Wanda Sykes was one the three hosts of the Oscars, alongside Amy Schumer and Regina Hall. Lost in the Chris Rock-Will Smith slap issue was the fact that they were half-way bombing as hosts. There were a handful of good jokes, but basically Oscar producers thought they needed three women to simply move things along… and they really didn’t need that many. As for Wanda specifically, like Schumer, she has a long-standing relationship and friendship with Chris Rock. Like Schumer, Rock championed her as a comedian and they’ve worked together and been comedy-circuit friends for years. Wanda appeared on The Ellen Show and of course Ellen asked Wanda about the slap. Wanda had a lot to say:
Chris apologized to her: Sykes told DeGeneres that she “felt so awful for my friend Chris” when she found out about it while backstage. “I hope he doesn’t mind me saying this, but I saw Chris at [Guy Oseary’s after party] and as soon as I walked up to him, the first thing he said is, ‘I’m so sorry.’ I was like, ‘Why are you apologizing?’ He was like, ‘It was supposed to be your night. You and Amy and Regina were doing such a great job. I’m so sorry this is now gonna be about this.’ Because that’s who Chris is.”
The slap: “It was sickening. It was absolutely— I physically felt ill, and I’m still a little traumatized by it. And for them to let [Will] stay in that room and enjoy the rest of the show and accept his award, I was like, ‘How gross is this?’ This sends the wrong message. If you assault somebody, you get escorted out the building and that’s it. But for them to let him continue, I thought it was gross.”
She feels like she, Amy and Regina deserve an apology: “We were the hosts, right? So we were, this is our house, we’re inviting you in, we’re hosts, we’re gonna take care of y’all tonight and make sure you have a good time. And no one has apologized to us. We worked really hard to put that show together, so just the industry itself, I’m like, ‘What the hell is this?’ “
Not to be pedantic, but Will apologized to everyone in the room during his Best Actor speech. He wept and apologized to the Academy and everyone there (except Chris Rock). Yeah, he didn’t personally apologize to Wanda, Amy and Regina, I guess, although I would think that his second apology on Monday also covered everything else. And no, Will Smith was not there because Wanda, Amy and Regina invited him to THEIR house. He was nominated for Best Actor. His third Best Actor Oscar nomination. He wasn’t there by Wanda’s grace. I mean, she can feel however she wants about it, that’s her business and whatever. I think it’s starting to get really melodramatic to hear about how people were “traumatized” by seeing a grown man slap the taste out of another grown man’s mouth.
I’ll continue to say this because I still can’t believe it: it was the responsibility of the Oscar producers and hosts to change the energy after the slap happened. People were so unsettled because none of the people “in charge” could make the call about what to do or say.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Instar.
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She’s entitled to feel how she feels, and that is how she felt. Full stop.
Plus, I think it says a lot that Chris immediately apologized to her for pulling focus.
But he hasn’t apologised to Jada yet.
Thank you for pointing that out, Amy.
Exactly! All these other women trying to center themselves in the conversation with dramatic declarations about how traumatized they were (how privileged is your life if this is what traumatizes you for days) but still no apology for Jada.
@Amy, Why would he apologize when he didn’t know about Jada’s alopecia? It appears that most of Hollywood & the public didn’t know. Most people didn’t even get the joke. Rumors are that Amy Schumer wrote the GI Jane joke. As I pointed out in another thread, it doesn’t even sound like a typical Chris Rock joke. The Academy and whoever wrote that joke owes Jada an apology. The Smiths are lucky & should be thankful Chris didn’t launch a thousand jokes about their marriage, August Alsina & all the embarrassing things Jada has made public. He obviously wanted to go in on them but stopped himself. This make me want to watch GI Jane again though. Demi Moore was everything!
@ Amy Bee & MissMarirose – 1000% agree. She was the only person directly involved in this who was negatively impacted through NO fault or action of her own.
@Chantal
“Why would he apologize when he didn’t know about Jada’s alopecia?”
I don’t really feel like this is the question to be asking, but since you are; he could apologize because… he is sorry for hurting her? Sure, whether or not he knew about her alopecia might change the way some people think about CR but the odds are good that him not knowing did not make that ‘joke’ any less hurtful to Jada. Intent vs impact.
Even if he didn’t know about her medical condition, it still wasn’t taken as a ‘joke’ by many people. There are lots of comments on the other posts about this that have talked about why CR making a ‘joke’ about a Black woman’s hair in front of a white audience is just damaging & wrong. And specifically, the GI Jane reference with its connotations of masculinity; a racist stereotype that is often used against Black women to deprive them of protection and care.
