‘He’s gotta wax his head every day’
Footage has resurfaced of Will Smith joking about a bald man, with some drawing comparison between this and the joke Chris Rock made about Smith’s wife, Jada.
On Sunday, Will Smith slapped Rock on stage after he joked about Jada Pinkett Smith’s bald head, saying he couldn’t wait to see her in the G.I. Joe sequel.
But a clip has now resurfaced online in which Smith himself mocks a man for being bald.
In the clip, which is from an episode of the Arsenio Hall Show in 1991, Smith mocks the house band’s bassist, John B. Williams.
He says that “everyone has rules to follow,” before pointing at Williams and saying: ” He’s got a rule: He’s gotta wax his head every day. That’s a rule.”
As the audience laughs, Smith responds: “Ah, these are jokes, come on!”
Several online have highlighted the apparent hypocrisy of Smith.
That time in 1991 when Will Smith made fun of a bald man on the Arsenio Hall Show and said “awe these are jokes man c’mon”.#WillAndChris #WillSmithAssault #ChrisRock #WillSmith pic.twitter.com/LMUyjwj0d8
— ThePopPunkDad (@ThePopPunkDad) March 28, 2022
One said: “Chris Rock got assaulted live on air in front of millions… by Will Smith. Chris was the ultimate professional. Cool calm and collected. Will on the other hand embarrassed himself & family. Reason because video of Will mocking a bald man has surface.”
Another wrote: “One reason I love the internet, it never forgets.”
A third added that it was “worse than the G.I. Jane joke” in their opinion.
This is actually worse than the G.I Jane joke imo
— Oseite (@BenOshior) March 28, 2022
It is not clear whether Williams also suffers from alopecia like Pinkett Smith, and some have pointed out that this is a crucial factor.
One Twitter user wrote: “There is a difference between making a joke about someone being bald and someone being ill”
Another said: “30+ years ago, a man (it matters) and no way of knowing if he may or may not have alopecia. What Jada was dealing with was well known, especially to a “friend,” which they consider each other. Context matters.”
https://twitter.com/LisaSimping/status/1508606730271436802
Smith has apologised to Rock for the slap, saying in a statement: “Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally.
“I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.”
Meanwhile it has been reported that Rock did not know that Pinkett Smith had alopecia when he made the joke.
Related links:
- MP whose dad died in ‘one-punch’ attack urges Will Smith to reply to open letter after Oscars slap
- Red carpet prankster who was slapped by Will Smith speaks out after Chris Rock beef
- 70 per cent of people believe Will Smith should be allowed to keep his Oscar after hitting Chris Rock
