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."
I guess I’m just old fashioned, but I wouldn’t stand by if my wife was insulted.
Black women have always been bothered by black men hooking up with white women. I think that's why so many of them over the years have gone to great lengths to dress, and look like while women. I've always said, if they hate us so much, why do they try so hard to look like us?
“if they hate us so much, why do they try so hard to look like us?”
My wife says the same thing about lesbians that dress like men....if they like women so much, why go to such lengths to look like a dude?
“You have never been anywhere in Africa have you.”
Yeah, sure, Sunshine, go live in Africa and tell us what a jewel it is. It’s a sh*thole, the entire continent. They don’t report their murder rates so that crap is unreliable.
Since you wanted to compare murder rates within cities, you might want to also review that those murders are committed by Africans.
6 months?!?? WTF?
I assumed that, as an athlete, Kareem would be commenting on Will Smith of the L.A. Dodgers.
Exactly!
Before we get too outraged at Will Smith’s actions, I would point people to the exchange between Harry S. Truman and a reporter who went after his daughter.
. . .Right from the beginning, the two big men were getting physical with each other. There was some elbowing as the two battled for position in the paint. Things escalated with Benson elbowing Abdul-Jabbar in the stomach/groin area. While the game played on, Abdul-Jabbar stepped aside to gather himself and keeled over for a couple of seconds.
He returned to guard Benson and then sucker-punched the Bucks rookie in the right side of the head, knocking him to the floor. Abdul-Jabbar’s actions resulted in a record-setting $5,000 fine and a tongue-lashing from then-NBA Commissioner Lawrence F. O’Brien. . .
Or the ThunderDome.😁
Well,I suspect that she can hit harder than little Willy.🤔
Butt GI Jane is white.
I suspect she was upset for being compared to a white person.🤔
Thats right Fred.
in Japan though, its all called manners, literally “Reido”
The bowing way.
In the old days in America’s West, bad manners at a card table could get a person shot.
In Japan, bad manners could get ones head cut right of, decapitation.
People who act with oput manners today are legion. Many earn their livings on it and thrive because we are “civilized “ these days. But every once in a while you see the old way peek out if a set of social circumstances. This Will Smith/Chris Cox situation was one of them.
The Academy hored Chris Cox. Chris Cox siad somethig unkind and offensive whihci removed the dignity of Mrs. Smith. Now they are trying to oust Will Smith who gained immedate satisfaction for the wrong. The fault, according to the rules of manners is that of the Academy who hired Cox, and Cox himself.
I agree with Will Smith’s conduct, as gauche as it was.He did right by himself and his wife. Smith has entered the region of conservative action, maybe he will wake up and become a Trump supporter.
It’s nothing but theatre imo. About as meaningful as our recent three hour eulogy on TV prime time of a cricketer. Manners and ethics don’t get a look-in when it comes to filling the timeslot between advertisements.
What he said was not offensive or derogatory in any way.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
It was offensive.
Mrs Smith has a disease of the scalp requiring her to shave her head.The disease is an auti immune disease called : “Alopecia Areata.”
Chris Cox badgered Mrs. Smith, it was the second time he did so in public. In doing so he removed Mrs. Smiths dignity at a formal event where manners are necessary. Mr. Smith wanted satisfaction as a result, and took it.
The Academy was wrong to hire Chris Cox for such a formal event, who is ignorant.Chris Cox was wrong to personalize his jokes against anyone at such a formal event, they should have been general, impersonal jokes.
The fault lies with the Academy and Chris Cox, not Will Smith.
Crikey, the left arenow tryng to crap all over Will Smith.
I am sticking it to the left. Conservative values need honorable mention , even if committed by accident by a lefty like Will Smith.
When the going gets tough, even the lefties resort to Conservative Values.
Shows how deluded things are.LOL.
And why Trump has such appeal to many Democrats.
All the world is a stage.
Dignity?!!? At the Academy Awards?!?! Bwahahahahaha!
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