The Slap Heard Across the World

The annual Oscars came around once again, this time with more controversy.

The+Slap+Heard+Across+the+World

Watching awards shows is always entertaining. Its fun to see who wins each award, fill out your own ballot with your own guesses, and see all the celebrities dressed up in fun, fancy outfits. 

The 94th Oscars aired on Mar. 27 and showcased many great achievements, such as the 3rd time for a woman to win an award for best directing, but there were also many negative things that happened at the Oscars. One being the drama between Will Smith and Chris Rock.

If you weren’t aware of what happened at the Oscars, let me fill you in: Chris Rock suggested that Will Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, should be in cast in G.I. Jane 2 due to her shaved head. This offended Smith’s wife and once he realized, he waltzed right up to Rock, smacked him, and told him to “keep [his] wife’s name out [Rock’s] mouth.”

After this happened, it exploded all across social media, people made jokes and took sides; even the audio from the event became a trending TikTok sound for a few days. “The slap” took the spotlight away from some of the many achievements and firsts at the Oscars this year, such as Troy Kotsur of “CODA” being the first deaf actor to win an Oscar in his category.

Though “the slap” would seemingly last a few days until the public moved on to another celebrity story, Smith ended up facing career-ending backlash from Hollywood. He now suffers from a 10-year-ban on going to the Oscars.

Smith’s slap developed outlandish consequences, which seem to cancel out the controversial actions of other actors. For example, Ezra Miller assaulted a fan and still continues their acting career, while Smith’s career is close to ending.

If “the slap” is somehow worse than throwing a chair at someone’s head, I don’t understand. There are actors out there who have done worse than Smith, yet they don’t receive any punishment. If Smith slapping someone bans him from the Oscars, then those who have done worse, such as Ezra Miller, should be receiving equal, if not more intense, punishments.