Charles M. Blow on the meaning of "The Slap" 

Imagine watching the Oscars and being an involuntary witness to assault. Had Will Smith not been a celebrity, he would have been immediately escorted out. Chris Rock was abandoned on stage and Will Smith was comforted. This was not about a joke gone bad as much as an overt display of privilege, entitlement and double standards.

The way Will approached Chris with his head low so he wouldnt see it coming and then go back to his seat with a smirk...it’s disgusting AF. The privilege of the rich who think they can get away with anything and show kids you gotta be violent to get ‘respect’

Would Will Smith have slapped Wanda Sykes if she said the same thing? There where several comedians on stage that night.

Both Jada and Will need a slap upside their heads! 🤨😒😓

All Will Smith did was perpetuate the sterotype of ...."the angry black man"......he set his race back when he did this. I still don't think it was about a remark about his wife's hair it was something deeper. I think the two of them had some long standing issue from yrs. back.

Can we all appreciate that they upload consistently? 💕

Rock did not ridicule her hair loss condition, but nice attempt at a subtle but important distortion of what he actually said.

It exposed the Academy, for their lack of security at this event. No one should be able to rush the stage and assault another human being. Talk about liability, where was the security before and after "The Slap"!

Went in hating Chris Rock and liking Will Smith. Came out liking Chris Rock and hating Will Smith.

I applaud you - this was succinct and well stated 👏

Will Smith not only showed acts of violence on the Oscars stage, last night, he showed an act of disobedience towards himself, his personality as an actor/singer, and towards his family, as well as the Hollywood industry. His behavior shall not be tolerated anywhere.

this is heinous that he is being protected from the assault charges that he lawfully deserves. it is now written in stone that celebrity places one above the law and outside ethical reasoning

I love how he said, ".:.fragile egos..." (:52). Insightful; the world seemed to stop for this insignificant (in the scheme of the world) event.

Some food for thought: Would Will have slapped Regina Hall or Wanda Syckes for the same joke? Would you feel differently ... about the slap if the recipient had been a woman? ... if Jada herself had slapped Chris? ... if Jada herself had slapped Regina or Wanda for the same joke? ... if Will were white? ... if Chris were white? ... if both participants were white? I've seen so many takes on this situation that are predicated on the race or sex of the participants that it boggles the mind. The absolute hypocrisy of it all. If how you feel about the situation changes when the factors change, then you're a hypocrite and need to do some self reflection. One should only condone violence as self-defense and only as a last means. Period. And if you believe violence is okay in any other scenario, you're part of what's wrong with the world.

Whole event is sad beyond belief. Violence has destroyed proud black culture and proud black families in ways too many to count. And it hasn't stopped.

Can we please move on??

Will Smith has resigned from the Academy. And that is a solid first step. He also needs to seek treatment with a credentialed, board certified doctor/ therapist to address his impulsivity, anger/rage and self destructive behavior so he can be liberated from the toxic anguish he carries around within himself. This is historical emotional acting out that needs to be addressed, resolved and redirected so he can live the life he truly wants but does not know how to get. I wish him the very best in getting the help he deserves. Blessings, Will! ✨🌞✨

My take is all of that AND signaling front a wife and her months of public Toxic Feminity

If JPS ever wanted us not to focus on her hair loss her husband made sure we would. Now that's all people think about when you say her name.

Many journalists are referring to the slap as an attack. Words matter.

WS should not have been allowed to stay in that building afterwards. He should not have been allowed to give that ridiculous speech. And he should not have been allowed to strut about on the red carpet brandishing the Oscar like a weapon. WS did what he did, and certain people will try to excuse him however they can. But the Academy and the award producers were inexcusably derelict in their basic duties to defend their presenter. They need to make amends with more than a token gesture.

Nice piece but the greenscreened background images moving in weird ways was super distracting.

No! You don’t need to say anymore!! Too much attention has been given to it already.