To me doesn’t matter who wrote the words, Chris Rock said them. I just don’t see him as such a victim in this that he doesn’t owe Jada an apology.
You don’t know that
Rock hasn’t apologized to the Best Documentary winners for what he said as he read out their names – or rather read out Questlove’s name and then racially misidentified a South Asian winner as white by saying “and 3 white guys, WTF!” There’s a twitter thread about it.
He ruined the night for those winners.
He can’t even blame being slapped because he had made the exact same joke the night before.
Rock is an asshole.
Agreed.
That’s fair
@chantal that is what is claimed by him but he has a history of insulting Jada. He did a documentary about hair and Susan who he talked to in the documentary was saddened to hear him make a joke about alopecia because she sat down with him and expressed how hard it was on her living with it. Chris is a misogynist and a comedian that likes to punch down especially at black woman
There was such an opportunity for Will Smith to be redemptive; still is. I just don’t understand.
I get the heat, I get the passion, I get the layers and layers of stress and taking s*it, I get the Mama Bear instinct. But what I do not understand is the post-smack behaviour. Would love to see him offer to return the Oscar in contrition (or hand it off the Mr Williams), and have the Academy graciously refuse.
Why would he return the Oscar? He won it. Deserved it for many other films other than King Richard.
I’m tired of all these takes. Everyone over there, including Wanda, is fine. Chris made it back on stage for a comedy routine.
We have seen people dying on video. Live streams of people being gunned down by policemen, by soldiers, by children…People getting the literal life choked out of them.
But we need to hear about celebs and keyboard warriors being shocked and traumatized by a slap done because a comedian continues to be cruel after getting a private warning. Okay then….
Is this a joke? He should return his Oscar? I wonder if you asked that Harry W or any of the other predators return theirs as well
No. The Academy does not want and is not going to take his Oscar back.
I don’t understand the push to have him give up his Oscar. The award goes to best actor, not best behaved. These are the people that gave a trophy to Roman Polanski, who fled the country rather than face prosecution for child rape.
What happened with Will and Chris was embarrassing and wrong but this is getting blown way out of proportion. Kick Will out of the Academy (I’m assuming he’s a member.), for bad behavior but he earned that trophy. Let him keep it.
he’s not going to give up his Oscar nor should he. It’s for his performance in King Richard, not his behavior during the awards ceremony.
My guess is the “punishment” will be that he won’t attend the ceremony next year as a presenter, which is normal for the past year’s winner. But his Oscar is safe.
@Moss, when you refer to “post smack behavior” are you talking about immediately post-smack or now and going forward? I imagine that, as far as how to move forward now, Will is trapped inside a circular firing squad of his own instincts, his perception of what would make his wife happy and directives from his publicists, his agent, his attorneys, etc.
I don’t think he will be asked to return the oscar. It is recognition for art that he has produced and should remain so.
Thank you Lemons!
If that’s trauma I wonder what the coverage of the Ukraine and Russian war is for Wanda? Yeah, it’s getting to be way too much. I’m 100% certain Will regrets it. I’m sure in hindsight he probably wishes he had handled the whole thing differently. It’s really time to MOVE ON
Yeah, this performative pearl clutching is nauseating
This 100%!! These statements show how some of these Holywood people live in a bubble above all of us. Trauma?? Give me a F break!
Will Smith apologised to EVERYBODY. If all them want their 15′ can keep blabbing but so disgusting how a misstep has been blown out of proportion.
Maybe she means that by seeing it and being a host as well???? I don’t know what else to say but I think maybe that is what she meant.
100 percent agree! Not every single person needs to release these silly statements condoning or supporting sides. Also have these people never never been in the real world? I’ve seen worse fights in bars and don’t think I’m traumatized by humans being dumb. Football and MMA is way more violent than a slap yet people watch them all the time without being traumatized. Last week at wal mart I saw someone try to steal a bike and security people got into a scuffle with the guy. Still not traumatized and it was way crazier than a bunch of rich guys slapping with an open fist. Still gotta shop at wal mart sometimes lol. Was it dumb and immature? Yes. Are people overreacting and trying to make themselves victims for attention? Yep.
