Why Will Smith’s Actions at the 2022 Oscars Does Not Define Him

I loved Will Smith before the 2022 Oscars, and I still love him after the 2022 Oscars.

Like most of you, I stared at the screen and watched in horror as Will Smith walked up to Chris Rock and gave him an open hand slap in the face for making a joke about his wife Jada’s hair.

It was awful.

After my initial shock, there was confusion. I was hoping it was all a bad skit and just part of the show.

But unfortunately, it was not.

As the show continued to progress, all I could think was that…

If Will does win the Oscar for Best Actor (which he is undoubtedly deserving of) the entire moment will be overshadowed by this huge error.

And to my amazement and surprise, he indeed did win!

But just as I feared, the entire moment was overshadowed by that terrible moment an hour earlier.

And while as a fan, I feel let down and disappointed, I’m trying not to judge too harshly.

And I don’t think you should either.

Anyone that has been following Will Smith and his career knows that the violent display was totally out-of-character for him.

Smith is indeed a jokester himself.

And he never really seems to get too upset or uptight over jokes. He knows how to go with the flow and how to let things ride.

So when this “incident” occurred…

I suspect there was something much deeper going on.

Chris Rock compared Jada Pinkett-Smith to GI Jane. This was a character played by Demi Moore back in 1997 where she displayed a bald head.

Of all the jokes we’ve heard at award shows over the years, this one actually seemed pretty tame.

It should have been no big deal.

But as some of you may be aware, Jada was diagnosed with alopecia a while back.

Alopecia is a skin condition that attacks the scalp and causes you to lose your hair.

So even though the joke did not appear to be too harsh on the surface, Jada was clearly annoyed as evidenced by the disgust on her face and the dramatic rolling of her eyes.

I suspect that her alopecia is something that she struggles with behind the scenes and is a source of deep pain and insecurity for her.

This is what I believe sparked the out-of-character behavior for Will Smith.

When he won, I screamed and jumped for joy.

Just that quick I had forgotten about the mistake he made an hour earlier.

Will Smith is a great actor and a great man.

During the conflict with Chris Rock, in that moment, he forgot himself.

He wanted to defend his wife and shield her from the hurt, pain, and insecurity she struggles with on a daily basis.

It was a human mistake.

And while I certainly don’t condone the behavior or the violence, let’s exercise some compassion and not rush to judgment too quickly or harshly.

And kudos to Chris Rock for remaining professional throughout this ordeal.

Remember love conquers all.

Judge not lest ye be judged

Matthew 7:1

Do you all agree?

What are your thoughts?

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