God if I hear anything more about this I swear...it was an interesting moment but the world has endured many many more shattering events the last few years.

Didn't like Will before, still don't

Will Smith is simply a child and has never grown up

Great essay! Very balanced with explanation of different perspectives and your own conclusion 👏

The slap of 22

Well said

And this is what’s wrong with the world Mr Blow, In your opening statement you unfairly presented a scenario that painted Chris rock in an unfavorable light, by suggesting and assuming “ Chris rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith hair loss” And that sir is blatantly untrue. Chris rock made a comparison of Jada Pinkett Smith hairstyle to that of Demi Moore in the movie G.I. Jane. Chris Rock did not make fun of Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair loss. Chris Rock in fact complemented Jada Pinkett Smith. Demi Moore looked fabulous in G.I. Jane, strikingly beautiful with a shaved head, as does Ms. Smith . Thus far no one has provided evidence that Chris Rock even knows Jada Pinkett Smith has Alopecia. It doesn’t say alopecia on her forehead ! it’s entirely possible Chris Rock doesn’t watch episodes of the red table . I think the reaction of half the citizens is an expression of toxic masculinity. Especially sad for women who think violence is a demonstration of love and commitment for them, when In fact its an outward expression of violence, insecurity and immaturity. Such outbursts are only about the abuser not the so called ‘damsel in distress’. I think Will Smith behavior, while abhorrent, appears to me to be a signal that he personally is struggling emotionally, mentally. I hope he gets the help he needs and the consequences he deserves.

Amused that those, engaging in gratuitous and malicious cruelty for a cheap laugh, exhibit such a fragile and indignant outrage over their offenses. Does Chris Rock deserve protection for being a mediocre, insulting fool? Cannot imagine wasting $800-$1700 for a ticket to his stand-up performances, proclaiming his comedic genius. Pathetic!

Smith just set back fight against stereo typing of black men a generation or two.

A guy who made a film called "Good Hair" and a guy who thinks love makes you do crazy things...

Where are her bald patches from alopecia? People suffering from it ALL have them. SUS

I've often wondered how acting in one violent film after another after another affects actors who profess to be peaceful people.

Smith was in extremely bad form and has totally ruined his brand... tho' we'll see for how long.

Will Smith as Jackie Treehorn and Chris Rock as the Dude with The Academy Awards being the Sheriff in "The Big Slap".

Very well said.

What Will Smith did was wrong. It Chris's job to be offensive, thats just what comedians do to be unique and funny.

It was a joke for the love of God… no defense for Will Smith, he gets mad 😡 at a joke about his wife while they both sleep with other people.. that’s not love ❤️ that’s just pure evil 👿

What about bob sagetnot mentioned

Let's get Mick Mulvaney's take. 2 strikes.

Chris Rock didn't make a joke about her hair lose. He made a joke about her short hair cut. He didn't know Jada was losing her hair. He thought, she had a short hair cut like Tiffany Haddish.

Loved your perspective!

This is too rich to pass up. A prominent news show airs a piece openly questioning why a particular event has garnered so much news coverage. The lack of self-reflection is staggering.

JP Smith shaved her head. The hair didn't fall out.

Point taken but is his take on the standing ovation Mr. Smith received after the altercation- an apparent endorsement not just of his winning a deserved Oscar but also of his use of violence?

One should you tube Joan Rivers and Don Rickels if want to watch insult comedy 🤣

Words do NOT hurt more than violence. Be there, mouth pieces.