So Wanda is not allowed to be traumatized by seeing a man get smacked on stage while telling jokes (which is also Wanda’s profession), but yet so many people are saying that Jada is allowed to be so upset by a harmless joke that it was worth violence resulting? Jada’s extreme distress over a joke = okay but Wanda’s distress over seeing a fellow comedian get smacked = not okay. I don’t get it. Jada is bald, and everyone can see that. She has owned her baldness and she looks great. Chris said that she looks like a badass beautiful famous movie character who was also bald. I don’t get why people think that that harmless joke justified Will committing violence upon Chris.
What K-Piece said. 100%.
@ K-Piece
The ‘joke’ wasn’t harmless though. Lots and lots and lots of people took the time & energy to explain why on the original thread about this.
https://www.celebitchy.com/759771/will_smith_was_not_arrested_at_the_oscars_because_chris_rock_declined_to_press_charges/
Agree, Any Bee. Wanda was there working gives her the right to comment all she wants, whatever she wants, for as long as she wants.
I messed it up. My comment was meant for ERIN.
Anyone even consider that NONE of this would have even be worth discussing if Will Smith had kept his hands to himself! WTF! You are in a room full of messed up famous people who have almost all suffered abuse at some point in their lives! You wanna talk trauma? Hello!
No, not considered at all
Really not fair to blame a woman (Amy) for the Chris Rock joke. Yeah, like Chris needs her help to write jokes. Like she wasn’t busy writing her own.
LOL.
Well said.
It’s not about you, Wanda.
The same could be said about anyone weighing in on the incident, which is…pretty much the whole world.
THIS.
To be fair, she was asked. She and Ellen are friends. I imagine that she took it way more personally than she’s let on. I know if that were my friend (in the heat of the moment), I would be pulling some ride or die BS. She’s using her words on how she felt. I’m sure she has more that she didn’t say.
Yeah, not every person needs to offer their opinion on this situation, but she was the host of the event where this happened and she was asked about it.
In a way, it is very much about her. But she’s drank too much of the Kool-Aid to see how it really impacts her.
She witnessed violence in the workplace, she has a right to comment on it.
I am tired.
Me too. So tired.
Day #4 and I am tired of this as well. While the spotlight was on Wanda, she should have made a simple “it was unfortunate” statement and used the remaining of her time to address a subject that is causing real harm to our country. Such as sellout Clarence Thomas and his crazy right wing nut wife (Ginni) undermining our democracy. Not to mention all the other BS that Trump continues to do.
That is the real shit that should make her ill and traumatized. Not some drama between Chris Rock and Will Smith. That said, I really didn’t need to hear from this pearl clinching bitch today.
Why isn’t the joke considered an assault on Jada? Where is Chris Rock’s apology to her? Why does she “just have to take a joke?”
A joke is different from a physical assault. A joke isn’t considered an assault.
Should he apologize? Sure, but let’s not conflate the 2 things.
But Jada didn’t slap that idiot. While I don’t condone what Will did, Chris Rock hates Black women and has especially said some nasty things about Black womens hair. Michelle Obama is another he attacked! Some say Jada turned down Rock in the 90s and thats why he has had it out for her for years!!! He needs to apologize to Jada!!
No, a joke isn’t an assault. But it can have the same effect. Chris Rock should apologize to Jada. I don’t think anyone would find it acceptable to make jokes about someone’s bald head if it’s a result of cancer treatment, for example. Since everyone is talking about their “feelings” Jada’s should also be considered.
@Erin Yet, as many people here continue to point out, the joke WAS steeped in misogynoir. Ignoring that is ignoring all the violent racism directed towards black women.
It’s really crappy that Chris Rock hasn’t apologized to Jada, but this is getting way out of hand. An insulting joke at the Oscars from one millionaire to another is not a physical assault, and does not make it okay to slap someone on live TV. Jada was not in any physical danger at all from Chris Rock at any point.
Has nobody seen an awards show ever? Hollywood, the richest and most beautiful people on the planet get showered with awards for their work. For that they’re expected to take some laughs at their expense. This is how it’s always been. The Smith’s didn’t take the joke well, and say what you want about the joke, you don’t see Leo walking up there and slapping someone for constantly saying he dates young girls. The jokes are what makes it the least bit entertaining for those of us at home.
Yes.
WOW…..you love to be entertained as someone else’s expense. Making fun of someone’s illness is entertainment.
Making fun of Leo is based on his choices, Jada didn’t choose to have alopecia. There is a world of difference. I don’t know why its so hard for people to understand this.
