Slapping incident at Oscars raises questions of offensive jokes, violent responses
New Hampshire therapist says Will Smith's reaction teaches wrong message
New Hampshire therapist says Will Smith's reaction teaches wrong message
New Hampshire therapist says Will Smith's reaction teaches wrong message
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is condemning actor Will Smith's actions during Sunday night's Oscars presentation when he slapped comedian Chris Rock in the face after a joke about his wife.
The Academy said it's launching a formal review of the incident, which quickly became the most-talked-about moment of the show.
Will Smith publicly apologized Monday night to the Academy, Chris Rock and viewers for his actions saying he was "out of line."
New Hampshire comedian Juston McKinney said that even if Rock's joke about Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved hairstyle, in response to her hair loss caused by alopecia, crossed a line, Smith's reaction took it further.
"To put it out there that you are offended or your significant other is offended, that it is OK to then resort to violence — I think that's just a bad road to go down," McKinney said. "I mean, who decides what's inappropriate and what isn't?"
Psychotherapist Lynn Lyons said the discussion about the incident is important. She said it raises questions about emotional management.
"When kids see somebody who they admire, somebody who is a hero, somebody who is a big, huge star sit there and make a decision to walk across that stage and assault somebody else, I think that's a really unfortunate message for kids to hear," she said.
Lyons said Smith's acceptance speech shortly after the incident raises even more red flags.
"He said, 'Love makes people do crazy things.' And I think that wasn't a crazy thing. That was a violent thing," she said. "And to give a message, particularly to young people, teenagers in relationships that in the name of love you should assault somebody, I thought that was a really, really disturbing message for kids and teenagers to hear. I would have a discussion with my children about that."
Academy leaders said they considered removing Smith from the broadcast, but a decision couldn't be made before he won the award for best actor.