It was the bitch slap heard ’round the world. On Sunday night at the 94th annual Academy Awards, actor Will Smith stomped up to the stage and smacked comedian Chris Rock Square across the face for telling a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith. The King Richard star then sat down and yelled, “Keep my wife’s name out your fucking mouth!”
The internet went wild with hot takes and think pieces, and the incident dominated headlines all day Monday. Inevitably, everyone who chimed in chose a side and stuck to it. So whose side are you on?
If you’re undecided, no worries. You’re in luck because we waged our own Oscars slap battle and pitted Team Will and Team Chris against one another. Who will come out the Alpha in this dog fight? Stay tuned…
Cover Photo: Robyn Beck (Getty Images)
will v chris
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Team Will: The slap was chivalry at its finest.
When was the last time you saw a man defend his woman's honor? Probably not since Game of Thrones ended.
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Team Chris: It was just a joke.
And jokes tend to be offensive. Especially if they're Chris Rock jokes. Lighten up, Will. It's all part of the awards show game.
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Team Will: The joke wasn't funny because it targeted a medical condition.
Pinkett-Smith suffers from alopecia, or hair loss. Are jokes about cancer survivors next?
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Team Chris: The slap sets a dangerous precedent.
If Smith's actions indicate it's OK to beat on comedians if you don't like their barbs, what does this mean for the safety of stand-ups? It's heckling at a whole 'nother level.
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Team Will: If Smith really wanted to hurt Rock, he would've punched him.
He played Muhammad Ali in a movie, after all.
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Team Chris: He didn't hit back.
Way to turn the other cheek? Jesus would be proud.
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Team Will: Chris Rock had it coming.
Rock has been rankling people and ruffling feathers for years. He kind of deserved to get slapped -- for the Jada joke and so much more.
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Team Chris: There were too few repercussions for Smith.
What world is this where a man can slap another man on live television and not only does he not get arrested but he also he gets an Oscar?
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Team Will: He did apologize...kind of...eventually.
Smith kinda-sorta apologized to the Academy and his wife in his Oscar speech on Sunday, then followed up with a more thorough apology (albeit it on Instagram) to Rock a day later.
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Team Jada: She doesn't need defending.
Jada is a strong woman. She can stick up for herself. Sometimes icy silence is the best response.
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Overall Winner: The Internet
Nobody really wins in a violent altercation like this...except those of us watching at home. The tweets, the memes, the GIFS! We'll be laughing about this for a long time.