There is a difference between mean and cruel. Chris was cruel especially because he understands surrounding black womens hair or lack of it. So he has no excuse even if he was unaware of the condition.
Well have you ever seen a Comedy Central Roast? They’re pretty funny…
Mrazi- good point, that makes sense. (no sarcasm there, you’re right.)
I think the Golden Globes is where celebrities get insulted.
The Oscars is where they generally go soft.
The only year I can really remember a celebrity being mocked was that one year where Jude Law got mocked… by Chris Rock. To be honest, I did laugh though. But I don’t think they go in that hard on celebrities at the Oscars. What I remember from most shows is Billy Crystal singing a lot.
Where is Chris Rock’s apology to Jada, you ask? You can’t find what doesn’t exist. After what he did in 2016, no way his actions on Sunday night were not premeditated. I really, really, really wish that Will had not played into his hands. But for all the people who think that it exposed Will’s true colours, from where I sit, I’m seeing more of Chris Rock’s true nature than I ever wanted.
I’m sorry, but … when I heard/read here what happened, I thought Will was standing next to Rock at that moment and snapped.
When I saw what actually happened I was COMPLETELY shocked. And I don’t care about Oscars or any of it. While I do understand how awful it must have been for Jada for being insulted that way – actually, I can’t understand it because I have never been in her position, I have to be mindful of that – I can really say that watching the incident KNOWING what I’m going to watch made me sick. I can’t imagine what it must have been like for them there, and I do believe everyone has their own right to feel bad about this whole situation.
These celebrities are milking this incident for all its worth. Do any of the live in the real world ? September 11th. The January 6th coup, George Floyd’s murder , Charlottesville those were honestly traumatic things to witness and experience. this was a dispute between two grown men that’s it . I have seen worse fights breakout on public transportation. Hell Wanda Sykes was in attendance when Roman Polansky was awarded and Oscar was she traumatized than ? Brad Pitt has credible allegation of both spousal and child abuse nary a criticism he has been celebrated in Hollywood.
I totally agree. I actually said, “Oh please!” out loud when I read this headline. Traumatized? Com’on, Wanda, let’s be real here. The incident was upsetting and more than a little awkward but it’s not gonna give you PTSD for the rest of your life.
I’m so disgusted with all of these women. If this triggered a trauma response, the proper thing to do was seek support and treatment, not run their mouths to the tabloids or on talk shows to eke out 15 more minutes of fame. If a stranger on TV slapping another stranger on TV causes a physical, visceral response, the person who is triggered needs to haul themselves into treatment, stat.
Thank you. I am just over these celebs. I think they all are still reeling with the fact that most of us don’t care about them or their movies anymore. This Oscars was the least watched based on articles I am reading about. That show was terrible and so were the jokes.
THANK YOU. I saw a take that *literally* likened the incident to 9/11. …People have lost their minds.
To all these people saying this was the most traumatic and triggering thing they’ve ever seen, go watch the 10 minute George Floyd video and get back to me. That was traumatic and triggering. That gave me nightmares and sickened me. A man getting slapped isn’t it.
What all these comedians are afraid of is their easy shtick of degrading black women, other women, transsexuals, minorities, the disabled causing them to face consequences. If people get sick and tired of their schtick, will they too be attacked for just trying to be funny.
Please edit your comment and remove the word “transsexuals”, it’s outdated and hateful. Thanks.
She wrote all that and that’s your only take. Ok
Sorry, KirkCousinsMom. Didn’t mean to offend. Too late to edit.
No? It’s not my only take away, I agreed with everything she said, but sometimes people don’t know that the word is outdated and I just wanted to point it out.
It’s not like I was mean to her or anything.
Maybe the reason 2 hosts now, I dont know if Regina has made any statement, have said they feel traumatized its cause for all they knew, he could have snapped at one of their jokes about the Smiths.
Will should have been escorted out. They really isn’t any excuse the Academy can make to justify why they did not remove him.
I would like comedians though to acknowledge that 90% of why they are traumatized and shocked is because they punch down regularly. They want apologies and contrition because they want to feel it’s safe to verbally abuse people with no consequences as long as it’s under the guise of humor.
I wholeheartedly agree. It’s mostly comedians that are shook because they know they say ill sh!T about people/celebrities all of the time. They want to know they’re not going to get slapped. Roxanne Gay has an excellent essay about how we shouldn’t all be expected to toughen up or learn to take a joke.
Right and if the only you can get a joke off is by punching down then you need to get better at your job.