This isnt small. Its a reflection of society and human behavior. It represents the violent nature hidden inside us all. And the non reaction by the crowd says alot about us too. This is not small. Thats a huge huge deal

What Will did was wrong and it took me a few hours to process it and come to that conclusion because of how unbelievable it seemed at first. Chris’s joke to be honest was mild ribbing and I see nothing wrong with being recommended for GI Jane 2, since the first one was good with Demi Moore. At the same time, I believe #cancelculture is jumping on this with immediate lack of reasoning to cancel Will Smith for good. He is human and made a terrible mistake. Denzel Washington is now in the cross hairs of being canceled too because he providing support for Will. I am sorry what happened to Chris Rock, but it seems like the underbelly of this is like those in #cancelculture were eagerly waiting for this moment. I believe in redemption and we need to stop destroying one another. There is no excuse for what Will did, but at the same time to burn down a 30 year career that has impacted culture because of a huge 50 second error in judgement would make it seem like Regime invading a country and destroying it. Calm down people.

Right out of the gate, this reporter, wrongly, stated that Chris Rock made a joke about Jada's hair loss, as in Jada's alopecia condition. Chris was unaware of her condition, and he would have, with a great deal of certainty, NOT have joked about such a thing at her expense. Maybe this reporter should hit the reset button and do a piece that addresses/corrects this accordingly...

This hack continues to regurgitate marxist talking points. Your viewers deserve a fresh perspective, so why not enlighten them with the viewpoints of Damani Felder, Amala Ekpunobi, Jason Riley, and the great Thomas Sowell, to name a few...

Its another Distraction Almost 2 weeks and they are Still talking about It ...

#boycottwillsmith #boycottjadapinketsmith #arrestwillsmith These people are arrogant jerks! I’ll not be patronizing anything they are involved in

I see black people saying white people aren't allowed to talk about it. If that's the case quit talking about white people.

I used to think Smith was a good guy. But him doing this just makes me so disappointed in him.

I was with you until you used the phrase “toxic masculinity.” It had nothing to do with being masculine. Plenty of masculine men in that audience didn’t physically assault anyone that night.

Daaaaa slaaaaap

please just stop with this story.

Toxic masculinity???????......No

I wonder how things would have gone down if Jada got up and smacked Chris Rock. The joke was directed to her after all, would she be facing the same backlash that Will is facing or would the media social and otherwise be there saying good for her standing up to a cruel man delivering purposely and knowingly disparaging remarks. I believe they would be making her an even bigger feminist icon. What I saw was Will Smith's masculinity being exploited. Feeling pressure ( ie Eye Roll) from Jada to do "Something". Unfortunately, Will, felt he had to deliver a slap and response that Jada wanted to give. I never saw Jada getting up and trying to stop Will. I don't know what kind of relationship Will and Jada have at home but I know if I sat and laughed, like Will originally did at the joke, and let it go my wife would have ripped into me behind closed doors for not standing up for her honor. What is upsetting to me is when a man feels pressure to behave in a certain way by a woman and then when does its blamed on the culture of Man and toxic masculinity.

I’m still waiting for Chris to apologize. Good for Will protecting his woman. We needed this reminder that women need a man to protect them because they can’t protect themselves. Jada was wise to keep her mouth shut and let her man take care of it.

Why does it have to be one thing? Why not ALL OF THE ABOVE?

Will Smith was the Donald Trump of that night

If you have to make fun of other people you aren't that good of a comedian.

This was great. I found it because of Charles's openion piece: Abortion, Like Prohibition, Has a Clear Racial Dimension. I learned from his perspective. This video showed me even more.

it’s ok, because REASONS.

oh please, it is a harmless joke. she has a net worth of $50 MILLION. buy a wig and move on!

How many people know of her disease? Rock didn't. He saw a woman with a buzz cur a la Demi in GI Jane and made a funny reference. Smith way over reacted and so has the world. Smith apologized and that is that

I am no longer a fan of Will Smith.

