The Internet Is Conflicted Over Will Smith’s Oscar Ban

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has struck Will Smith with a 10-year ban from attending the Oscars, along with all other Academy events, in response to the Fresh Prince star slapping Chris Rock in the face onstage.

According to a statement from Smith’s publicist, Smith accepted and respected the Academy’s decision.

But not everyone agreed – it didn’t take long for internet users to point out that a decade seemed a harsh response to a momentary lapse of judgment, especially considering the fact that the Oscars have a long history of lavishing abusers with awards, whose crimes make Smith’s slap look like a joke.

Other commentators pointed out that the Oscars are an institution that award excellence in filmmaking, and the Academy are simply reacting to what happened onstage at Oscar night; the Oscars ceremony was never meant to pass judgement on the many sins of Hollywood.

Some commentators had the opposite reaction entirely, and believed that Smith’s punishment was too lenient, as “the Slap” could set a dangerous precedent for how aggrieved audience members interact with performers.

Others took the opportunity to crack a joke, recognizing the absurdity of the whole situation.

For Smith, the repercussions from the slap show no signs of slowdown, as the star’s personal life has come under intense scrutiny, thanks to the intimate footage featured in Jada Pinkett Smith’s interview series, Red Table Talk, as well as the celebrity couple’s social media presence, now being obsessively revisited by gossip-hungry fans.

Professionally, Smith has suffered serious consequences, as several of his upcoming projects have been put on hold, while his ability to win a future Academy Award now appears unlikely, to say the least.

The intensity of the spotlight has resulted in Smith’s memoir, Will, skyrocketing in the best-seller charts, the one silver lining to the mushroom cloud created in the wake of “The Slap.”