The Disgraceful Will Smith and Chris Rock

Maybe I’m biased. I don’t watch the Oscars. It’s a pointless parade of self-congratulating millionaires. The few parts I’ve ever seen have been boring and not at all entertaining. It’s ironic that an event dedicated to honoring excellence in entertainment is itself so very dull.

But the other night well that was something different. A bad joke and suddenly we see Will Smith throwing a punch. Now that is entertainment!

No, it’s not. Really it's just more of the same. The rich and famous showing how they can get away with blatant violence on international television.

I don’t condone Chris Rock’s joke that sparked the outrage in Smith, it was stupid and wasn’t at all funny. But telling a tasteless and bad joke and throwing a punch (or a slap, doesn’t really matter) are two entirely different things. One is a protected right the other is at best a misdemeanor.

Regardless of an apology from Smith, or Rock’s decision to not pursue charges against Wil Smith, the Los Angeles Police department should. This wasn’t some slap in a private residence, this was a blatant and very public assault. The circumstances do not in any way justify the actions of Smith. To do anything other than holding him accountable perpetuates to the world that this kind of violence is acceptable or “justifiable”.