Will Smith Made a Dangerous Mistake

The last thing we need is toxic male violence displayed in real-time on national television for our kids to model.

Will Smith just assaulted Chris Rock on the Oscars for making a tasteless but hardly unprecedented joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith.

I just watched Will Smith’s movie “King Richard” about Richard Williams, the flamboyant father of Venus and Serena Williams.

The first part of that movie is about both parents of Venus and Serena going to extraordinary lengths to escape violence in Compton for their five daughters. Will Smith is magnificent in it which is part of why this makes me so fucking sad.

Richard Williams was a victim of violence numerous times while protecting his family. Will Smith played the part with soul and grace and it’s shocking how little he learned from it.

He should be banned from future awards shows and charged with assault. Period.

This cannot be acceptable in America. From anyone.

UPDATE:

“I’ve got to protect people.”

The best way to protect people is not to promote violence. He should not have been allowed back on stage.

He sort of apologized. He should have kept going. Regardless, the crowd should not be standing for him. I’m embarrassed for everyone associated with this and I hope he comes out with a far more complete apology.