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."
Smith’s wife has hair. She shaved it down. She’s been saying her hair is thinning. Many women have thinning hair and a few bald spots, and they wear wigs or hairpieces. Smith’s wife opted to shave her head, and she said she feels great with her head shaved. Rock said he was looking forward to GI Jane II. The GI Jane character was portrayed as a strong woman to be admired. What he said was not offensive or derogatory in any way.
“So true. He’ll never unpack that for the rest of his career.”
Nah. Alec Baldwin killed someone on set, in front of witnesses and wasn’t even arrested for it. Compared to that, Smith’s actions are nothing.
——However these people are millionaires——
Primarily, they are Black
“What kind of limp wristed pansy open hand slaps another man? Either go all in with a punch or sit down and shut up!”
He would have been more effective had he grabbed the mic and trashed Chris Rock. But, if he were going to do what he did, he should have punched him.
Just imagine if President Trump had gone to the White House Press Correspondents (Roast) Dinner and did something similar. Bigger than Pearl Harbor.
If the stories of Pinkett-Smith sleeping around are true, and flaunting it in front of her husband; Will slapped the wrong person.
That’s not my take....
That is precisely what folks thought
Blacks acting to type
Why does he think that Will Smith’s actions reflect on the black community?
Isn’t it racist to judge someone by their skin color?
This is an multimillionaire celebrity who lacks self control. Nothing more.
All that? Wow, how nuanced. I just thought he did it to get ratings!
“Primarily, they are Black”
Living in the south my whole life I can assure you many many blacks I have come into contact with, worked with and went to school with absolutely put their race ahead of EVERYTHING.
Haha! I read somewhere (probably the BEE) that Chris is going to "smooth things over" with Smith by sleeping with Smith's wife>
lol!
Will is bisexual and plays with young men. Why all of this assuming about his “masculine” pride?
BTT!
Kareem is an idiot, and this screed was nothing more than an opportunity for him to feign concern for blacks while denigrating conservatives!
FKA-J!
You have never been anywhere in Africa have you.
Here are two sets of data. The first is homicde rates in various African countries. The second is homicide rates in various American cities.
https://www.indexmundi.com/facts/indicators/VC.IHR.PSRC.P5/rankings/africa
https://www.statista.com/statistics/718903/murder-rate-in-us-cities-in-2015/
Great point!
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s son, Adam, sentenced for stabbing neighbor
Jabbar's son stabbed a neighbor several times last October. See my post at #76.
I hope the victim sued his attacker into oblivion.
On a side note....I find it a little ironic and even more hypocritical that a muslim would name their kid Adam.
Good point! Jabbar has kids with at least three women. This one is Adam's mother:
Adam Abdul Jabbar Mother Julye Olds: Was She Married To Kareem Abdul Jabbar?
Funny how black athletes gravitate to white women......easier to control and less chance of being slashed with a straight razor in their sleep I guess.
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