EVERYONE was waiting for the punchline when Will Smith smacked Chris Rock at the recent Oscars. But the punchline was never delivered. There was none, to begin with. The horror of horrors… it wasn’t a skit. It was real.
Will Smith, the fifth African American in history to win an Oscar, had won the coveted title for his role as Richard Williams (Venus and Serena’s father) that evening. But the moment to remember wasn’t his speech nor the fact that he had won an award dominated by white males. He sealed his fame even before his hands had a chance to warm up his trophy – and not in a good way.
In a nutshell, host comedian Chris Rock had made a seemingly friendly joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s “GI Jane” -ish hair. This didn’t sit well with Will as his wife had alopecia, an autoimmune disorder. Thus, the historical slap that had managed to get on the headlines of broadsheets across the globe.
The incident has become fodder for memes, talks show topics and debates. But look closely and you’ll soon realize that there is something everyone can learn from.
- Being impulsive has its consequences. That single spontaneous act will have many repercussions. The message is: “violence” is acceptable. For now, it’s a slap. Tomorrow it could be a deadly punch. Things can escalate. As of this writing, the infamous slap clip has garnered 19 million views on one channel. Sadly for Smith, this lapse in judgment could outshine everything else in his career.
- No matter how cool you may seem, someone will catch you off-guard and push your buttons! It’s safe to say that Will Smith knew better than to lose his cool. But sometimes triggers can set off reactions and emotions too overwhelming to control. For Smith, it was the playful humor that felt like an attack on his wife.
- Cleaning up one’s mess as soon as possible can lessen the damage. Apologize and be sincere about it. When the dust settled, Will Smith knew what he was in for. So when he got his turn at the podium, apologies were directed to the Academy, his colleagues, and fans. Chris Rock didn’t get one but The Men-In-Black star knew what the public needed to hear. As with life and work, when a mistake has been made, someone will have to own up to it, ask for forgiveness, and make amends.
- You never know what someone is going through. While Jada Pinkett Smith had gone public about her condition, it isn’t safe to assume that she is ok being humored about it. What may seem traumatic to one isn’t traumatic for the other. What may seem “harmless” for one person may be distressing for another. It pays to be perceptive when it comes to culture and beliefs.
- When something awful hits the fan, you just get up and fast. Will Smith will have a lot of picking up to do. Chris Rock will have to rethink his sense of humor as well. When untoward incidents happen, the best course of action is to simply dust yourself off and move forward. Life won’t stop and give you a pity party. Those who condemn will eventually grow tired of it. And when the noise dies down, you simply have to rebuild.
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