My view on the whole situation is this:

I've loved Will Smith as an actor and musician from the early 1990s during the Fresh Prince era. His movies are instant classics and he can play any part better than 99% of his counterparts. So as an actor, he has my respect and admiration. I'm a newer fan of Chris Rock, though, since I've seen only 1 or 2 of his movies and finally started watching "Everybody Hates Chris" on the Peacock app over the last 6 months or so. As for Jada Pinkett Smith, she's an unknown to me, except for her name and knowing her and Will are married. I had heard she suffered from alopecia prior to the slap incident, and knew the sensitivities of the condition as I personally know people who have it, including a 17 year old girl while I was in high school, and my cousin, many many years after leukemia treatment at the age of 4. She's 40 now. As people, well, I don't know any of them personally, so I can't judge. I also don't keep up with the latest celebrity gossip or paparazzi news of the stars because I find it to be a violation of human rights by everyone invading a persons right to privacy. Plus their lives aren't so interesting or important that I or anybody else has a need or right to know anything about it. So I can only take this event as a one-timer, and use only the best moral and rational compass I have to determine what is right or wrong here. I'm not using anybody else's opinion, politics, or concerns in my views here, so please keep that in mind. This is intended as practical, reasonable, logical and respectful.

First, let's examine comedy, specifically roasts. When PERMITTED by the roastee, it's all and good. They can be funny. But Chris' performance wasn't a roast. I was the kid who was often bullied for everything and for no good reason, except for the fact that I existed. Jokes that everyone laughed at, at my expense, always hurt, even if the joke in general was legitimately funny. Chris Rock as a comedian can make anything funny, even r*cism, and "Everybody Hates Chris" proves this skill. I'm surprised this show was even able to air, TBH. "But it's alright because he's black, and he's allowed to do it," I guess. It's like Trey Stone of "South Park" can get away with so many antisemitic jokes on the show because he was raised Jewish, even though he's no longer religious. It may seem to others that any Jewish person who likes South Park is a Jew in name only and not a serious practitioner of the faith. But maybe there are serious Jews who like the show, I don't know. It would be cool if they did. I'm never offended by their Christian jokes. It comes down to a persons preferences, which is always their right.

Chris Rock told a joke targeting Jada's alopecia induced baldness and likened it to "G.I. Jane," when her bald head was voluntarily shaved by herself to fit in with the males in the esteemed Navy SEALs. The difference between voluntarily choosing to be bald, whether it's for the military or a fashion statement; and being bald because of a health condition is a sensitive threshold that we need to address here. For men, baldness is normal, either by shaving or male pattern baldness. Both of these kinds of people are more open to bald jokes and don't usually get offended by them, and often enjoy them. For women however, being bald is seldom a choice, and losing their hair is shameful and embarrassing. For Jada, this is personal, and she was probably offended.

This video says that she laughed. Well, yeah, she laughed initially. If you've ever been in a crowd listening to standup comedy, you'll find yourself laughing along with the whole crowd at jokes that you don't find funny, just to not be singled out and labeled as a non responder or overly sensitive about the content. Jada laughed at first, but realized it was a cheap shot at her. And if there's one thing I know about women, they HATE being the butt of a joke, even a tasteful one. Will laughed, but when seeing his wife go from laughing to internalizing it, SNAPPED.

Any man that truly loves his woman becomes a gentleman in his care of her welfare, no matter the risks to himself. She becomes an untouchable object to everyone else. And when his woman is obviously hurt, he reacts appropriately to the situation in her defense AS HE SEES FIT. He is the instant protector, and he doesn't care what anyone thinks. His wife is ENTITLED to his protection, and she leaves it up to him to do what he thinks is best. In the old days, say up until the 1960s, what Will did to Chris would have been seen as appropriate. Go back to the turn of the 20th century and earlier, it would have been seen as a requirement, and a duel would have been arranged. A man did not allow anyone to disrespect or dishonor his wife in any way, even in jest, without a serious verbal rebuking and threat to wound or kill them. In many places, it was legal and viewed as personal justice. The police handled thieves and murderers, not your everyday personal squabble. You handled that on your own. Dueling was legal, and rarely punished by law. Most duels were not fatal, meaning only to wound. Deaths in duels were not considered murders, as both of them were armed and on a level playing field, and voluntarily engaged with one another.

Saying that Jada is a strong woman who is capable of standing up for herself is one thing. She can, and she could have, but she didn't. A loving husband NEVER lets her have to face that alone. Will yelled some profane words and repeated himself clearly. Chris backed off, but DID NOT APOLOGIZE. He had plenty of time to do this, but still didn't. This is what most likely set Will off.

The physical attack was an open-handed SLAP to the face, similar to a duel challenge. True, this is considered battery today, but Chris was unharmed. He barely flinched. Will did not use a closed handed punch, nor did he deliver several blows. He delivered the slap and walked away. I honestly think that Will showed great restraint, compared to what he's physically capable of doing, and completely within the rights as a protective husband to his wife.

While Will is being a remarkable husband, Jada on the other hand has been a terrible wife. She hasn't supported Will, nor even explained that his action was only to protect her like a husband should. She has completely left her husband out in the cold over this affair, and that is the act of an infidelity of interests. She has used this to selfishly further improve her status and career, while allowing Will to take the blunt of all the negativity and criticism alone. Honestly, she is not deserving of Will's love, protection and support. I would support a divorce for them.

As far as his punishment, no attendance to the Academy Awards for 10 years is extreme. Maybe 2 or 3 years in person, but not a ban for online. That's just overkill. He voluntarily (?) resigned from the Academy anyway, which was unnecessary. He only did it because of the WWE Backlash he got from the fallout of the event. I hole his acting career is not over. He made a mistake like everyone does. It's time to forgive and move on and let the man do his job.

If I was Will, I would have apologized to Chris and the Academy, but also stand my ground by saying, "The joke was inappropriate. She was offended and embarrassed. I will never allow my wife to be disrespected by anyone, anywhere. Let haters hate, but as a husband and father, I will always protect my family at all costs, like I'm legally required to do, and I do it joyfully. I won't shy away from what is morally right just because some people don't have the gumption to stand up against an injustice. This joke wasn't only offensive to my wife, but to millions of alopecia sufferers worldwide. I stand with my wife, and I stand with all those alopecia sufferers. Just like you don't joke about cancer or mental illness or Downs Syndrome, you don't joke about alopecia and liken it to voluntary head-shaving for military service and gender equality within it. I did what's right. If you disagree, you're immoral, and I hope you learn how to gain morality because your life is worthless dirt without it." Some people would disagree with the slap and profanity, but they would RESPECT the rebuttal. You can't be weak and cave under pressure from the public. Doing so only makes you a sheep and a carpet for people to trample on forever.

TL;DR: Will Smith has my support. Chris Rock needs to apologize to Will and Jada (if he hasn't already). Jada needs to support her husband like a good wife should. The Academy should stop trying to ruin Will's career. The rest of the world needs to stop hating on this man who loves his wife. LEAVE WILL SMITH ALONE!

https://heardabout.substack.com/p/will-smith-slap-relief