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Will Smith’s Tragic Lesson

During the peak of his powers, Will Smith submitted to the worst possible instincts, allowing what should have been his brightest moment to reveal his own shadow through an act of violence. Smith’s meandering and pained Oscars acceptance speech was couched in the language of abuse.

Will Smith
Photo by Paul Morigi/WireImage
Baratunde Thurston
March 28, 2022

Chris Rock’s joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s lack of hair wasn’t a very good joke—dumb, lazy, and given that she has alopecia, cruel. Will Smith’s violent response to that joke—the slap, the “take my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth”—was far worse. And given some key biographical details of Smith’s own early experiences, it’s even more devastating.