G. I. Jada: “CHRIS ROCK, SUCK MY DICK!”
The country and the world are buzzing about the slap heard and seen around the world when Will Smith bitch slapped comedienne Chris Rock at this week’s Oscar Awards for what many believe was a cheap laugh at his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith’s expense. “Jada, I love you. G.I. Jane 2, can’t wait to see it, all right? ”, stated Rock. Pinkett-Smith, who has been open about her struggle with alopecia, immediately gave Rock an intense Sistah-girl eye-roll to show her displeasure at his demoralizing sense of humor. Rock acknowledged her discontent but doubled down, “That was a nice one,” he stated as he and the audience, including Will, continued to laugh. But Will’s mood changed once he observed his wife’s displeasure. He cooly strolled onstage and gave Rock an open-handed slap across the mouth. Was it a pre-planned stunt, a joke, or actual revenge? The character of the moment was made clear to onlookers when Will returned to his seat and shouted to a stunned Chris Rock, “Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth!” And in case the people in the back did not hear what he said the first time, he repeated his statement louder and with added force a second time.
I never watch award shows, and I don’t watch television anymore. A family member who was watching sent me a link to the incident in a text message. I watched the entire incident from the beginning of Rock’s monologue to the conclusion of Will’s outburst, then expressed my opinion on Facebook:
“I don’t think Jada has alopecia (I’ve talked about my struggle with alopecia here). I think Jada shaved her head to get sympathy because folk was sick of her because of “entanglement-gate” when the world found out that she had cheated on her husband with a friend of their son Jaden. Before Will and Jada became an item, Jada mainly sported short hairstyles like the one she sported at the Oscars. Will should have handled that backstage. Plus, he laughed until he saw his wife wasn’t happy. He slapped Chris so he wouldn’t have to sleep on the couch.”
Chris Rock never lost his composure as he quipped, “That was the greatest night in the history of television.” The audience laughed, but Rock did not receive a standing ovation for maintaining his cool. However, when Will Smith arose to receive the Best Actor Award, he received a rousing standing ovation as a pungent stank lingered over the award atmosphere. His acceptance speech was a load of patriarchal, pseudo-Black love bullshit.
“Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family. In this time in my life, in this moment, I am overwhelmed by what God is calling on me to do and be in this world. Making this film I got to protect Aunjanue Ellis, who is one of the most strongest, most delicate people I ever met. I got to protect Saniyya and Demi, the two actresses that played Venus and Serena. I’m being called on in my life to love people and to protect people and to be a river to my people.”
Naw Bro! As legendary journalist Maria Shriver tweeted:
Was there another way to handle Rock’s insult? Yes! Suppose the joke as Rock claimed, was about the 1997 blockbuster movie G. I. Jane starring Demi Moore, who played Lt. Jordan O’Neil, the first female trainee in the U.S. Navy’s elite SEAL/C.R.T. selection program? In that case, Jada should have defended herself by turning the joke on Chris.
In one of the most poignant and grueling scenes in the movie, O’Neil is interrogated and beaten to a pulp by Master Chief John Urgayle, played by Viggo Mortensen, who knocks the female trainee to the ground rendering her immobile and silent. O’Neil appeared defeated. But while Urgayle, who turned his back on his female opponent, lectured his men about the hazards of women in combat, ONeil, whose trash-talking emboldened the ire of her male officer, stood to her feet and yelled to him, “Master Chief, suck my dick!” Rather than encouraging him further, the verbal stunt that resulted in an avalanche of laughter, jeers, and howls from her fellow male trainees who loudly chanted the phrase continually, caused Urgayle to lose his center of gravity which left him psychologically deflated. Fight over. Winner, G.I. Jane.
Sunday night was not a win for the Smiths, Will’s female co-stars, or any women because, unlike Chris Rock or Jordan O’Neil, Will and Jada Smith seem unable to think on their feet. Had Jada assumed the character Jordan O’Neil and yelled out, “Chris Rock, suck my dick,” that would have brought the audience to tear-streaming laughter and the discourse of Rock’s comedic infraction would have focused on women’s empowerment rather than male bravado. Fight over. Winner, G. I. Jada.
Will Smith’s display of toxic masculinity decentralized his wife and made the issue all about him. There is no silver lining here. Last night was a monumental fail for us all.
Note: In 2021, 24 years after the release of G. I. Jane, the first female sailor completed Special Navy Warfare training. Follow the link here for more information.