Exactly. Most of them are not funny because most of their act is making fun of men/women around them. The comedy clubs having up signs about first amendment rights are just showing me a lot about people this week and none of it is good.
Here me out- is it possible that the comedy at the expense of the celebrities at these award shows is to lessen the absurdity of it all- that these millionaires are showered with more gifts and money while the rest of us watch at home trying to make ends meet? Is it possible that the awards shows LIKE the fact that celebrities are poked fun at so that we, the audience, will watch and laugh and tune in? Have a ceremony with jokes directed at the celebs off limits and see how ratings do.
If she’s mad at Will because she was the host. Then wasn’t it her responsibility to ask him to leave after the slap? Wouldn’t that be the hosts job? It was the Academies responsibility. She was just the hired help. I know during the awards they talk about all the things the Academy does. Like preserving old films and stuff. But really. Is the Academy needed. The different companies like Sony and Warner Bros. will still keep making movies whether there are awards or not. And people will still want to act. With or without awards. So why is there still an academy? Same with the Golden Globes. They are just an excuse to throw a big party for these really wealthy people. Let them die out.
The word traumatized is being thrown around way too fast and loose for me. Real trauma victims exist and can hear these people whining, and that pisses me off. The manufactured drama over this whole thing just nauseating. I still like Will and Chris both, this is now between them, and the academy. We don’t need any more commentary from your neighbors dog’s cousin’s friend about it.
Exactly!
The Academy should also just stop commenting on it. Let us know they are handling it between Will and Chris. If anything, Will just increased their value, so they should thank him when next year’s slots open for commercial ad sales.
Otherwise, I’m tired of this story.
@Lemons: “If anything, Will just increased their commercial ad sales value…”
^^ Exactly! 100% @Lemons. LOL! That’s sadly true with all the over-attention and energy people, who weren’t even watching the Oscars this year, are giving to this incident.
Better than just thanking Will Smith for ad sales possibly going through the roof next year, maybe they should punish Will by asking him to host next year. He’d probably do a better hosting job than most of the lame hosts this dinosaur awards show has offered up over the years. Especially since the best Oscar MCs of all time, Johnny Carson and Bob Hope, aren’t around anymore. The third best Oscar host of all time, Billy Crystal, is tired of doing all that hard hosting work, yet never being nominated. LOL!
“The word traumatized is being thrown around way too fast and loose for me.” Bingo.
How about shocked, startled, dismayed, bewildered, confused, agape, angry, upset, nervous, jumpy, worried, intimidated? Thought these folks were experts at portraying broad range of emotions, yet they’re all “traumatized?”
Kinda reminds me of time actor (Sophia Loren?) talked about acting classes and coach, saying they were taught to produce the same wide-eyed open-mouthed face for every emotion – excited, happy, joyful, horror, scared, worried.
Bullying is being thrown around too much too. Narcissist is another one that gets circulated a lot as a buzzword.
The thing is though, is it up to us to dictate what upsets someone else? No more trigger warnings on posts about domestic violence, eating disorders, or sexual violence because there is a war going on in Ukraine and 9/11 happened so whatever you’re going through isn’t real trauma.
There’s also a bit of insincerity coming off in a lot of these posts. How many people rip on Prince William and make up names for him with “bald” involved. I understand that it doesn’t have the misogynoir angle that this situation does, but most people are stating that they think jokes about physical appearance that is out of the persons control are considered bullying. But sooo many of us make comments like that on this board. Appearance is picked apart regularly and sometimes in a pretty cruel way.
And if it’s wrong for anyone to feel trauma over seeing Will leave his seat, briskly head to the stage to put his hands on someone… then why is it okay for Will to act the way he did? Why is it okay for him to be traumatized by words lobbed at someone else to the point where he had to go slap them. I don’t know what Wanda’s life has been like. I don’t know what kind of things she’s witnessed. Maybe this was traumatic in some way for her. I just find that if we are putting disclaimers on who is allowed to be upset by what… it’s a really weird can of worms to open.
Personally… I’d be upset if I saw this at my work. I’d be upset about the joke as well for sure, and that’d definitely be an HR report. But watching someone get angry and move into physical violence wouldn’t be a “meh, whatever” kind of situation either. We had someone get ragey at our office before and it WAS upsetting.
