# 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:** 3
**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 28, 2022, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/41 "2022-03-28T12:56:52Z")
How many big name Hollywood directors were watching that show in person or on TV last night? Almost all of them, right? I wonder how many of them tolerate that kind of behavior on their sets. ---
**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 28, 2022, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/42 "2022-03-28T12:59:27Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > I did not know Jada has alopecia and I thought she looked great. Did Chris know she has alopecia? > > Not that it matters for how I feel about the whole hitting thing anyway. Her head looks like a fashion choice, closely buzzed hair, not the pure bald spots of alopecia. If Chris Rock is like most of humanity, and does not follow Jada Smith on Instagram, then he’d have concluded that too. Agree it is a good look on her. I think the earlier joke referencing their open marriage was more inappropriate. Unclear which is more pathetic - the slap (a slap! Really?) or trying to spin that as a macho protecting his poor wife who is in his mind too weak to take care of herself? No you entitled prick, god is not calling on you to protect people by slapping unfunny comics for being clueless. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2022, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/43 "2022-03-28T13:01:01Z")
If Smith cannot control himself and refrain from responding to words with violence - especially while under such a bright spotlight - he has genuine anger management issues that should not be ignored. I doubt that he is, but he should be ashamed of his behavior. mmm ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2022, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/44 "2022-03-28T13:01:13Z")
The police dusted Chris Rock’s face and found some fresh prints. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2022, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/45 "2022-03-28T13:02:29Z")
> [@Smid](#): > > I wouldn’t use the term “bankable” for him, perhaps the blip of the Bad Boys made some money, but he’s been making duds for years, Whatever you may think of it artistically, the live-action _Aladin_ remake was the eighth highest grossing film of 2019. _Suicide Squad_ was a terrible, terrible movie, but it made money. According to Nielsen, _Bright_ drew 11 million viewers within its first three days on Netflix and it has been greenlit for a sequel. Sure, Smith isn’t cranking out the blockbusters like he was in the 90s but he’s the very definition of a “bankable” star – someone who’s name alone can be expected to bring in a much bigger audience than might be expected otherwise. That said, I can’t imagine this incident is going to affect his career much one way or the other. It’ll be completely forgotten about within weeks. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2022, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/46 "2022-03-28T13:03:13Z")
> [@orcenio](#): > > Rock. You were done worst then hit. You were upstaged. Smith has just made you take the brunt of all the public’s jokes about him and his wife. Hell, he just gave you a free ticket to go hard on him. Wear the hit, smile, and just continue making jokes about him. I don’t see it that way. Will Smith has been getting clowned for decades by the things his wife has done. That he choses Chris Rock to fight back against, while he is working none the less and can’t react, just makes him look like an even bigger bitch. ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Jocko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uncle_jocko/32/2932_2.png) [@Uncle\_Jocko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Jocko)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2022, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/47 "2022-03-28T13:04:45Z")
When Smith started his acceptance speech, I really thought he was going to include an apology. I just didn’t think it would be an apology to the _Academy_ and not Chris Rock, or that he’d get what appeared to be an enormous amount of support for not apologizing to the guy he assaulted. Also, the line “love makes you do crazy things” is something a lot of domestic abuse survivors would not appreciate hearing from a guy who just smacked somebody on live TV. ---
**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 28, 2022, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/48 "2022-03-28T13:05:00Z")
No, you see it the same way as I did. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2022, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/49 "2022-03-28T13:06:46Z")
> [@Uncle\_Jocko](#): > > Also, the line “love makes you do crazy things” is something a lot of domestic abuse survivors would not appreciate hearing from a guy who just smacked somebody on live TV. exactly. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2022, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/50 "2022-03-28T13:06:49Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > The police dusted Chris Rock’s face and found some fresh prints. I lol’d. ---
**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 28, 2022, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/51 "2022-03-28T13:07:15Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > That he choses Chris Rock to fight back against, while he is working none the less and can’t react, just makes him look like an even bigger bitch. That’s the greater sin, I think, as far as that community is concerned. Rock was acting as a performer. And Smith physically attacking a performer while doing his job is going to be hard for the people he has to work with to forgive. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2022, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/52 "2022-03-28T13:09:56Z")
> [@orcenio](#): > > No, you see it the same way as I did. Yeah, I think I misread you. ---
**Author:** ![Roger\_That](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roger_that/32/8505_2.png) [@Roger\_That](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roger_That)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2022, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/53 "2022-03-28T13:11:20Z")
Would Smith have done the same thing if it weren’t Chris Rock making the joke but The Rock? ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2022, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/54 "2022-03-28T13:12:05Z")
> [@dorvann](#): > > The LAPD say they are declining to investigate because Chris Rock won’t file a police report. > > Frankly I don’t blame them for not investigating **unless** Chris Rock was willing to file charges and file a written statement unequivocally stating the incident was **NOT staged** and he was **actually** assaulted by Will Smith. > > Otherwise they are going to be fighting an uphill battle proving that Will Smith committed a criminal act. Pretty sure it would be an open and shut case. But given that Rock apparently wasn’t injured it would at worst be misdemeanor assault. Smith’s lawyers would probably plea it down to no jail time, maybe a fine or community service for some anti-violence cause or whatever, claiming that Smith’s state of mind from playing King Richard made him overly protective and defensive of his wife. That may even be true, given how unhinged Smith appeared during his apology / acceptance speech. ---
**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 28, 2022, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/55 "2022-03-28T13:14:16Z")
Or Terry Crews? Smart people always choose smaller victims. Rarely do people assault/threaten those larger then themselves. Its a calculation that’s quietly but universally made. ---
**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 28, 2022, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/56 "2022-03-28T13:17:56Z")
The fact that Smith can pull such great figures shows to me how much value he brings (especially true when dealing with utterly lukewarm to shitty movies). I don’t think this will hurt him at all. Hell, it probably won’t hurt Rock either. The spotlight is kinda like that 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2022, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/57 "2022-03-28T13:23:31Z")
I was thinking along the lines of Jason Momoa, but yeah. Something tells me Smith would have found a way to have more impulse control were that the case. mmm ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2022, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/58 "2022-03-28T13:26:13Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Pretty sure it would be an open and shut case I don’t think it as open and shut as you think. As far I am concerned unless Chris Rock is willing to state unequivocally that the incident was **NOT STAGED** in a statement and/or testify in court to that effect there will be **“reasonable doubt”** enough to prevent Will Smith from being convicted or forced to take a plea. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2022, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/59 "2022-03-28T13:26:33Z")
Chris knew jokes about Jada upset Will in 2016. What kind of monster mocks someone with alopecia? What’s next Chris? Mocking Parkinson tremors? Then Chris does it again? He got off easy with only a slap. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2022, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/60 "2022-03-28T13:33:25Z")
> [@orcenio](#): > > Or Terry Crews? Smart people always choose smaller victims. Rarely do people assault/threaten those larger then themselves. Its a calculation that’s quietly but universally made. Odd choice of example, given that Crews was actually sexually assaulted in public by a much smaller (but powerful in other ways) man. My opinion remains unchanged. Smith and Rock are both assholes. But Smith is a _violent_ asshole. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826.md?page=4)