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Here's Why Chris Rock Deserved That Slap From Will Smith At The Oscars


https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/heres-why-chris-rock-deserved-153800478.html

It’s been one year since the world watched Will Smith slap the taste out of Chris Rock’s mouth during the Oscars. The shocking moment—which many people assumed was part of a premeditated skit—sent shockwaves through Hollywood. Not only did people overwhelmingly sympathize with Rock, but they also painted Smith as a dangerously violent Black man with an anger problem. However, looking at the infamous moment a year later, many have come to understand why Smith hit Rock.

It’s not about condoning violence, but words—especially ones that make Black women the punchline—should have consequences. It wasn’t just him targeting Jada Pinkett-Smith, who suffers from alopecia, that’s got him in trouble with Black men and women through the years. Antagonizing Black women has always been part of Rock’s approach to comedy and TikTok users have continuously pointed that out. Some even stated Rock had that hit coming.

A quick Google search of “article defending Chris Rock” yields over 8 million results while the phrase “article defending Jada against Chris Rock” has just 2 million results. Though it’s clear a lot of folks still think that the star should be able to joke about whoever he wants, it seems like they’re ok with it because he is known for going after Black women. Here are a few examples of when Chris Rock has publicly insulted us.

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No, this is the same old bullshit, nothing new, and this guy is saying the same thing Smith's defenders said a year ago. Nobody bought it then. And nobody buys it now.

Joking about someone's hair does not excuse violence.

Stand up comedians often tell offensive jokes. No way in hell can we condone members of the audience attacking performers on stage. It would be the death of live entertainment.

I'm gay. Can I beat the crap out of Dave Chappelle for telling homophobic jokes? I'd love that. Will that be acceptable too?

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The author Candace McDuffie, is a poor excuse for a reporter, and has a long history of stirring the pot with sensationalistic as well as divisive garbage, quite similar to the tripe she vomited up in this article.

It’s a good conversation to have, “the slap,” but she’s a loathsome source to base one on.

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yahoo is the worst of the worst fake news

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Will Smith said something similar on television before. Will made fun of bald woman on television.

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I understand why Smith did what he did. I think Rock is a hypocrite for insulting Jada, since he made a documentary called 'Good Hair' (look it up). And I don't think Smith deserves to be cancelled whatsoever. And even at the time I felt bad for Smith and Jada.

BUT, defending VIOLENCE because Rock insulted a few Black women (never mind the fact that he's a BLACK man) is the height of misguided and confused 'wokism' (yes, I used that word, sue me). Violence is never justified except in self-defence, or in countering other forms of *actual* violence. And whilst I appreciate why Rock's joke was mean and ignorant, that still isn't an excuse for justfying violence on principle.

"It’s not about condoning violence..."

"Some even stated Rock had that hit coming."

Anyone else see a contradiction between these two statements?

Also, whilst it may be one thing to portray 'Smth as a dangerously violent Black man with an anger problem,' this writer seems to be ignoring the fact that *Rock* is Black. It would be *far more* convenient for their agenda if Rock were say Piers Morgan or Prince William, or another *white* man. But whatever 'side' one takes in this debate, one is going to be condemning a Black man, so, maybe, just maybe, it isn't really a race issue. 🤷‍♂️

Let's face it, it's now regarded as 'racist' by some people to refuse to condone VIOLENCE in response to WORDS, if those words apply to, say, Black women. Sorry, but the 'progressives' are very very WRONG in this case, and GENUINE sensible, reasonable progressives, like myself, should stop being cowards and worry about being accused of 'racism' by bad faith actors looking after their own interests, and do the RIGHT thing and CONDEMN violence, in this case, violence against a BLACK man FFS!!!

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'But ultimately talk sh*t, get hit is a very real thing'

At the risk of being accused of 'racism' or 'misogynoir', this article should be reported. It's advocating VIOLENCE.

Since when is it right to justify VIOLENCE? Anyway, this just goes to show that women, and Black women, are as violent as anyone else.

I, a white man, have NEVER advocated hitting anyone, but supposedly *we're* the 'violent ones'. Not Black women arguing that BLACK men should be PUNCHED for telling a fucking joke.