@Erinn: To some degree you’re definitely right, there is some insincerity. It won’t be long before many of the people being so supportive of Will Smith go right back to their usual brand of “Boys will be Boys/ LOL, pls don’t be spoiled crazy crybabies about misogyny and verbal violence when u put yourselves out there” bs. I guess now whenever people start that up, whether it’s over the women’s words, tone, or the way they present themselves, we can tell the gaslighting nasties, “Calm down. It’s actually not a bitch slap.”
At this point I’m quoting Porsha “y’all need some gum…some lip gloss? Y’all’s mouth getting dry from talking about the same thing?”
War, poverty, and disease are sickening. A dude smacking another dude over a joke doesn’t even come close.
Wanda may get to “feel how she feels” as said above. But this is overblown rhetoric and irresponsible and should never have come out anyone’s mouth.
What shouldn’t have come out of anyone’s mouth?
Yes, there are always going to be those things. It doesn’t mean that you can’t have feelings about something else.
Violence is sickening.
Hosting is not an easy gig at all, you’re not going it impress 50% of the people no matter what so I imagine all 3 were nervous to an extent to begin with. The show was shambolic but I thought the 3 hosts did a good job and there was a fun energy to it overall. All the energy got sucked out of the room after the slap, that was an insane thing to witness and I was just sitting at home. I can imagine for the 3 women that beared the responsibility to put on a good show were left shook by the incident and still had to carry on had feelings about it and why can’t they? Yes the word traumatizing is a dramatic word to choose but I assumed Amy and Wanda used it because the “comedian community” goes up on stage and the idea of someone getting up and slapping someone because of a very bad joke unsettling to them
@Nat: “… the idea of someone getting up and slapping someone because of a very bad joke unsettling to them.”
^^ Of all comics, Kathy Griffin is apparently ‘unsettled’ about the same possibility. ROFL!
Please @Nat, Will Smith did not get up and slap Chris Rock because he told ‘a very bad joke.’ Let’s be honest that the incident was triggered by more than Chris telling a so-called ‘joke.’ It’s about the years of shading and verbal abuse by Chris Rock against Jada and Will. It’s not about a mere ‘joke.’
Physically ill and traumatized?? Ok girl. We’re on day 4 of the pearl clutching, everyone needs to get a grip.
I’m waiting for the class action lawsuit.
“Were you traumatized by the 2022 Oscar’s? If so you may be eligible for…”
This is going too far. It was shocking and perhaps upsetting for viewers, but traumatizing? okay.
^^ Yep @Bosandi. I’m having such frightening nightmares over the ‘slap heard around the world.’ I’m too afraid of even going to sleep at night. ROFL! 😛
I got news for people: Being traumatized is something that’s slippery and stealthy, which humans mostly don’t even know that’s happening to them in-the-moment. It manifests slowly over time.
I can believe that many people in the theater were shocked and horrified in real time, but they probably shook it off soon enough, because tempers did not escalate. The mood was unsettled for awhile, but Denzel and Tyler stepping in to talk to Will was a comforting signal apparently.
Rather than being ‘traumatized,’ many sideline observers were ‘entertained,’ judging by the numbers of viewers who have watched clips of the incident circulating on the Internet.
The show must go on.
Smith has slapped people before. He has a track record. He’s Hollywood royalty and folks have decided this is ok.
This isn’t even a little bit true. Some man who was known for crashing red carpets came up to him and tried to kiss him, i.e assault Smith and he slapped him.
This. People keep bringing that situation up like it proves something. As if they would never, ever consider slapping or punching a stranger for touching or trying to kiss them without consent.
Why don’t people see unwanted kissing as assault?
She has a tour coming up, like starting next week. Not excusing Will but was everyone traumatized when Alec Baldwin shot that woman on his set.
👏
Hopefully Chris Rock will apologize for his problematic behavior too, not just for focus being pulled. Imagine if Wanda Sykes did this though. Women and girls, especially in communities of color, experience and witness gender-based verbal violence all the time and have to be much more careful than this male celebrity in reacting to it.
Otaku Fairy true indeed
I CANNOT with this anymore. It was a slap! I saw worse fights in middle school. And there’s actual traumatic things going on everyday…just turn on the news. I hope we’re done with think pieces & celeb commentary on this.
Then don’t read these articles or comment – no once is forcing you to. The reason we all come on these sites is to espace serious real life stuff.
Plus key word you said was in middle school, it’s always shocking to see 50 plus years behave like teens.
I check this site everyday. If there is a story I don’t want to read, I don’t. I’m referring to celebrities commenting on something dramatically that happened days ago. No need for your snark.
