At the just-concluded 94th Oscar Award ceremony, two prominent actors who have known each other for nearly three decades made one of the most notable scenes in the history of the Oscar awards.
It all began with a joke Chris Rock cracked when he called Will Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith, “GI Jane.” He was obviously referring to her bald head. The reaction from Will Smith left the world in utter shock as he stormed the stage and slapped Chris Rock’s face.
In as much as it is the tradition of Host comedians to crack cheap and expensive jokes when they hold the microphone, the one cracked about Jada Pinkett-Smith didn’t sit well with her.
Will laughed at the joke initially but on seeing the expression on his wife’s face, he summoned the courage to express his disapproval with his fist in front of a live audience and millions of people all over the world.
Shouting his displeasure (without profanity) from the comfort of his chair would have sufficed in this situation. However, he went the extra mile and has become the butt of cruel jokes ever since.
While we make jokes and sensationalize these kinds of stories, it is important to learn from such occurrences.
This is not to make an excuse for Will’s reaction. Violence should not be condoned in any form or fashion. I can’t help wondering if there is more to this incidence than those of us on the outside know? Has the punch been in the making for many years?
Did Jada Smith complain to her husband that she never feels secure with him because he takes other people’s side over hers? If this is the case, did he strive to prove his love for her when the opportunity arose during the Oscars award ceremony?
If more men defended their wives (not by hitting others) but by speaking up and reassuring their women that they see what’s happening and they feel their pain, many women will be more secure in their marriage and feel truly loved. Many women will stop trying to defend themselves singlehandedly!
There are many women out there who truly need their honor defended by their men. The sad thing is that their men aren’t picking up the cues.
They are too blind to see that the hurt, reactions, anger, and resentment in their homes are because their wives feel alone and undefended against the wiles of some cantankerous mothers-in-law, family members, and sometimes even their domestic staff.
You know what they say, a happy wife equals happy life.
No one disputes the fact that Chris Rock’s joke came off the wrong way especially since it is reported he was unaware of Jada Pinkett-Smith’s battle with Alopecia. To be frank, he deserves an Oscar for handling the whole situation with maturity by keeping his cool after a humiliating assault on his talent and face. What if he retaliated? The world would probably have witnessed the first Oscar Wrestlemania.
Two days later, Smith apologized to Chris publicity “I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris,” he wrote. “I was out of line and I was wrong. 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” he said.
Whether Chris accepted it or not is still unknown. There are two main lessons to learn here. Are you defending your better half the right way or manipulating him or her emotionally? Secondly, what will be your reaction in the face of impromptu adversity? Will you turn your cheek away like Chris did or retaliate at someone violating your space?
Keep chewing on this until next time.
Fola Ojelowo loves writing on trending topics.
