The scuffle and slaps exchanged in the West Bengal Assembly a day before paled into insignificance, as did the Ukraine war. All eyes were glued to a few seconds clip of Actor Will Smith walking up on the stage and giving a tight slap to comedian Chris Rock who anchored the Oscar award ceremony. What a brutal slap it was, which could have felled any of our adrenaline-pumped heroes. Chris rock was shocked and dazed and took a few seconds to recover, shaking his head and mouth wide open in utter disbelief.
Breaching the borderline of civility is a critical question, as the border is as hazy as India-China’s one. Chris was joking about the bald Jada Pinkett Smith, Will’s wife. She has a special medical condition, alopecia, causing hair loss, which apparently the compere did not know. Will promptly retorted, “keep my wife’s name out of your f******g mouth.” He then walked up on the stage and slapped the comedian. Later, Will apologized to Chris and the Academy. I wonder how calling G.I. Jane could have warranted a slap!
I recall an incident when Shah Rukh Khan and (was it) Saif Ali Khan taunted Neil Nitin Mukesh over his name during a Filmfare award. Mukesh stood up to defend but did not go out to slap SRK.
Will Smith was awarded the best actor for his acting as Richard Williams. It was Denzel Washington who, just a few days ago, advised Will, “it is difficult but important to keep the devil out when you are on the top.” The devil in Will came out and was dancing in glee, disrupting, and slapping Chris.
General Patton had slapped two servicemen serving under him and was severely reprimanded. Politicians get voluntarily slapped in India to evoke passion and support, particularly before elections. Asha Kumari, a Congress MLA, slapped a policewoman in Dalhousie, Shimla, the lady cop returning the compliment with equal enthusiasm. In 2017, A Shiv Sena MP, Ravindra Gaekwad, hit an Air India employee with his chappal for denying a business class seat on an all-economy flight! Beating up police officers, toll plaza attendants, waiters are too common to evince any interest.
Chris Rock did not call Will’s wife, Jada, obscenely. The stand-up comedians’ job is difficult, as they have to keep the audience glued and splitting in laughter. Such an act of Chris was an aberration but certainly did not merit a slap.
Thankfully, both the compere and the awardee were African Americans, and the U.S. had just averted another race war. Oscar Committee must review its standards to include recall or stripping awards. If Will is on hire, I can bring him to India to repeat his performance to many I know who deserve not one but many slaps.
Sampath Kumar
Intrépide Voix
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Terrific punch