Was Will Smiths slap a staged stunt?

[MachineJoe]

I didn't watch the Oscars live when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock but it was hard to miss as every news network carried it for the entire week. For me, I thought it was staged from the first time I saw it as there seemed to be no avoidance from Chris Rock. I don't know about anyone else but if I'm going into hit someone in the face I'm stepping into it and waiting for some sort of aggressive move or at the very least attitude back at me.

I just never bought the idea that it was real.

Fast forward to yesterday i stumbled across this article about how the Oscars were sponsored by big pharma companies  that are coming out with a new drug for alopecia areata which is what  Will Smiths wife has.

 

The short story

I'll be surprised if either of these links stay on the internet for very long

[TEWKS]

I doubted its reality after a few minutes of seeing it. Even slowing it down, it’s very hard to actually see hand contact. 
 

But, if it didn’t come out the next day that it was staged, Chris Rock just committed career suicide, also. 

Now saying that, Smith is seeking therapy and will be back bigger than ever. 

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

1 hour ago, MachineJoe said:

Fast forward to yesterday i stumbled across this article about how the Oscars were sponsored by big pharma companies  that are coming out with a new drug for alopecia areata which is what  Will Smiths wife has.

 

The short story

I'll be surprised if either of these links stay on the internet for very long

 

Your first link is put out by this guy, and you can safely ignore pretty much anything he says.

 

Smith and Rock would both have to be in on it.  Smith has also resigned his membership in the Academy, and two movies he was working on are now on hold.  How much money do you suppose Smith and Rock received to gain their complicity?

 

1 hour ago, MachineJoe said:

For me, I thought it was staged from the first time I saw it as there seemed to be no avoidance from Chris Rock.

 

I don't think anybody at home anticipated that Rock was about to be hit; there's no reason Rock would anticipate it either.  I would expect him to flinch if he did know it was coming.

 

1 hour ago, MachineJoe said:

I don't know about anyone else but if I'm going into hit someone in the face I'm stepping into it...

 

This was an open-handed slap, not a haymaker.  Smith wasn't trying to lay Rock out on the stage.  

[Lowndes]

The first reaction to recieving a slap in the face is to put your hand up to your face.  Chris Rock didn't.

[Hosstage]

The way Smith yelled from his seat after the assault told me it was not staged.

I think Rock was expecting a comedy action from Smith, or at best an up close F you, not a slap.

As mentioned, neither of them has even hinted that it was staged.

As far as Rock rubbing his jaw, I think he was trying to show it didn't hurt as much as it did. It seemed he was a bit disorientated at first and did his best to get back on track.

I don't think there is any way he would have staged this to ruin the rest of the show for those there, for the people coming up to accept their award. Why would he? Why would Smith?

A classless act performed in front of millions.

[Lowndes]

Hosstage said, "Why would he? Why would Smith?"

 

Easy.  Publicity.  And it worked, in spades.

[John Ranalletta]

Reportedly, Smith first laughed at Rock's joke but took action after getting the stink eye from his wife.  Reminded me of the dog scene from "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood".

 

 

[Hosstage]

18 minutes ago, Lowndes said:

Hosstage said, "Why would he? Why would Smith?"

 

Easy.  Publicity.  And it worked, in spades.

 

Yes, but not good publicity.

Go pull a puppy from a burning house. Don't slap a well liked comedian that made a lame joke. And why would Rock go along with it? Don't say publicity, too easy an answer. He needed no sympathy for past transgressions, no boost to his career, no need to be part of some huge controversy within that business. There was nothing in it for him. Plus, you would think he would have had a much snappier come back ready if it was staged.

[Lowndes]

Well, he got all of us talking about him.

[Hosstage]

Rock didn't, Smith did.

[John Ranalletta]

13 minutes ago, Lowndes said:

Well, he got all of us talking about him.

We had just recently watched "King Richard".  Almost as if the character (over)extended in Smith's psyche.

[TEWKS]

31 minutes ago, Hosstage said:

 

Yes, but not good publicity.

Go pull a puppy from a burning house. Don't slap a well liked comedian that made a lame joke.

Yeah, It was almost as confusing (Smith) chuckling at the joke (then assaulting Rock) as it would have been to rescue that puppy and then, give it a slap in front of a news crew. 
 

Smith is a pussy, his wife (cheating wife) disapproved so he had to act. I’m pretty sure she has way too much control over his thought processes.

[TEWKS]

 

47 minutes ago, Lowndes said:

Well, he got all of us talking about him.

 

32 minutes ago, Hosstage said:

Rock didn't, Smith did.

Some are saying, Rock took that bitchslap like a man!  

[Lowndes]

And we're still talking about them both. 

 

I rest my case.

[TEWKS]

Really don’t feel bad for the dude (Smith) but he is being used and abused. 

 

[MachineJoe]

Banned ten years from attending the Oscars.    That's enough to convince me to change camps.

[Lowndes]

I haven't been to the Oscars in at least ten years myself.  No worries.

[Lowndes]

On 4/7/2022 at 11:39 AM, Hosstage said:

 

Yes, but not good publicity.

Go pull a puppy from a burning house. Don't slap a well liked comedian that made a lame joke. And why would Rock go along with it? Don't say publicity, too easy an answer. He needed no sympathy for past transgressions, no boost to his career, no need to be part of some huge controversy within that business. There was nothing in it for him. Plus, you would think he would have had a much snappier come back ready if it was staged.

Hey, Hoss!! 

 

You know the old saying, "ANY publicity...."

 

Maybe you are thinking way past where they got to, plus with the advantage of (20-20) hindsight.  I'd guess it went in a slightly different direction than they thought it would go.

 

And......we're still talking about them.  BOTH.  (I'm ok with that, btw)