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International and Filipino celebrities and netizens reacted to the action of Will Smith slapping comedian and host of the event, Chris Rock, which is shown in a viral video on social media during the 94th Academy Awards or Oscars, Sunday night, March 27, 2022.
During the awarding ceremony, Rock, the comedian, and the host was doing his usual spill of jokes entertaining the audience until apparently directing it to Jada Pinkett-Smith, wife of Will Smith. Rock joked about Jada’s shaved hair referencing it to a movie.
“Jada I love you, ‘G.I. Jane 2,’ can’t wait to see it,” he joked.
Smith and the rest of the celebrities can be seen laughing after a focused camera caught Jada not laughing and unhappy with the joke. Jada has been very vocal about her alopecia, an autoimmune disorder that causes hair loss. Smith noticed and stormed the stage eventually slapping Rock.
“Keep my wife’s name out of your f*cking mouth!” shouted Smith with anger after being seated.
“I’m going to, okay” Rock responded.
Some Filipino celebrities were quick to react to the viral issue after it made rounds on social media.
In a tweet, Karen Davila, a well-known news reporter, and television host, noted the inconsistency of the words of Will Smith becoming a vessel of love and his prior action of physically assaulting Chris Rock.
This was TERRIBLE. Will Smith hits Chris Rock on stage – physically assaults him, humiliates him on global TV, shouts expletives at him… and then in his acceptance speech says “I want to be a VESSEL OF LOVE”
What a disconnect! https://t.co/7t8iFKsxtP
— Karen Davila (@iamkarendavila) March 28, 2022
Daphne Oseña-Paez, a news reporter and television host, added by asking if violence is an excuse for being a defender and vessel of love.
Will Smith says he wants to be a "vessel of love", "protector", "defender"… so violence is excused? It'll be analyzed, memed, imitated, condemned. With all the violence and intolerance going on in the world, this is not what we need to see& celebrate. #Oscars #willsmith https://t.co/dxGA11ktIs
— Daphne Oseña Paez (@DaphneOP) March 28, 2022
Eri Neeman, comedian, actor, writer, and events host popularly known in his role as Boy Back-up to Boy Pick-up, Ogie Alcasid in Bubble Gang, and some notable movies like Shake Rattle and Roll and Boy Pick-up the movie and also making a name going viral in Tiktok and Facebook during this pandemic, reacted in a Facebook video making jokes about Kalbo Gamma, his newfound fandom. His memes and jokes about netizen engagement are concerned usually focus on him being bald.
“Will Smith, I just want to say that you really activated Kalbo Gamma…If you mock us, it will start with you Will Smith,” he joked as he addressed his fans.
Some netizens rallied behind the comment section on how Smith was wrong in humiliating Rock in a televised awarding ceremony. While others understood him from the perspective of a husband protecting his wife.
Smith apologized during his acceptance speech and explained how love can let someone do crazy things and how he wants to be a vessel of love.
Will Smith won his first Academy Award on Sunday night and offered his apologies to the Academy and others for an earlier incident in which the actor appeared to strike presenter Chris Rock. https://t.co/4ZnOiez7r2
— CNN (@CNN) March 28, 2022
“This is a beautiful moment and I’m not crying for winning an award, it’s not about winning an award for me… Art imitates life, I look like the crazy father. Love will make you do crazy things,” Smith explained while crying.
“I wanna be a vessel of love. I wanna say thank you to Venus and Serena, I just hope they didn’t see that on TV,” he added.
After the issue went viral, Smith eventually shared an apology to Chris pointing out his wrongdoings.
Will Smith has issued a full apology for his actions at last night’s #Oscars pic.twitter.com/rMjvccflvC
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) March 28, 2022
