# Chris Rock Low-brow humor and Will Smith's Violent Reaction
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chris-rock-low-brow-humor-and-will-smiths-violent-reaction/961960
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [March 30, 2022, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chris-rock-low-brow-humor-and-will-smiths-violent-reaction/961960 "2022-03-30T06:52:49Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 6
### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2022, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chris-rock-low-brow-humor-and-will-smiths-violent-reaction/961960/101 "2022-03-31T02:22:46Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#):
>
> but there are many _meaningful_ definitions of assault that imply that some sort of actual harm came as a result.
Nope, I would be surprised to learn that this could not be prosecuted as some kind of crime in each every U.S. jurisdiction. The level of harm would mitigate the potential remedies and penalties only, not the existence of a crime of some kind.
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### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2022, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chris-rock-low-brow-humor-and-will-smiths-violent-reaction/961960/102 "2022-03-31T02:27:00Z")
> [@DesertDog](#):
>
> but what were they supposed to do about the Oscar? “The Oscar _was_ gonna go to Will Smith but with his behavior earlier this evening…” and drop it in a bin.
They obviously hadn’t planned for such an event but to me a good solution would be just to skip that portion of the program entirely and decide what to do about it later.
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### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2022, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chris-rock-low-brow-humor-and-will-smiths-violent-reaction/961960/103 "2022-03-31T02:32:30Z")
> [@orcenio](#):
>
> Rock could’ve ruined Smith’s night. And he passed.
In fact, he did start to say something like “I could …” but then dropped that thought and moved on. I wonder whether he briefly contemplated unleashing a fiery tongue on Smith.
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### Author:  [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2022, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chris-rock-low-brow-humor-and-will-smiths-violent-reaction/961960/104 "2022-03-31T02:39:28Z")
Oh dear, I just came back to this thread and re-read my posts early on. They were really snippy. Sorry, there was no call for that. I was unreasonably triggered by the OP’s references to “American” humor and society. I spent most of my adult life outside the US, usually not interacting with very many Americans. People were almost always tolerant, but every now and then European or UK expats would unfairly deride all things American. That’s not what the OP did, but it was late, I was tired, and I’m guessing I had probably just had a stiff drink. Anyway my apologies to @Octagon.
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### Author:  [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2022, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chris-rock-low-brow-humor-and-will-smiths-violent-reaction/961960/105 "2022-03-31T03:16:43Z")
> [@Acsenray](#):
>
> I wonder whether he briefly contemplated unleashing a fiery tongue on Smith.
There is no doubt in my mind that is what Rock was thinking.
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### Author:  [@Octagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octagon)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2022, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chris-rock-low-brow-humor-and-will-smiths-violent-reaction/961960/106 "2022-03-31T03:46:31Z")
No need to apologize. What I’m really seeing not just in America but in Britain and Australia (that I hadn’t see in the 90s) is the general rot that has set in and is fraying society to a point that may be a breaking point . This is observable in everday encounters. A lack of emotional restraint when expressing personal differences seems to be a thing of the past. Will Smith smacking Chris Rock is just the latest public display of what is happening in evryday life. It’s shocking.
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### Author:  [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2022, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chris-rock-low-brow-humor-and-will-smiths-violent-reaction/961960/107 "2022-03-31T04:58:13Z")
[Here](https://youtu.be/GeDGu-qwCyo) is an example of someone who _didn’t_ show restraint.
Warning: contains some NSFW language.
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### Author:  [@Galactus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Galactus)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2022, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chris-rock-low-brow-humor-and-will-smiths-violent-reaction/961960/108 "2022-03-31T05:10:18Z")
> [@Princhester](#):
>
> joking about someone’s disfiguring illness
Is there a picture of Jada looking disfigured?
> [@Yookeroo](#):
>
> Ricky Gervais, but he’s a far bigger asshole
Do you have an example of Ricky Gervais crossing the line?
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### Author:  [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2022, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chris-rock-low-brow-humor-and-will-smiths-violent-reaction/961960/109 "2022-03-31T07:24:49Z")
> [@Galactus](#):
>
> Is there a picture of Jada looking disfigured?
You’d have to ask her. But in my experience people like to have a choice about their appearance and alopecia takes some of that away in a manner some may consider disfiguring.
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### Author:  [@SpacemanSpiff\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpacemanSpiff_II)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2022, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chris-rock-low-brow-humor-and-will-smiths-violent-reaction/961960/110 "2022-03-31T14:10:24Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#):
>
> Bald jokes were a staple of _The Dick Van Dyke Show_ .
[Say NO to Bald Wife Jokes in Comedy - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1j925b-GkAk)
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### Author:  [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2022, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chris-rock-low-brow-humor-and-will-smiths-violent-reaction/961960/111 "2022-03-31T15:03:06Z")
It appears that, Smith’s Instagram apology notwithstanding, nobody from that camp has actually spoken directly to Chris Rock.
