Will Smith's slap controversy at Oscars prompts 66 complaints from traumatized viewers
Will Smith smacking Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards on Sunday, March 27, prompted at least 66 complaints to the Federal Communications Commission. The complaints were virtually unanimous in criticizing Smith for stepping onstage and slapping Rock after the comedian made a joke about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. One viewer recounted being ‘traumatized’ by witnessing Smith ‘assault that other poor man’ in an anonymous complaint to the FCC. In the complaint, another viewer from Illinois noted, “I haven’t been able to sleep as a result. My child was also scared. I had to take medicine to calm me down. I think the Oscars were not child friendly and shouldn’t be allowed on TV if they are going to have violent assaults live.”
While most of the confrontation was muted for American viewers, the program was shown in its entirety in several countries across the world, according to The Hill. According to a Connecticut FCC complaint, “this display was disgusting and beamed directly into our living room. I thought your agency was supposed to keep this type of violence and cursing off the television. I hope you can bring sense and reason back to the public airways.”
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“This whole episode has me so shaken and ruined the Oscars and the very deserving winners due to your allowing this malicious activity on public airwaves,” yet another complaint remarked. During the 2022 Academy Awards, Rock made a 'G.I. Jane 2' joke on Pinkett Smith while presenting an Oscar for best documentary film. Smith approached the comedian, stepping onstage and slapping him. After winning the Oscar for Best Actor for his part in 'King Richard,' Smith went to the stage and apologized to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences during his acceptance speech, approximately an hour after his confrontation with Rock. In an Instagram post, he also apologized to Rock. Meanwhile, The Academy has launched an investigation into the event as they believe Smith violated the organization's code of conduct.
CHRIS ROCK SAYS HE’S STILL “PROCESSING WHAT HAPPENED”: The comedian broke his silence on what happened between him and Will Smith at the #Oscars as the Academy says Smith refused to leave after the altercation – #TheView co-hosts and @TaraSetmayer react. https://t.co/e6mZPfg8Kd pic.twitter.com/AEG1jm7xIX
— The View (@TheView) March 31, 2022
Smith has been given 15 days' notice of a vote on his violations and any punishments, as well as the opportunity to submit a written rebuttal, according to the Academy. The next board meeting is set for April 18, Variety reports. Rock, meanwhile, received standing ovations in his first public appearance since the incident on Wednesday night (March 30). Variety reported that as Rock walked on stage at Boston's Wilbur Theatre then told the audience, “I don’t have a bunch of (expletive) about what happened (Sunday), so if you came to hear that, I have a whole show I wrote before this weekend. I’m still kind of processing what happened. So, at some point, I’ll talk about that (expletive). And it will be serious and funny.”
