The Slap Heard Around the World

NEW YORK (May 23, 2012) Good Morning America news anchor Robin Roberts interviews actor Will Smith aboard the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space museum during Fleet Week New York 2012.  (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Deven King/Released)

In case you are among the lucky ones “blessedly unaware” of Sunday’s Hollywood kerfuffle, when comedian Chris Rock was presenting at the Academy Awards, the WSJ would like to help you get up to speed.

Mr. Rock made a cheeky joke about the wife of Will Smith, up for an Oscar nomination.

(Smith’s wife) apparently has alopecia, medical hair loss, which Mr. Rock might or might not have known, but many viewers at home probably didn’t. In either case, it was a rude crack, though jokes come with the territory of being famous, and doubtless Mr. Smith has heard worse.

But Wait, There’s More

Mr. Smith then was awarded the Oscar for best actor. In his speech he cast himself as a protector/victim and said he was “overwhelmed by what God is calling on me to do and be in this world.” He apologized to the film Academy, but not to Mr. Rock. “Love will make you do crazy things,” he added. Try that line sometime at the local police precinct and see how it works.

The slapping spectacle was then followed by Mr. Smith being awarded the Oscar for best actor.

In his speech he cast himself as a protector/victim and said he was “overwhelmed by what God is calling on me to do and be in this world.” He apologized to the film Academy, but not to Mr. Rock. “Love will make you do crazy things,” he added. Try that line sometime at the local police precinct and see how it works.

A couple of years ago the comedian Ricky Gervais hosted the Golden Globe awards and had the Hollywood crowd laughing nervously when he told them nobody cared what they think.

This year’s Academy Awards showed why.

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Debbie Young
Debbie, our chief political writer of Richardcyoung.com, is also our chief domestic affairs writer, a contributing writer on Eastern Europe and Paris and Burgundy, France. She has been associate editor of Dick Young’s investment strategy reports for over five decades. Debbie lives in Key West, Florida, and Newport, Rhode Island, and travels extensively in Paris and Burgundy, France, cooking on her AGA Cooker, driving through Vermont and Maine, and practicing yoga. Debbie has completed the 200-hour Krama Yoga teacher training program taught by Master Instructor Ruslan Kleytman. Debbie is a strong supporting member of the NRA.