Opinion: Chris Rock Is Owed More Than An Apology

To most, it would seem odd to write about one side of a story and then a few days later write an opposing view. Most would say you’re flip-flopping more than a politician. But that’s the beauty of being an empath and someone with an open mind, you can see both sides of the story. So when it comes to writing about the incident at the Oscars, it’s very easy for me to take a stance from both sides of the aisle. Looking back on that moment, despite being able to see why Will Smith got upset, it’s more important to understand that Chris Rock didn’t deserve the public embarrassment.

Now that the dust has settled and most people have got their opinion off their chest, what took place was way out of line. While Smith did defend his wife, he also crossed a line with a man who has been pretty low-key throughout his career. Right now, Chris Rock should be at the height of his career before this incident. He’s transitioned from being one hell of a comedian to a comedic actor and is going on to be taken a bit more serious as an actor overall. He’s gone from roles in The Longest Yard and Madagascar to holding his own with starring roles like Spiral and Fargo. But his role as an actor shouldn’t give him the right to joke about another man’s wife, right?

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Maybe not, but has Will Smith even seen the movie G.I. Jane with Demi Moore? Yes, the joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith’s hair could’ve rubbed him the wrong way, but it really shouldn’t have. G.I. Jane is a movie about a female satellite communications specialist for the Navy who enters SEAL training to prove the strength of women in military operations. In the movie, Demi Moore’s character goes through both physical and emotional hell to prove she’s just as capable and strong as any of the men in this program. Despite facing constant ridicule and criticisms, stands in the face of adversity and faces every challenge head-on.

Isn’t that a bit ironic? Yeah, maybe a hair joke might have been in poor taste. However, at face value, if Jada is struggling with her own things, being compared to G.I. Jane isn’t exactly the most terrible thing. If Will Smith wasn’t so quick to react and thought rationally about the situation, he wouldn’t have embarrassed himself or Chris Rock that night. Especially Chris Rock who, again, should be at the height of his already well-established career. Who should’ve been enjoying the honor of hosting one of the top award shows for his profession and all of that was stolen from him because of an overreaction.

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Its easy to sit here and have a knee-jerk reaction to celebrity fueds. Hell its just as easy to pick a side because we like someone over the other. At the end of the day, this should’ve never happened in the public eye, if at all. Emotions got the best of Will Smith and there might not be enough ways he can offer an apology. From a comedian standpoint, maybe Chris Rock can spin this as part of his next comedy special, but you can’t help but feel bad for a guy who has never seemed to have malicious intent. While he should feel proud for sticking up for his family, Will Smith should feel way more ashamed of his actions.