The Slap Heard Around The World

USPA NEWS - In front of a live and worldwide television audience for the Oscars, actor Will Smith behaves badly, all because of a joke.

As most have already heard, there was an incident at the Academy Awards Sunday night. The yearly award ceremony is known for its comedic presenters and sometimes very bad jokes. It was a joke told by Chris Rock that Will Smith and his wife took personally. Poking fun at Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair style was the cause of the the words and physical altercation Smith directed at Rock.

Jada Pinkett Smith first talked about her hair loss struggle in an episode of her Facebook chat show, Red Table Talk, back in 2018. She said: "I've been having issues with hair loss. And it was terrifying when it first started." The Girls Trip star said she first suspected she had alopecia after "handfuls of hair" came loose in the shower. "I was just like, 'Oh my God, am I going bald?' It was one of those times in my life where I was literally shaking with fear," she explained. "That's why I cut my hair and continue to cut it."

Less than an hour after the incident, Will Smith accepted his first Academy Award. Accepting the Oscar for best actor for King Richard, he said Richard Williams was a "fierce defender of his family" and that he himself was "being called on" in his life "to love people and to protect people". King Richard is a 2021 American biographical sports drama film directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and written by Zach Baylin. It follows the life of Richard Williams, the father and coach of famed tennis players Venus and Serena Williams. He ended it saying he hoped the Academy would invite him back.

In a statement to Page Six, the Los Angeles Police Department said: “LAPD investigative entities are aware of an incident between two individuals during the Academy Awards program. The incident involved one individual slapping another. The individual involved has declined to file a police report. If the involved party desires a police report at a later date, LAPD will be available to complete an investigative report.”

Some have wondered if Will Smith will lose his Oscar. Shortly after Will slapped Chris, The Academy took to their Twitter account to clear some air. The tweet read: “The Academy does not condone violence of 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.” While the tweet might have hinted that Will could lose his award, it is important to note that the official account for The Academy did share the actor’s speech after he won the Best Actor in a Leading Role. Given that his win was celebrated, it is highly unlikely that the Oscar will be taken away from Will. Time will tell though. There may be some sort of punishment imposed against Smith.

Thank you for reading my article. These are merely my thoughts and insights based on the facts. I use only verified sources. No fake news here. I write about a variety of subjects, mainly things I want to research and know more about. You can check out my website – Small Village Life at smallvillagelife.com, where I share useful articles and news.

Wendy writes for the United States Press Agency and is a former columnist with the Fulton County Expositor, Wauseon, Ohio.

Sources: Page Six and BBC