Dylan Bettencourt
Comedian Chris Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair loss condition, but her husband Will Smith didn’t think it was funny.
“Jada, can’t wait for GI Jane 2,” the comedian laughed, a reference to Jada’s shaved haircut which is a result of the hair loss condition alopecia.
But, Oscar night or not, Will Smith made it very clear, in a most visual way, that he didn’t appreciate the joke.
After hearing the joke, which made many people laugh, Will Smith walked up to Rock and slapped him, then returned to his seat.
“Keep my wife’s name out your mouth,” Smith said when he got back to his seat.
Rock responded: “I’m going to. That’s the greatest night in the history of television.”
The film, GI Jane, released in 1997 was played by Demi Moore, who in the film had a buzzcut.
Later on during the event, Smith was awarded the best actor Oscar for his role as the father to tennis sisters Serena and Venus Williams in the King Richard movie.
Receiving the Oscar, an emotional Smith apologised.
“I want to apologise to the Academy. I want to apologise to all my fellow nominees. Art imitates life. I look like the crazy father, just like they said about Richard Williams. Love will make you do crazy things,” he said during his acceptance speech.
Smith added that people in the public eye have to pretend their situations are okay when comedians take advantage of their private business.
“I know to do what we do, you gotta be able to take abuse and have people talk to other people about you. In this business, you gotta have people disrespecting you. And you gotta smile and pretend that’s ok,” he added.
The Academy, organisers of the Oscars, released a statement following the event, saying that they do not condone the violence witnessed on stage.
“The Academy does not condone violence in any form. Tonight, we are delighted to celebrate our 94th Academy awards winners, who deserve this moment of recognition from their peers and movie lovers around the world,” the statement said.
Image source: @NBCNews
