Ok. Let's break it down: Jada Pinket, badass Jada, needed her man to defend her because of a bad joke? Jada Pinket, movie star, talk show host, all-too-white 2016 Oscar boycott instigator, who has been openly vocal about her personal life, needed her man to smack another fellow black artist on live tv because of a joke gone wrong?
In short: a powerful and outspoken woman needed her man to defend her because of a stupid joke minutes before what would have been his most glorious career moment?
It's hard to know what was going on will smith's mind or in the couple's personal life at that moment, but wtf?
I read somewhere that when a black man protects his wife from the majorly white elite, he invites other black men to take their place as protectors. I'm not in a position to question or discredit a black woman's voice addressing how her community should handle a situation like that. However, it's hard for me to believe it validates any type of violence. I can't help thinking of another powerful black woman's word saying when they go low, we go high. Yes, that was Michele Obama.
There's nothing more ancient than the idea that men need to protect women. And I believe Jada is among the women who stood for and fought for having the right to stand up by themselves and claim equality as a baseline.
But what bothers me the most about the whole incident is Will Smith's attempt to shift the narrative in his acceptance speech. Telling that love makes you crazy is not a valid excuse. Love has been making men crazy for centuries, and its result is a history of abuse against women.
But Will Smith's words during his speech are more telling than the slap on Chris Rock's face. It shows how much we are used to narrative twists and turns to change reality to look for sympathy. We watched what happened, and the attempt to gaslight people by claiming his role as a protector is shameless.
Smith resigned after the academy decided to put the incident under review. But even with a damage control strategy in full speed, the Oscar winning actor will be canceled, and the digging up the past to review everything he ever said and posted is in full steam. It’s a nobody wins scenario– a historical moment that has been overshadowed by a stupid act is sad enough. But the words that came out of his mouth were more damaging than the act itself.
Like Denzel wisely said, the devil tempted Smith at his highest moment. This could have happened to anyone. Unfortunately, it did happen, and I'm sure that even Chris Rock feels sorry for him. I believe Smith deserves everyone's understanding as much as he needs to be accountable for a regrettable event. However, this is an opportunity to stop calling out, and instead call people in too. Disqualifying Smith is not the answer. This as an opportunity to pay attention and wise up.
The incident reminds us that shifting a narrative can be used simply to rewrite history. But history is happening right in front of our eyes. Meanwhile, people are trying to write something stranger than fiction.