# So Will Smith punched Chris Rock at the Oscars last night **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** comedian-jokes, talk-variety-show\ **Created:** [March 28, 2022, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826 "2022-03-28T08:32:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 20
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2022, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/381 "2022-03-30T20:40:18Z")
You made a statement about how the system works. That applies to all cases. The details of this situation are not really relevant if you’re trying to make a broad proclamation about how things ought to be. Certainly there are situations like this one where charging a crime without the victim’s assent could be done painlessly, but laws have a funny habit of having unintended consequences when applied to the world at large. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2022, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/382 "2022-03-30T22:04:14Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Really, all Will did was make it worse, if you think about it. If Jada herself had just smiled and gave a short laugh, and then waited until she was backstage to confront Chris, nobody would no, nobody would give a shit, and the whole thing would be over. It’s a total Streisand Effect. If anything, Chris Rock would be the one catching shit. ---
**Author:** ![Paxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/50afbb/32.png) [@Paxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paxx)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2022, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/383 "2022-03-30T22:24:37Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Her head looks like a fashion choice, closely buzzed hair, not the pure bald spots of alopecia. This. Chris Rock’s joke was not off limits. ---
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2022, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/384 "2022-03-30T23:07:43Z")
> **[Will Smith Refused to Leave When Academy Asked Him to Leave Oscars](https://www.tmz.com/2022/03/30/will-smith-asked-to-leave-oscars-but-refused-academy-claims/)** > > The Academy now claims they actually asked Will to beat it, but he apparently told them to kick rocks. Apparently the Academy asked Will Smith to leave the room and he refused. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2022, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/385 "2022-03-30T23:21:51Z")
Security could have been called to assist in his exit. They apparently decided not to go there. The Academy did not do themselves proud. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2022, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/386 "2022-03-30T23:23:25Z")
Seriously. Don’t they have bouncers to keep out the riff-raff at these affairs? ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2022, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/387 "2022-03-30T23:44:25Z")
There are some truths at play here. Pointing them out would get me permanently banned. I would encourage one and all to Google who the Producer of this broadcast was. It was this person’s first time producing the show. Read up on him. And by all means, find a photograph. Then draw your own conclusions which I am in no way prompting or encouraging or stating here. On a separate note: I’m a Camera Operator. A colleague was there. I mean, IN the theater, up close that night. He has said nothing except for this: It wasn’t faked. Chris Rock’s face swelled up afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2022, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/388 "2022-03-30T23:55:24Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > There are some truths at play here. > Pointing them out would get me permanently banned. What are you talking about? Will Packer? Why do you think talking about him will get you banned? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2022, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/389 "2022-03-30T23:55:29Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > I would encourage one and all to Google who the Producer of this broadcast was. It was this person’s first time producing the show. Read up on him. And by all means, find a photograph. Then draw your own conclusions which I am in no way prompting or encouraging or stating here. You think the producer allowed this to happen because he’s Black? ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2022, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/390 "2022-03-31T00:03:26Z")
I looked up Will Packer and it doesn’t look like he’s ever produced anything with Will Smith in it (and he has a long list of producing credits). I don’t see a connection. He has apparently produced a lot of comedies, so there could be a closer connection with Chris Rock, but nothing jumps out from their filmographies. I also ran across an article that may be of interest in this thread. It is a description of the view from the control room and some of the decisions that went into a lot of the elements of the broadcast. > **[Oscars: What Was Happening in the ABC Control Room as Will Smith Slapped...](https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/oscars-abc-will-smith-slap-chris-rock-rob-mills-1235217294/)** > > ABC’s Rob Mills was sitting in the Oscars production trailer on Sunday night when the show’s producers and director Glenn Weiss realized things were starting to go awry. “Chris Ro… ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2022, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/391 "2022-03-31T00:05:50Z")
The Academy needs to: - kick Will Smith out of the Academy - take back the Oscar and declare “no prize” for Best Actor in 2022 > [@icon](#): > > Which is interesting given that Richard Williams condemned what Will Smith did: I was surprised to see this. Richard Williams can be a gigantic jerk, to be honest. I’m surprised he didn’t support and defend Smith, but kudos to Richard Williams. ---
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2022, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/392 "2022-03-31T00:26:20Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Security could have been called to assist in his exit. They apparently decided not to go there. > > The Academy did not do themselves proud. Not disagreeing with your comments, but more using them to add to this specific part of the discussion. I’m conflicted here..now. When it was happening, all I could think was how is he not being escorted out. I was incredulous. But, this was a bizarre and unprecedented situation - and an “in-between” situation. For clarity, imagine an active shooter - clearly a “security” issue. No need for academy/suits to sign off or get involved in that. Now imagine a drunk guest (or similar) - clearly an academy/suits situation (eg, suit tells security to go remove that guest; or suit says, no, that’s fine, just monitor). Here, it’s kind of both. Especially in the moment as it’s happening. Here are Factors that made it confusing: Not clear whether it was staged or not; once that’s super clear, is there an ongoing problem anymore? Probably not, everything settled down. Rock is gone/didn’t escalate. Smith is sitting down. So really it’s just punishment at this point (ie, you did something very wrong so you should have to leave); and then, honestly, it’s Will Smith at the Oscars as a nominee. With all that, I understand not forcibly removing him in the 30mins they had to make that decision on the fly. To be clear, I believe that should have happened, but I understand why it did not on that moment. Just my thoughts. Hopefully it becomes clear what behavior will not be tolerated and the consequences of that type of behavior. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2022, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/393 "2022-03-31T00:38:23Z")
