Basketball icon Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has criticized actor Will Smith for slapping comedian Chris Rock on the Oscar stage in reaction to Rock’s joke about Smith’s wife’s hair.
Writing on Substack.com, Jabbar noted that Smith’s violent behavior not only showed a paternal attitude toward the defense of women but also strengthened stereotypes about the Black community.
“With a single petulant blow, he advocated violence, diminished women, insulted the entertainment industry, and perpetuated stereotypes about the Black community,” Jabbar wrote in his analysis of the episode that has put the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences under the spotlight for not doing enough to address the situation as it unfolded.
Smith, who won an Oscar ten minutes later, has since apologized to Rock, saying his reaction to the joke was “unacceptable.”
“Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally. I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.”
The actor has also resigned from the Academy, which said in a statement that soon after the live-streamed incident it had asked Smith to leave the ceremony but the actor refused to comply and stayed on.
The Academy has condemned Smith’s actions as violative of its rules of conduct and is exploring consequences for the King Richard’s actor that including suspension and sanctions.
Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith suffers from alopecia, a condition that causes hair loss. Cutting a joke Rock said Jada looked like actress Demi Moore in GI Jane, in which Moore had shaved her head.
But Jabbar says Smiths could have reacted politely to the joke.
“Instead, Smith felt the need to get up in front of his industry peers and millions of people around the world, hit another man, then return to his seat to bellow: “Keep my wife’s name out of your *ing mouth,” Jabbar wrote, noting Smith twice uttered those words.
This patronizing, paternal attitude infantilizes women and reduces them to helpless damsels needing a Big Strong Man to defend their honor lest they swoon from the vapors, the legendary actor, who once appeared with Smith in the popular Fresh Prince of Bel-Air 28 years ago.
Jabbar also worried that Smith’s action could be taken to reinforce the impression that Black people are prone to violence.
“The Black community also takes a direct hit from Smith. One of the main talking points from those supporting the systemic racism in America is characterizing Blacks as more prone to violence and less able to control their emotions. Smith just gave comfort to the enemy by providing them with the perfect optics they were dreaming of.”
Yet Jabbar said he would not like to see Smith ostracized of this big mistake.
“I don’t want to see him punished or ostracized because of this one, albeit a big one, mistake. I just want this to be a cautionary tale for others not to romanticize or glorify bad behavior. And I want Smith to be the man who really protects others—by admitting the harm he’s done to others.”
