Chris could clearly take it.
Much respect for Kareem Abdul Jabbar for this article!
Leave it to Kareem to include a slam on conservatives, which makes the rest of the piece not worth reading
It used to be that if you were one of the glitterati who was singled out by the comedian onstage (Bob Hope, Johnny Carson, Billy Crystal, Chris Rock, or whomever) it showed that you were one of the elites who stood out from the crowd and so popular that everyone knew who you were.
I planned to post that meme, but you beat me to it. Too funny!
I hope he’s never offered another role, but that’s not how Hollywood works. These actors are given a pass for everything - even shooting people.
He wrote an absolutely fantastic piece.
But then, he just could not help himself, wading into all of the leftist talking points.
A lot of black folks don’t understand why whites are to say the least hesitant to accept them into their community.....this is one reason.
Do all blacks behave like this? Of course not.
However these people are millionaires and their conduct is questionable.
There’s a reason prisons are overwhelmingly populated by blacks.....and I don’t want to hear economically disadvantaged.
IMO it’s all about the lack of a solid nuclear family with a stable mother and father.
It was still that way until Smith’s slap at the Oscars. Smiths are, especially Jada, are too full of themselves.
Kareem should worry about his son who does more to perpetuate the “Black” stereotype than Will Smith...
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/kareem-abdul-jabbars-son-spend-180-days-jail-stabbing-rcna5305
Likewise, I would imagine it might help Chris Rock’s career, at least a little. I can imagine him writing at least 15 minutes worth of commentary and comedy about the incident.
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