# 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:** 35
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2022, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/681 "2022-04-08T21:29:21Z")
To be fair to the Academy, while there’s loads and loads of security outside the building, inside, probably not so much. “It’s a big room full of A-list celebrities, on live TV, nothing’s going to happen on the _inside_!” ---
**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:** [April 8, 2022, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/682 "2022-04-08T21:59:13Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > It’ll just be some well respected former winner. Tom Hanks, for instance, or Denzel Washington. Not Denzel Washington. He got himself involved as part of the drama after the slap and is now part of the story, explaining how The Devil got Will that night, and how they prayed together after the slap and before the award. Putting him up would be making the slap and Mr. Smith’s absence the centerpiece of that award. It would be a slap of sorts to whoever wins it. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2022, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/683 "2022-04-08T22:22:40Z")
OJ Simpson said what Will Smith did was wrong. Maybe they should get him to present. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2022, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/684 "2022-04-08T23:03:26Z")
That’s the fun part of being put on the spot on live tv. We get to see the sniveling, spineless cowards that they are. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2022, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/685 "2022-04-08T23:31:48Z")
As an aside, is it just me, or is Denzel a little bit nutty himself? ---
**Author:** ![Latimera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/latimera/32/497_2.png) [@Latimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latimera)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/686 "2022-04-09T00:00:32Z")
I was wondering the same thing. I certainly didn’t realise he was so religious. ---
**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:** [April 9, 2022, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/687 "2022-04-09T00:13:40Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > As an aside, is it just me, or is Denzel a little bit nutty himself? This guy just about nails Denzel’s voice as he tries to guess what Denzel told Will that night. [https://old.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/ttkdpr/guy\_impersonates\_denzel\_washington\_at\_the\_oscars/](https://old.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/ttkdpr/guy_impersonates_denzel_washington_at_the_oscars/) ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/688 "2022-04-09T00:25:51Z")
When I worked as a public relations consultant, our management training included crisis response scenarios. Even in a controlled exercise, the instinct to put your head down and pretend nothing has happened is powerful - especially when you’re part of a committee and not an all-powerful czar. While this was hardly a crowning moment of glory for anyone (except Chris Rock) involved, I think calling the people involved who were put on the spot “sniveling, spineless cowards” is Monday-morning quarterbacking taken to the extreme. For the record, in all of the crisis management scenarios my colleagues and I dreamed up over the years, none of us ever dreamed up “major industry figure blows up on international TV and slaps a well-known figure presenting an award.” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2jqQsDklQEM/hqdefault.jpg "Animal House - Remain Calm, All Is Well") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jqQsDklQEM) ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/689 "2022-04-09T00:49:51Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > Even in a controlled exercise, the instinct to put your head down and pretend nothing has happened is powerful - especially when you’re part of a committee and not an all-powerful czar. The phenomenon of [herd mentality](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herd_mentality) is well-documented, first discussed by psychologists in the 19th century. Freud even cowrote a book about it. If you are in a crowd, and an incident occurs, you don’t want to stand out from everyone around you, you will go along with them. That tends to go for both action and inaction. That can happen when in a large crowd, or even being part of a small group. ---
**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:** [April 9, 2022, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/690 "2022-04-09T02:09:33Z")
Oh my GOD. That is disturbingly uncanny. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/691 "2022-04-09T02:18:02Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > No way in hell was the head person in charge of the show I wonder who the person in charge was. I mean at least who had the authority to ask Will Smith to leave. And if that person **knew** he had the authority to ask Smith to leave. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/692 "2022-04-09T02:21:59Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > As an aside, is it just me, or is Denzel a little bit nutty himself? > [@Latimera](#): > > I was wondering the same thing. I certainly didn’t realise he was so religious. I know the board slants left of center, and the left is generally less religious than the right, but as a liberal Christian, I didn’t find this to be particularly all that nutty religious. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/693 "2022-04-09T02:27:36Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > While this was hardly a crowning moment of glory for anyone (except Chris Rock) involved, I think calling the people involved who were put on the spot “sniveling, spineless cowards” is Monday-morning quarterbacking taken to the extreme. I agree with that. This was not something anyone planned for or expected to happen. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/694 "2022-04-09T02:37:56Z")
since hes banned for 10 years is getting nominated going to be a hard ban too or he just wont be nominated for anything ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/695 "2022-04-09T02:38:30Z")
I read that he’s still eligible for nominations or awards. ---
**Author:** ![Latimera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/latimera/32/497_2.png) [@Latimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latimera)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/696 "2022-04-09T03:53:40Z")
I didn’t say he was nutty religious. I said he was nutty. And I said I didn’t realise he was so religious. His first response when counselling Will Smith was to talk about the devil and to pray. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/697 "2022-04-09T06:14:41Z")
Sure, except, clapping is not “keeping your head down”. Your “crisis” theory does not hold up under scrutiny. Simply too much time passed. Nobody of those folks thought to throw out the violent man in ~30mins? It does show a remarkable tolerance for bullying and a almost total lack of preparedness to stand up for someone else. ---
**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:** [April 9, 2022, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/698 "2022-04-09T11:06:14Z")
> [@dorvann](#): > > I mean at least who had the authority to ask Will Smith to leave. And if that person **knew** he had the authority to ask Smith to leave. Unilaterally? No one was told at any point they were that person, is what I surmise. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/699 "2022-04-09T11:18:47Z")
Fortunately, Mononeon has [set it to music.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcX0hLtPwPI) ---
**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:** [April 9, 2022, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826/700 "2022-04-09T12:16:49Z")
I know. It made me realize I’ve never heard a Denzel Washington impersonator before. This guy is great. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826.md?page=34) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-will-smith-punched-chris-rock-at-the-oscars-last-night/961826.md?page=36)