Will Smith’s Memoir Surges On Best-Seller Lists After Oscars Slap

Topline

Will Smith’s memoir Will climbed the best-seller charts in the week after he slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars for joking about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

Key Facts

Will, which was released last year, returned to USA Today’s list of the Top 150 Best Selling Books, at the No. 73 spot, its third-best week in sales.

The memoir debuted on the list at No. 3 and remained on it for 15 weeks.

Will also jumped on the Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction New York Times bestseller list, to No. 2 from No. 14 in the chart that compiled data from the week ending on April 2.

Big Number

50%. That’s how Americans viewed Smith favorably after the slap, according to a Morning Consult poll released last week. That’s down from the 80% who viewed him as such in January 2020.

Key Background

When presenting an award at the Oscars on March 27, Rock ad-libbed a joke about Pinkett Smith’s bald head. The actress has hair loss caused by alopecia, an autoimmune disorder. Smith charged the stage, slapped Rock and yelled at him to “keep my wife’s name out your f**king mouth.” Rock declined to file a police report, and only briefly discussed the incident publicly at a stand-up show in Boston last week, saying he was “still processing.” Smith, who won his first Oscar for his performance in King Richard that night, issued an apology to Rock and the Academy. After the Academy launched a formal review of Smith’s actions, he resigned from the organization, and said he will accept any other consequences the group deems appropriate. The Academy’s board of governors will meet Friday to discuss any additional sanctions against Smith.

Tangent

In Will, which was co-written by Mark Manson, Smith discussed the physical abuse his mother suffered at the hands of his father, Will Sr, something that has stayed with him since. The actor wrote that he even contemplated killing his father by pushing his wheelchair-confined dad down the stairs. The memoir also details Smith’s struggles with suicidal thoughts as a young teen, his rise to fame and his work mentality.

Further Reading

Meeting Over Will Smith Oscars Slap Moved Up To Friday, Academy Says (Forbes)

Will Smith Resigns From Academy As It Probes His Slap Of Chris Rock At Oscars (Forbes)

LAPD Was ‘Prepared’ To Immediately Arrest Will Smith After Oscars Slap, Says Producer Will Packer (Forbes)

Will Smith’s Popularity Plunges 30% After Oscars Slap, Poll Finds (Forbes)