During the 94th Academy Awards, the world was stunned when Hollywood superstar Will Smith slapped famous comedian Chris Rock for mocking Jada Pinkett Smith, Will’s wife. Will Smith took offence after Chris Rock mocked Jada’s bald look and proceeded to slap Chris.
While on stage to present the best documentary award at the Oscars, Chris Rock said, “Jada, I love you. GI Jane 2, can’t wait to see you.” A reference to Jada’s bald head due to alopecia. Will Smith, enjoying that joke, quickly turned angry when he saw how displeased his wife was with that joke. Soon after, he rushed on to the stage to physically hit the comedian.
The unexpected reaction from the Hollywood actor on a global platform sparked a meme frenzy on Twitter. Of course, the Indian liberals, who always have contradictory opinions on comedy depending on the religion and political inclination of the comedian, also chimed in. However, this time they declared that beating up comedians for their jokes was completely “acceptable.”
Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, a party known for using street violence, expectedly chose to believe that punching people was acceptable in order to make them more sensitive.
That punch will at least get people to be more sensitive about #alopecia rather than making tasteless & insensitive jokes about it. Not just a TV moment.
— Priyanka Chaturvedi🇮🇳 (@priyankac19) March 28, 2022
It is worth noting that when ‘comedian’ Munawar Faruqui drew the ire of the public for his abject mockery of Hindu victims of the Godhra train burning incident, it was this particular set of people who had extended solidarity with the ‘comedian’. This time, however, they decided that it was ok to physically attack comedians for their jokes.
Radio Mirchi RJ Sayema used the micro-blogging site to thank the Hollywood actor Will Smith saying, “sometimes, a punch is needed in the face, to tell that some jokes are not okay!”
However, the Radio Mirchi RJ later had a eureka moment and deleted her previous Tweet, only to tweet again that she does not support violence. She said that Will Smith “should have made a point WITHOUT a punch. It was important for him to register an objection but in a different way. Violence is not the answer to anything! Period.”
No! I would like to revise this thought. #WillSmith should have made a point WITHOUT a punch. He, perhaps, realised it later. It was important for him to register an objection but in a different way. Violence is not the answer to anything! Period. pic.twitter.com/esoShIfQkD
— Sayema (@_sayema) March 28, 2022
CNN News 18 journalist Marya Shakil also suggested that the Hollywood actor drew a line between what’s funny and what’s not with his brazen show of violence.
#WillSmith drew a line between what’s funny and what’s not!
— Marya Shakil (@maryashakil) March 28, 2022
Jokes on ones family aren’t funny. Jokes on health conditions aren’t funny. They are crass & insulting and the Oscar winner made that point defending his wife. Though he could have avoided punching! #Oscars #Oscar2022
“Jokes on ones family aren’t funny. Jokes on health conditions aren’t funny. They are crass & insulting and the Oscar winner made that point defending his wife. Though he could have avoided punching! #Oscars#Oscar2022,” tweeted the journalist.
Meanwhile, The Academy awarding the Oscars tweeted that they don’t condone violence in any form, after awarding Will Smith the Oscar for the best actor after his very public show of violence.
