It seems that the tide of public opinion tide is popping for Will Smith.
After going through widespread backlash and a cultural exile following the notorious second he slapped comic Chris Rock on the 2022 Academy Awards, the “Recent Prince of Bel-Air” is seeing a resurgence in public assist.
Followers at the moment are rallying behind the West Philadelphia native after the discharge of his new buddy cop movie, “Unhealthy Boys: Trip or Die,” suggesting that the previous “SNL” forged member is perhaps going through his personal reckoning for not ever apologizing for his controversial feedback about Jada Pinkett Smith.
Within the two years because the incident, the “New Jack Metropolis” star has leveraged the slap in his stand-up routines, utilizing it to interact with audiences, improve ticket costs, and safe a reside Netflix particular the place he mentioned the incident at size.
Nevertheless, social media trolls have famous that whereas Rock has constantly dismissed Smith’s repeated apologies and public regret, he himself has by no means apologized to Pinkett Smith, who claims she suffers from alopecia, for evaluating her to G.I. Jane for having a brief Caesar reduce.
“I don’t assist violence and by no means hit anybody,” one individual wrote. “On the identical time, Will Smith is a gifted actor, Chris Rock is a gifted comic (I beloved him in “I Love My Spouse”). Will apologized and deserves fan assist. Did Chris ever apologize for attacking Jada? Phrases matter too.”
Throwback to when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on the Oscars.
– Jada and May have been separated since 2016, What was the slap for then?pic.twitter.com/mKqJgxBN6b
— tooXclusive (@tooXclusive_com) October 11, 2023
Afterward, Smith was banned from attending the Oscars or any Oscar associated occasions for 10 years. However followers have nonetheless rallied behind him to point out assist together with his different movies. Some are additionally suggesting that Rock is sick that followers are consuming up Smith’s latest return to the large display screen.
An X consumer mentioned, “Chris Rock is having a panic assault rn.”
Others referenced the Kevin Hart roast on Netflix (recorded through the Netflix Is a Joke Fest on Might 11) the place Rock made a slick swipe at Hart’s first spouse, Torrei Hart.
Kevin cracked up when Rock mentioned that the “Soul Airplane” comic appears to be like like he has “that second spouse happiness,” referring to his marriage to his present spouse, Eniko Hart.
Ain’t nothing like that second spouse happiness. They’re like, ‘We didn’t battle in any respect!’”
Kevin and Torrei share two youngsters, daughter, Heaven, 19, and son, Hendrix, 16. With Eniko, he shares a son, Kenzo, 6, and 3-year previous daughter Kaori.
Many heard that joke and revisited his diss of Smith’s spouse.
“Trigger Chris Rock ought to preserve folks’s wives out of his mouth,” a fan tweeted. “He did that to get amusing out of white folks. Karma is coming for Chris Rock. I can’t wait.”
Some are so sick of the Brooklyn native’s gags, when he was “trending” they tweeted, “People suppose Will Smith ought to slap him once more. Agreed.”
Smith’s comeback is marked not solely by a surge in public assist but additionally by the projected success of his new “Unhealthy Boys” film, anticipated to rake in $53 million throughout its opening weekend, based on Forbes.
In a twist of irony, the blockbuster hit even alludes to the notorious Oscars incident, with Smith’s character, Mike Lowry, enduring a number of slaps from Martin Lawrence’s character, Marcus Burnett.
Though Smith now appears to be dealing with the scenario with humor, his street to redemption has been something however clean.
Following the Oscar night time debacle, his movie “Emancipation” on Apple TV, directed by Antoine Fuqua acquired essential acclaim however was not effectively acquired by the general public. The fervor across the fourth installment of the cop franchise may counsel that followers don’t wish to see a severe Smith.
“Unhealthy Boys 4 is a success,” one fan contended. “But when Will Smith tried to do one other emotional Oscar bait film folks can be laughing within the theater. The Chris Rock slap ruined that a part of his profession.”
What the slap didn’t break was Smith’s relationship together with his spouse. In accordance with the “Worthy” creator, the incident solely introduced the couple nearer and truly saved their marriage following a seven-year separation.
“I name it the ‘holy slap’ now as a result of so many constructive issues got here after it,” Pinkett Smith mentioned.
“That second of the s—t hitting the fan is while you see the place you actually are. … In any case these years making an attempt to determine if I would go away Will’s facet, it took that slap for me to see I’ll by no means depart him,” she continued. “Who is aware of the place our relationship can be if that hadn’t occurred?”
