Almost four decades ago it was “one little fight” that landed the Fresh Prince in trouble and saw the fictional Will moving to live with his auntie and uncle in Bel Air.
That scripted altercation on a basketball court launched the teenager’s career as a comedian and actor – but now it’s a real-life bust-up that could derail the life of an undisputed Hollywood superstar.
After Oscars presenter Chris Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair loss, Smith, her husband, leapt to the stage and gave the comedian a slap that was heard around the world.
But the tactless joke, Smith’s violent reaction, and the fact that the award show continued without consequence, also sparked furious debate about what it means to “protect women”, and American culture’s apparent comfort with violence.
In a vain attempt to lighten the mood after a commercial break, comedian Amy Schumer joked that “the vibe had changed” and seemed to acknowledge that Rock wasn’t the only one reeling.
Some joked Smith took method acting seriously and was channelling his hothead Bad Boys character Mike Lowrey. But others found the altercation alarming.
In a since-deleted tweet, director Judd Apatow said Smith “could have killed” Chris Rock and that Smith had “lost his mind”. There were even calls for the actor to be arrested and charged with assault.
But actress Tiffany Haddish spoke for many when she praised Smith for defending his wife.
“Maybe the world might not like how it went down, but for me, it was the most beautiful thing I ever seen,” she told People Magazine. Haddish, who co-starred with Pinkett Smith in the film Girls Trip, said black women are often the subject of jokes and ridicule, so seeing a black man stand up for his wife “meant so much to me”.
Many black Americans noted the irony in the fact that Chris Rock produced the documentary Good Hair about how important hair is in black culture, only to joke about Pinkett Smith’s chosen hairstyle. Pinkett Smith is one of many women who have recently gone public about their fight with alopecia, a condition that causes hair loss and affects many black women.
In a lengthy statement posted to Instagram on Monday evening, Smith apologised for behaviour he described as “unacceptable and inexcusable”, stating: “I am a work in progress.”
“Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive,” the actor wrote. “I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.”
The actor also apologised directly to Chris Rock writing: “I was out of line and I was wrong.”
Many online, including McKelvey, praised Rock for quite literally taking it on the chin and staying composed enough to continue the ceremony.
“I care about Chris Rock and Will Smith, two legends. Two Gods. I don’t like seeing that between two black men, personally,” he said. “We all laugh but that’s still another human on the other end of that slap.”
Smith and Rock are both comedians, and as the saying goes, the best jokes punch up not down. The Academy says it has now opened an investigation into the altercation and Smith.
If Smith is to learn anything from Fresh Prince, and this incident, it’s that sometimes, “one little fight” can change the course of your life.
Source- BBC
