Nearly a week after Will Smith’s infamous slap of Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars, the ordeal is still the talk of the town. While on stage to present the award for Best Documentary, Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, asking if she’ll star in a sequel to G.I. Jane. Pinkett Smith didn’t find it humorous, and Smith reacted with the smack, followed by a verbal warning to keep his wife’s name out of his mouth. Immediately following, Questlove’s documentary Summer of Soul was announced as the winning film in its nominated category. But producer Joseph Patel said in a now-deleted tweet that Smith’s actions “robbed” him and his team of their moment. Per The Jasmine Brand, he tweeted, “It robbed the category of its moment. It robbed the other excellent and amazing films of their moment to be acknowledged in what was a STRONG year for docs.”
Patel was also offended by Rock’s jokes. He is of South Asian descent and took offense to Rock announcing the winning team as Ahmir Thompson (Questlove) “and four white guys.” “Chris Rock lumped me in as 1 of ‘4 white guys,’” he said. “The reason that makes me SO SO VERY ANGRY is because I was so proud to be one of a handful of South Asians to have ever won an Oscar in the history of the award. I’m a big boy — I can take a joke. Comedians make jokes. But not in that moment. What a shitty, disrespectful thing to do. What both Will AND Chris did really stained what should have been a beautiful moment for us.”
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Since the whole debacle, Smith has issued an apology, saying that violence is not okay and he was triggered emotionally due to his wife suffering from a medical condition, alopecia, which causes hair loss. He says he’s a work in progress.
The academy has since opened up an official investigation, alleging they asked Smith to leave in the immediate aftermath, which they claim he refused. Smith’s camp denies such. Smith’s consequences have yet to be determined.
