Jada, I love you, can't wait to see you in GI Jane II.

She gave him a look. And then it was, "Uh oh, I'll be in the doghouse unless I do something."

Their marriage is really, really Hollywood weird/crazy stuff. Which people mostly ignored on background, but now won't. So nice job there, Will.

News network got a relief from covering depressing real news, I can only laugh at this whole incident in comparison to real problems

But it's a nice change of pace for a moment. It's some high drama.

It was really funny. My gym has seven TVs spread across the front of the cardio area. As I did my thing this morning, six of the seven were showing the Smith stuff.

It was beautiful.

News network got a relief from covering depressing real news, I can only laugh at this whole incident in comparison to real problems. Reminds me of Janet Jackson dress malfunction, claimed as obscenity and borderline pornography by rwnjs.

I knew some of it, just from inescapable pop culture osmosis.

I had not, however, heard about the stuff with Jaden's friend. Well, now a lot more people have.

despite her own discomfort. It is an autoimmune condition over which she has little control.

Her short haircut is to make it less obvious. Just as with Congresswoman Aryanna Pressley who shares the same diagnosis. Are you going to make fun of her too?




Do I think Rock intentionally went after her with knowledge of her condition? No. It was a joke gone quite bad from a clueless person that started an escalating storm of emotional responses and with a lot of unfortunate aftermath.

Suggestions that I should grow my hair and what bathroom I should be in - which is most infuriating.

Fuck your ignorant, insensitive comment.

Mean everyone knew about it. Many are just learning that she has this disorder from this incident. I always thought she and her family just cut their hair short. Grandma, Jada, and Willow all sport short/ no hair. Many of us thought it was just their thing. Take my family, for instance, the women all have long thick hair but when they reach a certain age, they cannot be bothered with the maintenance and they all cut their hair short to bald. All my aunts have short to no hair, not one has alopecia. It's their choice. One that I don't understand but maybe one day I'll join them because maintaining my natural hair can be a challenge lol.

If it was meant to be an insult or some kind of "roast", there are plenty of offensive references he could have come up with. Like "Freaks" or something.

It honestly could just as easily been seen as words of encouragement. Don't worry girl, I love you, there are roles out there for you even if you're bald. I mean, I get why people would be insulted too, but this wasn't something way over the line of decency.

Not.

She has alopecia areata and has frequently spoken about it despite her own discomfort. It is an autoimmune condition over which she has little control. For someone whose appearance is foremost in her professional acting career it hardly takes much to realize why she might be sensitive. despite her repeated candor talking about it.

Her short haircut is to make it less obvious. Just as with Congresswoman Aryanna Pressley who shares the same diagnosis. Are you going to make fun of her too?




Do I think Rock intentionally went after her with knowledge of her condition? No. It was a joke gone quite bad from a clueless person that started an escalating storm of emotional responses and with a lot of unfortunate aftermath.

If she found the reference to be insulting and she wants to express her feelings about it, she can and should do that. She hasn't yet. The only reaction has been her husband responding with physical violence and lots of other people opining on it.

It is unbelievably insensitive and yes, arrogant to do so. Did you likewise defend Trump's jokes at the expense of the disabled? I'd imagine so, since you have no conception of what it is like to be belittled for health conditions beyond one's control

How arrogant of you. You've decided you know what she thinks when she has yet to say anything. I, however, think she should express her feelings for herself. That's the opposite of deciding for her. Her husband apparently believes she is incapable of defending herself. The guy seems like a misogynist asshole.

Ultimately, nobody has the right to physically assault anyone because they were offended on someone else's behalf. If I punched someone I'd be in jail. When you're rich and famous, the rules don't apply. Yet again.

since you have no conception of what it is like to be belittled for health conditions beyond one's control

Nice assumption.

Also, nobody was belittled.

So, keep on with this and show the world who you are. Your attitude is petty and misogynistic and disrespectful to women and those suffering medical issues.

I think she can and should speak for herself. You deign to assume what she’s thinking and have no problem putting your own thoughts and feelings in her mouth. Not a good look.

No one is buying it, but I guess it works for some of our most aggressive adversaries, so why not try...

Or would have referred to her as the eight ball beside Will Smith. Or he would have shielded his eyes and said I can't read the teleprompter because of the glare off Jada's head.

Is it really that big of a deal to have least 4 DU threads that you've started today?

This issue is showing us who some posters really are.

It's up to her husband.