^^ + 1 @MellyMel. I agree with your observations.
To the people saying “well what about the war in Ukraine, Wanda?!?” Guys. Cmon. False equivalence much? She was a host in charge of helping the night run smoothly. She’s absolutely entitled to feel sick about what happened, and that doesn’t mean she’s not also upset about bigger world issues.
I would also feel sick if someone I admired at my workplace slapped somebody, and in doing so overshadowed their accomplishments as well as all the other winners’ accomplishments that night. It’s not pearl clutching. This is a valid incident to feel upset about.
^^ I can see people who were there, and people who know both participants professionally continuing to feel upset and unsettled. But most other viewers possibly are projecting or are emotionally triggered due to incidents in their own lives.
Maybe it’s time to move on and focus on more relevant personal and serious global concerns. Or, if the need to continue talking about it exists, then the discussion should be elevated to a different level of trying to learn something that might be beneficial to all of us. Otherwise, a lot of the exclamations are just about people getting on high-horses and over-focusing on being outraged.
As a Black woman, isn’t her opinion valid? She was actually there. But, since we don’t ‘like’ her take on it, it’s okay to be dismissive of her and her feelings?
For me, she was there working and she could be thinking: Oh shit! What if that were me instead of Rock????? One does not expect to be slapped (assaulted – yes it was an assault by legal terms) at the Oscars – so what if a man or woman just walked up and hot her for a joke? I think this is where she is coming from.
Yep.She is allowed to have an opinion just like we all do. And if I learnt one thing this week it is that I may be a black woman but do not share every black woman’s opinion. Not all women with alopecia had the same thoughts. Nor did all comedians or victims of abuse. Nobody’s card needs to get revoked.
“Nobody’s card needs to get revoked.” I may not fully agree with her take, but this. So much this.
I agree, she’s allowed to feel how she feels and I’m sure it was traumatic for her to have her friend assaulted on stage by someone who didn’t like a bad joke. As a comedian, I’m sure that has to be a fear- that someone would come on stage and attack you over your set. It’s pretty clear that there was no protection for Chris Rock. I don’t understand the downplaying, he was assaulted on stage in front of millions of people. I was horrified at home in my bed and I don’t know any of these people, she’s allowed to be traumatized.
Totally agree. And as someone who grew up with and witnessed a lot of violence, yes, watching someone attack someone can be traumatizing.
So agree. She’s entitled to her view (as we all are here). Violence in any form is triggering for many of us. I was sitting at home, miles away in front of the TV and I felt physically sick (and that’s when I thought the slap was staged).
Whats up with the downplaying? Why is it so hard to accept people criticizing will and jada? They have some special status I am not aware of?
This. Will will get some sort of suspension from Academy committees and functions. The producers will review whether roasting celebs is still a fit for their anachronistic show. Jada has all the platform in the world to express herself. And they will go on and all do business as normal.
Comedians will always support each other and stick together. In general they complain about cancel culture and free speech these days. She is worried the same thing can happen to any comedian that performs on stage. Can’t imagine what it was like to actually be there and see it live. So unfortunate.
“I think it’s starting to get really melodramatic to hear about how people were “traumatized” by seeing a grown man slap the taste out of another grown man’s mouth.”
Are you the judge of what constitutes trauma? For individuals who have been witness to, and been victims of physical violence, seeing a grown man slap another man across the face may have been traumatic. Why are you minimizing their reactions and making excuses for Will Smith?
+1000
+1000
1000% and weren’t these same people claiming that if you aren’t black, then your opinion shouldn’t be shared? Well, a Black queer woman is sharing her opinion and all of a sudden, it is unacceptable.
+1000 from a proud Black woman.
There was the slap, and then there were the F-bombs. Kids are sent home from school for less.
I understand this issue with Will slapping Chris Rock was very problematic, but “triggering”??? Really?? I have seen many other such reactions said on Twitter, and it blows my mind!
Be a witness to the George Floyd murder, be a survivor of the Columbine shooting, be a survivor of one of the twin towers on 9/11, be one of the police officers who defended the Capital building on Jan. 6th who got beaten by the domestic terrorists who were trying to break into the building. THOSE people have PTSD and are triggered. You mean to tell me you are triggered by seeing two actors get into a slap flight at the Oscars? What the hell?
Feel how you are going to feel I guess, by why everyone is making this about THEM! Yikes!
No argument here, there wasn’t enough violence to even qualify as a hockey game. And yes, your list of seriously traumatizing events are far more important, far more devastating, it’s not even close.