Someone tell me how I am 'wrong'. Or is it just my 'white male privilege' speaking? *sigh* Am I 'mansplaining' because I refuse to condone macho violent bullshit?!?

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How exactly is G.I. Jane a slur? It's a compliment for sure. Being cuckolded by your son's friend is an insult though.

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u can fuck will smiths hoe wife just dont joke about her hair!!!

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I think you intended to say "you CAN fuck will smiths hoe wife"

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ahh yes updated

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Rock was being rude. He was making fun of Jada's alopecia. It was cruel and mean-spirited 'humour', and at the time I had some sympathy for Will Smith's response.

But now people are arguing that 'Chris Rock *deserved* to be slapped' and 'violence is an acceptable response to Black women being insulted' I have to take exception.

Sorry, but no matter how systemically disadvantaged you may be, violence is NEVER acceptable (although if Jada truly felt Rock deserved to be hit, *she* should have gone on stage and slapped him, instead of doing the cowardly thing and cajoling her husband to hit another man).

Like I say, I have some sympathy for both Jada and Will. I can understand doing something crazy like that in the heat of the moment. It can happen to the best of us. But to argue that it was a 'righteous' and 'honourable' thing to do, is a disgrace, and anyone promoting violence should be subject to public censure.

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I feel sorry for the people who would have to do a roast on you. G.I. Jane isn't an insult. It's a roast at the most and a harmless one.

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Bear in mind that I've condemned the slap and the people who continue to defend it.

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I cant read cursive so I dint read but dint will smith make fun of uncle phill fatness and baldness in funny show "the cuck prince of bel air"?

If it so why get angry when wife is bald why dint politely ask to skinny son friend to put his penis out of his wife mouth?

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It’s not about condoning violence, but words—especially ones that make Black women the punchline—should have consequences


Sorry Black women, but you are not more important than everyone else. You can get roasted along with the rest of society.

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+1

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Agreed.

The problem is, a lot of people are too scared of being accused of 'racism', 'misogyny' or 'misogynoir' to say the truth, and condemn *all violence* rather than make exceptions.

Yes, as a white man, I have no clue what it is to be a Black woman. At the same time, whilst I sympathise with any Black woman subject to mockery, especially where it has a possible racial element, we cannot start making excuses for violence. That is where society falls apart, because anyone can then excuse and rationalise violence depending upon their specific circumstances and identity. We have to take an objective, principled approach, and no matter how offensive and hurtful an insult is, nothing can justify a physical assault, and those people encouraging such behaviour should be called out and censured for their provocations.

And the truth is, this article *is* condoning violence, and the author was engaging in contradictions and double-speak, when she pretended to condemn violence, whilst also saying there should be consequences for *words*. What 'consequences' could she possibly mean, other than violence (which she basically spends the rest of the article justifying).

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There are times when words elicit a physical response and I get it. If someone provokes a response and they get one, they were asking for it.

But I his situation is so far from that it’s ridiculous. He’s a comedian hired to take the piss out of the celebrities, and even then, it was a pretty soft roast. If there was no reaction it would’ve been forgotten as soon as he said it.

The only consequences should be criticism, but personally Ithink comedians should be free to make fun of anything that they can make funny.

I don’t think there is a racial element here, everyone involved was the same race. If he’s not allowed to joke about his own community, what is the implication?

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Some people are accusing Rock of being 'racist'. Some people are suggesting he's a self-hating Black man. The racial element comes from the particular issues surrounding Black women's hair.

I also disagree that anyone is ever 'asking for it'. Unless words come with the veiled threat of violence, I don't see how words can ever justify a physical assault.

So, my stance is, Chris Rock was wrong, but Will Smith was *even more* wrong (as was Jada, if, as some people have speculated, she incited his behaviour), and the people still justifying and even celebrating his slap a year later are the *most* wrong of all.

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Again I don’t think anything should be off limits when it comes to comedy but he wasn’t talking about black hair, or any of the issues with it. The joke is simply that Jada Pinkett is bald. Baldness is not off limits, Something like half of all men suffer from it, and its not racial, the original g.I Jane was played by Demi Moore.

Jada Pinkett has had short hair for most of her career, so any kind of medical condition was not obvious. Now if she had cancer, and Chris Rock knew about it, I would say he went too far, but he didn’t. He was just doing what he was paid to do.

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