> **[Chris Rock Says 'I Haven't Talked to Anyone Despite What You Heard' at Comedy...](https://people.com/movies/chris-rock-says-i-havent-talked-to-anyone-despite-what-you-heard-at-comedy-show-following-oscars/)**
>
> Chris Rock addressed the Oscars incident at his standup shows Wednesday night in Boston, telling the crowd he was "still processing what happened"
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### Author:  [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2022, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chris-rock-low-brow-humor-and-will-smiths-violent-reaction/961960/112 "2022-03-31T15:45:48Z")
> [@orcenio](#):
>
> He could’ve brought Smith to tears. His whole family to tears. Aired out every nasty joke about the Smiths. That’s a comic’s natural instinct. Rock held his tongue, made a joke about this being an important night. Moved on. That’s wild. Smith was insanely vulnerable to Rock and he chose not to swing.
Rock’s a professional. Maintaining the flow of a live show is a job he’s exceptionally good at.
And if he started tearing into Smith, Smith would have come back onstage.
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### Author:  [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2022, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chris-rock-low-brow-humor-and-will-smiths-violent-reaction/961960/113 "2022-03-31T15:48:11Z")
If Rock really wanted Smith in tears, he could have had him arrested and spending Sunday night in jail.
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### Author:  [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2022, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chris-rock-low-brow-humor-and-will-smiths-violent-reaction/961960/114 "2022-03-31T15:53:30Z")
If Rock went for it. Smith would’ve HAD to come back on stage. Smith, walked up on stage, slapped Rock, went back to his seat, and set a **very clear** line. Rock did not cross it… but if he did. Oh my God.
And it clearly looked like Rock actively kept himself from “going there.” He has a firmer grasp on self control then maybe 70% of the planent. Because Smith just violated his masculinity/bodily autonomy, without warning, and did it live on international TV. People don’t make rational choices after that.
Also Chris needs to preform live on stage for a living. Like get out there and face the public for a pay check. His life will be substantially more difficult now (that he’s been dragged into the Smith family reality TV mess).
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2022, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chris-rock-low-brow-humor-and-will-smiths-violent-reaction/961960/115 "2022-03-31T15:55:00Z")
> [@Octagon](#):
>
> A lack of emotional restraint when expressing personal differences seems to be a thing of the past. Will Smith smacking Chris Rock is just the latest public display of what is happening in evryday life. It’s shocking.
(I assume you meant “Emotional restraint when expressing personal differences seems to be a thing of the past.”) I’m not sure I necessarily agree with that. I personally remember a lot more differences ending up in smack-ups between people because that was a show of “true masculinity” than I do now. Or at least I don’t see that much a difference. I mean, people like Ty Cobb would actually attack fans or groundcrew during baseball games. Frank Sinatra was not known for being a particularly peaceful fella. Aldermanic elections/rallies would end up in street brawls around here in Chicago in the early 80s. I feel we’ve actually mostly walked away from that kind of stuff. At the very least, it’s not all that different – it may just show up in different quarters. The idea that the past was full of emotionally well-regulated folks who didn’t engage in fisticuffs is foreign to me.
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### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2022, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chris-rock-low-brow-humor-and-will-smiths-violent-reaction/961960/116 "2022-03-31T16:34:00Z")
> [@Octagon](#):
>
> This is observable in everday encounters. A lack of emotional restraint when expressing personal differences seems to be a thing of the past.
This has been an observed phenomenon, in particular, since the pandemic started.
> **[Why People Are Acting So Weird](https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2022/03/antisocial-behavior-crime-violence-increase-pandemic/627076/)**
>
> Crime, “unruly passenger” incidents, and other types of strange behavior have all soared recently. Why?
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### Author:  [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2022, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chris-rock-low-brow-humor-and-will-smiths-violent-reaction/961960/117 "2022-03-31T16:48:39Z")
I love the expert in that piece pointing out that it’s important to differentiate between people with mental illness and people who are just assholes.
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### Author:  [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2022, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chris-rock-low-brow-humor-and-will-smiths-violent-reaction/961960/118 "2022-03-31T17:00:19Z")
> [@Octagon](#):
>
> What does that say about American society today?
Multi-millionaires behaving badly
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### Author:  [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2022, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chris-rock-low-brow-humor-and-will-smiths-violent-reaction/961960/119 "2022-03-31T17:08:15Z")
> [@pulykamell](#):
>
> I mean, people like Ty Cobb would actually attack fans or groundcrew during baseball games. Frank Sinatra was not known for being a particularly peaceful fella. Aldermanic elections/rallies would end up in street brawls around here in Chicago in the early 80s.
I read the other day that John Wayne had to be physically restrained from rushing the stage when Marlon Brando, as an act of protest, sent a Native American woman to accept his Oscar in 1973.
> **[Whiskey Riff](https://www.whiskeyriff.com)**
>
> A RIFF on what country is really about.
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### Author:  [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2022, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chris-rock-low-brow-humor-and-will-smiths-violent-reaction/961960/120 "2022-03-31T17:16:47Z")
John Wayne also attacked Bud Schulberg for the Hollywood expose novel _What Makes Sammy Run_ (they were both in the same restaurant in Mexico. Wayne was drunk and surprised Bud with a headlock). Wayne ran an anti-Commie operation so powerful that Stanley Kramer had to beg permission to make _High Noon._ Oddly, he did refuse a drunken Frank Sinatra’s challenge to meet him outside over their conflicting left/right stances.
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