I think what this show desperately needs is a single host with the authority of a producer. When stuff like this happens, someone with common sense and comedy chops could have told the PA, “Get Smith out of here” and taken the stage to lower the tension while that was being done. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2022, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/394 "2022-03-31T00:40:47Z")
> [@CoolHandCox](#): > > Hopefully it becomes clear what behavior will not be tolerated I get that the decision to potentially drag a Black man out the door against his will as he was likely about to win a Best Actor Oscar might have been optics not chosen. But I would have thought that it was always clear that assaulting a presenter over a perceived insult of your wife is in the group of behavior that will not be tolerated. That there is question about that dumbfounds. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2022, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/395 "2022-03-31T00:50:28Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > It happened after - he should have had his nomination revoked immediately. He hadn’t won it yet. Well, he in fact HAD been voted the award. The award is a recognition of the fact that his peers voted it to him for his performance. That remains a thing that happened, whatever else he did. Smith’s Oscar would be a weird place to start taking away Oscars for bad behaviour. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2022, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/396 "2022-03-31T00:50:49Z")
So. . .Will Smith publicly assaulted (who I thought was) a well-liked comedian/actor on international live television, repeatedly used the one word you definitely cannot use on prime-time television, then was asked to leave and said, “No, I think I’ll stay.” Crazily, this works. Next, he was given Best Actor Oscar and allowed to give the longest speech allowed, probably, in my lifetime, if not the history of the awards - a rambling, crazy, narcissistic speech at that. Finally he was given not one, but two standing ovations by the group of Hollywood stars that had witnessed everything. Now, many of said Hollywood stars seem to be defending him, rather than coming down on the side of the man who was publicly assaulted. Why am I surprised? It’s been evident for years there are two standards for law and behavior in this country - one for the rich and famous, and one for the poors. Only the latter ever really have to suffer consequences for anything, and the former will back their kind to the hilt. I guess the only surprise to me is how quickly they abandoned Chris Rock, who I thought was better loved and respected than he now seems to be. Attacking one of their own seems to be the only time the rich and famous suffer consequences. A shameful night, and a shameful aftermath. Some sort of disciplinary action from the academy may follow, eventually, but I suspect it will be a slap on the wrist. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2022, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/397 "2022-03-31T00:53:08Z")
So the Academy asked them to leave and he said “no”, so they just shrugged and said there was nothing they could do? Suddenly the allegations that the same group of people are in charge of both Hollywood and the Democratic Party make more sense! ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2022, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/398 "2022-03-31T00:57:34Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > It’s been evident for years there are two standards for law and behavior in this country - one for the rich and famous, and one for the poors. Only the latter ever really have to suffer consequences for anything, and the former will back their kind to the hilt. I guess the only surprise to me is how quickly they abandoned Chris Rock The Smiths are richer, more connected, and have more production influence than Mr Rock. Relative to them he is one of the poors. That is the beginning and the end of the calculation. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2022, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/399 "2022-03-31T01:02:32Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Richard Williams can be a gigantic jerk, to be honest. I’m surprised he didn’t support and defend Smith, but kudos to Richard Williams. Richard Williams has some degree of good sense and damn right he’s going to say “oh, no, don’t go suggesting _that_ was following _my_ example!” And really, man, do this in the middle of the award show? If he felt he just HAD to take it there, Smith could have later backstage gone up to Rock and said, “WTF, a-hole?” and if they wanted to throw drinks or punches they could have and nobody’s night would have been ruined except the two of them’s. > [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > I think what this show desperately needs is a single host with the authority of a producer. When stuff like this happens, someone with common sense and comedy chops could have told the PA, “Get Smith out of her Not gonna happen. OTOH if we want a host who’ll destroy _the conceit behind the show itself_ with style, I hear Ricky Gervais is available. > [@DSeid](#): > > I get that the decision to potentially drag a Black man out the door against his will as he was likely about to win a Best Actor Oscar might have been optics not chosen. Yeah… and I guess they would have needed then to quickly redesign the broadcast to make that award happened during a commercial break and press someone to “accept on his behalf”. Deprive him of the moment of glory. And I fear half the Hollywood press would be decrying _that_ as the worst thing that happened. ---
**Author:** ![NJS36](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@NJS36](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NJS36)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2022, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/400 "2022-03-31T01:09:43Z")
Just because there is a blow-by-blow account/commentary doesn’t mean we can’t discuss it here. Just saying. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826.md?page=19) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826.md?page=21)