I enjoyed hearing Wanda’s discussion with Ellen, it was from one stand-up to another, from one Oscar host to another. Wanda is talented and she worked as a writer for Chris, way way back when, was that her first big break? Maybe. For her, this was family. For her this was a career high to host the Oscars. No judgment here.
I love Wanda, but I really wish celebrities would stop throwing around the word traumatized like it’s a substitute for upsetting. What happened was distressing for some, I’m sure, but nobody is getting PTSD from two men beefing on live TV. It doesn’t need to be overanalyzed. Two inflated egos used their privilege as wealthy, socially powerful men to be dramatic on tv. It’s as simple as that.
I think Will should seek counseling.
Chris should publicly apologize to Jada and do some charity work with Alopecia organizations.
The academy needs written protocols and procedures to prevent and deal with a situation like this.
IMO if there is a joke made at someone’s expense at the Oscar’s then that joke should be run by the individual first.
I agree, Eggbert. Especially with your first statement. Will’s defence, as stated in his acceptance speech 1/2 an hour later was problematic. He needs help peeling back all the layers of what drove him to react as he did, and articulating them in a productive way.
I would be ecstatic too if Chris sought counselling as well. I would love for him to get to the bottom of why he keeps punching down on black women and packaging it as entertainment for the masses.
It’s traumatizing to me when I see a fellow lawyer stabbed, shot, or beaten at the courthouse by their client. I can see how it would be traumatizing for Wanda to see a fellow comedian be slapped by an audience member while performing scripted material.
I was punched in the face by an intimate partner. Yes I was triggered by the slap. Mostly my jaw hit the floor and I felt sorry for Jada for having to deal with an unnecessary joke about her appearance, sorry for Chris because nobody deserves to be hit, sorry for all the other winners who were overshadowed, sorry for any kids who were watching, and sorry for Will for losing his cool because that shit was just undignified and not grownup behavior.
People are truly dragging this on. 🙄
Oh weee so much pearl clutching. As if none of these people or anyone else has ever lost their cool. We have ALL lost our cool, we may not have slapped someone and it damn sure wasn’t on tv, but we’ve all lost it on someone….possibly for something seemingly innocuous. Everyone climb down from their high horse please. Contrition should/will be made to Chris from Will privately. And the Academy can dole out it’s punishment. If you were a parent and your children were watching, well that was a teachable moment, and a chance for you to…parent. I had to parent through the Janet Jackson super bowl incident. Kids aren’t made of wet paper, they’ll be ok. And let’s be real honest, 99.999% of people going to comedy shows are not all of a sudden going to start jumping on stage, attacking the comedian. Easy with that. It’s not going to become an epidemic, people aren’t paying for a show to then turn around and go to jail. Oy
^^ +1,000 @Mee! Bullseye! Or, maybe I should say ‘On Target,’ in order to avoid unintended violent imagery possibly impacting any pearl-clutchers among us. 😉
Well that’s her friend, who would want to see their friend or family get hit over a bad joke. I can see it.
To the people who think Wanda and others are over reacting and that the only true victim is Jada, please consider how you would feel if you watched a work colleague get assaulted while working and then you also still had to do your job as though everything was fine.
Well she, like Amy Schumer, was there. They seem to have had similar reactions. Not having been in their shoes, I won’t judge it. How they feel is how they feel.
^^ Sure, different people can experience different emotions. I can see hosts of the event being shook up, taken off guard and being taken out of their head-space for the rest of the show. But apparently, Wanda Sykes did not witness the incident in-person, as she was backstage, if I’m not mistaken.
For me being ‘traumatized’ is an entirely different feeling than being shocked and unsettled over someone unexpectedly slapping someone during an awards show. Chris Rock himself could more believably eventually feel ‘traumatized’ as he was the one who got slapped. But I doubt he’s going to experience any psychological trauma, since he was the one purposely meting out the verbal slam toward Jada, and not for the first time either. Chris is obviously able to get his emotions out through a lot of his comedy targeting other people.
Chris certainly experienced sharp physical discomfort from the slap, but he immediately shook it off and he didn’t miss a beat with his quips. He seemingly remained completely unfazed by what happened. It was Will who seemed more visibly upset. If Chris had in any way seemed in pain or unable to continue, then I can see those witnessing it being sickened and upset. The incident happened, and then it was over. Many of the aftermath reactions have been OTT.