She's a strong woman. AND she's a mother. Zero doubt in my mind she couldn't have handled that shit with nothing more than a look. And it would've been more effective.

However you feel about the slap, it was super-effective.

I only said that the intent was to shut up Rock, and it did. So it was effective. Doesn't mean it was nice.

Like other threads have alluded to, Will Smith was probably still sore over jokes from earlier in the show.

"Jada, I love you, can't wait to see you in GI Jane II" Could be seen as an insult or encouragement even, big whoop, act like an adult and keep control of yourself.

the entire point and merely shows that on this issue, I'm afraid you are uninformed to the point of extreme insensitivity. Please educate yourself.

It was a joke that went bad and a spouse's overly and inappropriately protective instinctive reaction to seeing someone devastated by sensitivity over a medical condition-- for which they have bravely spoken and have no control. Appearance has meaning beyond the superficial when one's identity and profession depend on them. So, sensitivity to being the brunt of jokes over issues beyond one's control is hardly unexpected. Yet, it is possible that despite Pinkett-Smith's repeated public candor on the cause of her hair loss had not found its way to Rock's consciousness---just as it apparently hasn't with you.

That said, there were other aspects to Will Smith's reaction to Rock's joke (and Jada's) that he started to touch on in his Oscar acceptance speech that enter into the unfortunate escalation on stage. Nothing is so simple as we might like to make it. In this case, a perfect emotional storm culminated in an unfortunate act--one which I'd bet all sides will regret for some time to come. I'm appreciative of people like Denzel Washington who were able to step in to de-escalate the situation. It was unfortunate all the way around, but an emotional night for many.

... spouses reaction to it that got him upset then he acted IMMATURELY with emotion.

There was nothing protective about that outside of petulant privilege.

I agree with Howard Stern, these attitudes is what brings the Weinstein's and Trump; Privilege people in the US fuck up and break the law and there are GOOP GOBS of people who don't think they should be LAWFULLY punished because [enter whatever].

If Jada had kept laughing he would have kept laughing.

You are being condescending as hell and I'm not having it. Disagree as you wish, but don't tell others what to do or think. DONE!

... dispute

when Rock interjected the comment about Pickett Smith. It took a few seconds for Smith to react. You CLEARLY have not seen the full video of the entire episode, including the 2-3 minutes BEFORE Rock's Pinkett-Smith joke. But, believe what you will.

The inability to understand why this calling out of Pinkett Smith's bald appearance secondary to alopecia areata as a joke is so damned wrong yet seems to be a gender-linked issue here on DU. It is appalling. Educate yourself. And, no, conflating the issue of the degrading joke with somehow defending a violent reaction is equally disingenuous and wrong, yet some here are doing so.

... jokes at around 22 seconds in to the below video.

People are twisting reality in knots here and on other forums trying to convince people Will Smith wasn't laughing at the joke about GI Jane ... one person is trying to proffer that Smith didn't know who GI Jane was !!!

Come on people

Your insensitivity toward a real and embarrassing personal medical condition in a black woman actor whose livelihood depends on her appearance goes beyond all acceptable bounds. DONE

... splaining" !?

Okay, if that helps you cope

Good gawd.

... 1. there was no pause between jokes CR was telling and 2. WS didn't think the joke was funny

He did

It's not as though it was just the lack of hair. But, that said, the joke missed the mark of good taste, and it is unfortunate how it played out.

But Chris has said much worse hurtful jokes about others so he had it coming. I don't like violence but he'll get over it, even though I was a little sad for him. And Will should have waited til they were backstage.

not very funny.

… said “Joe, I love you. I can’t wait to see you as the public defender in My Cousin Vinny II”?

Or if Tucker Carlson said that on his show tonight?

It was a shitty, cheap-shot joke. I cannot understand why people here don’t get that. Just because it didn’t deserve a smacking doesn’t mean it wasn’t a shitty thing to say. Smdh.

What I find amazing is the amount of people trying to make Rock look like an evil mastermind who knew Jada’s medical condition and was just waiting fir his moment to torture her.

Now maybe comedy that roasts people for their appearance isn’t funny…. But it has been a part of hollywood and comedy for fucking ever. Not like Will Smith hasn’t engaged in it as well. Listen to the opening song of his hit tv program back in the day.

But here’s the thing, Will Smiths reaction was so far over the line it is ridiculous. Just absolutely ridiculous. Watching what Chris said…. It wasn’t bad really at all in my opinion IF he didn’t know what the situation was.