The slap materialized out of two intertwined societal issues: Toxic masculinity and entitlement. Both were on display that night. The room was heaving with them. Many, many powerful men of all races filled the room. Many wealthy, powerful, entitled men filled that room on that night. This was the backdrop to Smith's rage. He felt a sense of ease with his toxic masculinity and his entitlement because the room was filled with them. He felt OK to act out in that setting. Because he thought he would be "understood." And he was. For a moment-when almost the entire auditorium got up during his speech; when Bradley Cooper embraced him warmly; when he partied with his trophy after the ceremony. For a moment, Smith felt safe surrounded by his fellow toxic, entitled, masculine men. But the safety net collapsed overnight, because the movie industry-in addition to being toxic and masculine-is also public image obsessed, and the second Smith's image came under fire, the net was gone. Poof. In his reliance on the support of his peers, Smith has learned only that he, too, had been bamboozled by Hollywood.

Will Smith is so dumb. He wasted all this on a very mild mannered joke. He should’ve waited for some thing that really needed defending.

Yes, all our options vary in how we think. Yet, how one feels isn't easy to comprehend when it doesn't agree with modern times. But this term / lable, " Male toxicity ", is just a way of trying to cause shame in stating that any man who isn't up to the " political correctness ", Should be thrown into the ravenous pit of The ( Woke / Me too ) movement's. Well, be careful for when A boy no longer believes that being A Man is neither relevant or important , then you have effectively destroyed the male culture. So, hooray. You've terminated a man's ability to be A man. By the actions of weaker people who think and believe that Men should be put in ' they're places ' of convenient categories to use them as to how society wants to.

They are all innocent. All PTSD.

I miss BNC.......I'm sorry it didn't work out!!!!

I don't ever watch or listen to Jada's "red table talk" but am aware of it and her struggle with alopecia. The Oscar night is a focus on beauty and fashion, actors and actresses are on scrutiny for the world to dissect. I found Chris Rocks pointed focus to just single out Jada calculated, with intent. Will Smith's response was ill-timed, and violence is never the high road. I do not think Chris Rock, knowing the history of him making sly remarks pointed at Jada in 2016, innocent in this Oscar cringe moment.

Way to ghetto it up Mr. Smith. Just when the black man takes 1 step forward, you take them back 2 steps.

Well done Charles, although I'm still #teamwill

I hardly watched any of these people to begin with. Now there are people halfway around the World who want nothing but peace and a return to their own lives, here we have peace and so much to be thankful for and all some people want is violence.Everything in America is a full fledged pissing contest between egos. This lack of self control and rage is killing people, unfortunately the people that are dying aren't usually the perpetrators... and those in charge just keep excusing the the inexcusable.

They seem to make some sort of scene every year. So, when will Trump be jailed for January 6th??

Just so you know I’m white and I only say that because some people think that seems to matter when it comes to my opinion which is just more crap ok I have human perspective I feel Will was trying to prove his love for Jada I believe she got him twisted I seen video of her saying she loves her hair she embraces was that just hogwash because she should have laughed after all Will did at first but something triggered him it had to be her and let me just say Will is only human don’t throw stones in glass houses people

This cluelessness is no longer funny, and is now just getting dangerous.

"Our own democracy close to drowning under ways of oppression!?" How insulting to all those Union soldiers who died to free enslaved Africans! How insulting to all those soldiers over the centuries who died for Blow's right to live and express himself freely in our "Democracy!" How typical of the CBS executive producers to always find a way to subjectively editorialize by supporting division of Americans based on race. The only thing "drowning" seems to be the truth, which is that the majority of America has worked tirelessly to make our social order MORE than equal since the Civil War. Charles M. Blow just stepped upon the world stage and slapped any American who always tried to be fair and fight for equality in America. Bogus, hateful journalism-

Crock !!!!!!!!

A man crying about toxic masculinity? LOL Your man card has now been revoked.

I agree with you 🤣.........

I don't think this guy Charles is a good commentator on this situation

The commentator’s final thought was Will’a action was a sign of toxic masculinity. I would also say Chris’ joke about Jada’s appearance is toxic masculinity as well everyone who downplays the joke. The other comedians poke fun of the artist work not their appearance. As a black woman it was humiliating and that’s the core of the issue here.

😣🙄

boring