New Insights Suggest Will Smith’s Oscar Slap May Have Been Staged

When comedian Chris Rock went after Will Smith’s wife, he crossed a line.

When comedian Chris Rock targeted Jada Pinkett-Smith’s alopecia, a medical condition causing hair loss in many Black women, Smith took action. Rising from his audience seat, Smith ascended the stage and delivered a resounding slap to Rock’s face, an incident that reverberated globally. But could it all have been an orchestrated act for publicity? Sources are now emerging with evidence hinting at the possibility that Smith and Rock may have contrived the incident.

According to a Rare report, “slow-motion footage strongly suggests that Rock may have been prepared for the entire altercation.” In the video clip below, you can scrutinize Smith’s Oscar slap in slow motion and draw your own conclusions about whether Rock was anticipating the blow on national television.

A circulating internet image, which may or may not be genuine, has raised doubts about the authenticity of the Oscar slap. If the manipulated image of Chris Rock is to be believed, it appears that he wore a cheek guard to absorb the impact of Smith’s right-handed blow. However, there are suspicions that this image was doctored intentionally to sow confusion and ignite rumors. Critics argue that Smith was merely defending his wife’s honor. Rock had joked about Pinkett-Smith’s alopecia, a condition that forces her to contend with hair loss, a predicament faced by numerous Black women worldwide.

Rock quipped that Jada Pinkett-Smith resembled G.I. Jane with her shaved head, drawing a parallel to Demi Moore’s voluntary head-shaving in the movie. However, Pinkett-Smith didn’t opt for a bald appearance; it was thrust upon her by a condition that disrupts her hair follicles, resulting in hair thinning and loss. While Smith initially laughed at Rock’s jest, he became aware of how hurtful it was to his wife, prompting him to rise and confront Rock with a slap to the face.

However, Rare’s writers suggest that Smith and Rock may have concocted this scenario. “Defending his wife against a long-time friend? Doesn’t add up. These guys are tight.”

If the incident indeed turned out to be a staged act, who benefited from the ensuing publicity? In reality, the entire film industry reaped the rewards, as viewers finally tuned into the Oscars after years of boycotts and waning interest. While there’s speculation that the slap might have been premeditated, the majority believe it was an unscripted, genuine response. Smith was merely defending his wife’s honor; it just so happened that the incident was caught on national television.