I don’t follow the Oscars, nor did I watch the ceremony. I have seen that punch once. I had never heard of Chris Rock, and I doubt I would recognise him if I met him.
Whereas I don’t think people should go around hitting others, the more I think about what Will Smith did, I think he was right. At first I thought he should have used words, rather than a fist. But words could have been seen as scripted entertainment, and words could easily have gone unheard by some.
That punch, though, we saw that.
It’s not so much what Will Smith – an actor I neither particularly admire, or dislike – did for his wife, although it was far more admirable than much of what Hollywood stars get up to. It’s what he did for all of us, especially all the people belittled by comedians or just shouted at or laughed at in the street. We – they – have no comeback. We – they – scuttle away in shame, sometimes fear. Maybe our – their – day has been ruined (along with life in general). If it’s someone we love who is at the receiving end of this kind of thing, we stand powerless to deal with it.
Thank you Will.
CultureWitch 