Will Smith defends his Wife with a Wallop! ?

The whole thing was a display of toxic masculinity. Jada Pinkett Smith is perfectly capable of speaking up for herself - the idea that a man needs to resort to violence to ‘protect his woman’ is ridiculous.

Rock was rude, and jokes about personal appearance aren’t funny. Snide comments passed off as ‘banter’ are not funny. Laughing at someone’s misfortune isn’t funny. When I was a child life was crueller than now, but even then we were taught not to ‘mock the afflicted’.

All the same, violence was an over-reaction. Smith could have stood up and said something about hurtful comments, or bullying, or made reference to alopecia in his acceptance speech. He didn’t have to resort to the ‘an insult to my woman is an insult to me’ mentality that says nothing about love, but everything about his attitude to his wife and to dealing with problems. Or Pinkett Smith could have spoken for herself.

I think there should be a zero tolerance approach to violence. Smith should have been quietly asked to leave (off camera) and banned from attending further ceremonies, and Rock asked to apologise.

Urmstongran

I had to laugh just now. I said to Himself “well this has kept the Oscars front line news today” and he said “doesn’t mean I’ll watch it next year though”.
?

... I think that's quite witty of "himself"!

As an aside, I've just read that all nominees received a goody bag worth $140,000 including a piece of land in Scotland each. It seems pretty obscene to me.

Items ranged from high-end snacks and olive oil to a plot of land in Scotland making them Lords and Ladies of Glencoe. Several five-figure gifts were in the package including a $25,000 project from a construction company; a $15,600 four-night stay for two at a luxury resort; a $15,000 three-day holistic wellness retreat; a $12,000 arm sculpting procedure; and a $10,000 skin treatment such a Botox.

Obscene. How do these people sleep at night?

Kate1949
It has been worse.

www.forbes.com/sites/hayleycuccinello/2020/02/01/215000-oscars-2020-gift-bag/?sh=619efd83be7d

Oh I have misjudged them Meryl. They are economising this year!

Disgusting ! Violence is not accepted in a world where there are wars .We don’t need physical violence . And the standing Ovation ! Shame on them all !

I've seen the lip a few times and have not heard a mention of alopecia. Nor was I aware that Jada Pinkett Smith had alopecia. She has a fine shaped head so it could easily have been a fashion statement.

Just heard a comment on J Vine from a woman talking about protecting one's property. I thought the idea of a woman being anyone's property disappeared a long time ago.

Speaking as a 75 year old I have never wanted my DH to stand up for me. I am quite capable of doing it myself and I am sure that most of you are too.

Dinahmo JPS has spoken very candidly about her alopecia

I hadn't realised she had alopecia either. I thought it was a choice as she is amazingly attractive. But I empathise how upsetting it must be to lose your hair even if I cannot completely understand

www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/pictures/jada-pinkett-smiths-honest-quotes-about-alopecia-hair-loss/amp/

As I said upthread, I’m pretty certain that hair loss is a common problem among black women.
Rock should (would) have known this

I didn't know she had alopecia either. And I do tend to read rubbish about celebrities. But Jada has passed me by. I thought she looked quite stunning.

As for having your husband march up to some comedian and thump him, well, I'd be embarrassed.

We do seem to be getting very mixed messages. Some who decry toxic masculinity and embrace women being equal to men are now supporting him for defending her.

I imagine this will all die down soon. Will is just too popular to be cancelled.

I'm amazed that Rickey Gervais is still walking. Some of the jibes he's directed at actors at these events have been a whole lot worse.

FannyCornforth

Dinahmo JPS has spoken very candidly about her alopecia

Not in the papers that I read, nor have I seen any reference to it on tv. Maybe I just don't read the right stuff.

FC - just because she’s spoken about it doesn’t mean everyone knows. I didn’t know and an American Hollywood commentator being interviewed this morning admitted she wasn’t aware of it. She also remarked that Will Smith has a reputation for being a nice, friendly guy but, as a couple, they do over share about their private life and this invites comment and provides material for comedians et al.

I don’t think it matters whether Jada has alopecia or not. Rock was doing the usual misogynistic thing of shaming a woman for her looks.

I've now read the whole thread and am shocked at the response of some of you - I think that the 60s and all the talk back then about feminism must have passed some of you by.

Maggiemaybe

^Items ranged from high-end snacks and olive oil to a plot of land in Scotland making them Lords and Ladies of Glencoe. Several five-figure gifts were in the package including a $25,000 project from a construction company; a $15,600 four-night stay for two at a luxury resort; a $15,000 three-day holistic wellness retreat; a $12,000 arm sculpting procedure; and a $10,000 skin treatment such a Botox.^

Obscene. How do these people sleep at night?

Note that is Glencoe and not Glen Coe. Glencoe is the village, Glen Coe is the famous area. Do you think they will be worried? ????

shaming a woman for her looks !!

He was referencing the shaved head a la Demi Moore when she shaved her head to play GI Jane. She looked beautiful and so does Jada Pinkett Smith, in fact JPS is stunning, shaved head or not.

Better to grab the mike and politely ask Mr Rock to lay off Jada. If she'd had chemo, would he have made the same joke?

tickingbird

^shaming a woman for her looks^ !!

He was referencing the shaved head a la Demi Moore when she shaved her head to play GI Jane. She looked beautiful and so does Jada Pinkett Smith, in fact JPS is stunning, shaved head or not.

I'm wondering if some people aren't aware of the Demi Moore film and don't necessarily understand the G.I. Jane comment.

Personally I like my husband to stand up for me but not to the point of hitting someone.

Hardly violence. It was a slap. The 'comedian' was in the wrong & got what he deserved. He should be the one apologising, not Will Smith

This was supposed to ‘defend’ his wife!? Wasn’t she able to defend herself in a less violent way? Violence is often used by men as a reaction to ‘provocation’. Domestic violence is one of the results of this. So, on a much wider platform, is Ukraine. It is never justified. A far better solution would have been to give a searing indictment of a tasteless ‘joke’ in the Oscar acceptance speech he must have been pretty sure of making. Or doesn’t this paragon of husbandly affection have the guts or brains for this? Sadder to see the pathetic twittering of the self congratulatory ‘celebrities’ trying to sit on the fence re the issue no doubt with an eye on political correctness and their own careers! This in the era of #Me too! The Oscars have had their day. A gathering of ‘the great and the good’? My a**se as the Royale patriarch would say!

In my honest opinion he would have been better to use his speech to defend his wife rather than use his macho reaction which did not really win him any fans! To be truthful, this event is well past its sell by date and only serves to enforce already over inflated egos ! I would have been ashamed if my husband had behaved like that