It doesn’t matter what film won the Oscars this year. No one cares who the best actress was. All anyone has heard about is Will Smith slapping Chris Rock. Some believe that Smith was in the wrong. He got up from his seat next to his wife and attacked the hilarious host of the awards and attacked him. He returned to his seat and cursed at the man that offended him and his wife.

All Rock did was comment that G.I. Jane 2 must be in the process of being made. An innocuous comment that was considered funny by some. The startled audience quickly learned Will’s view of these words.

Jada Smith’s husband considered it an affront to his wife. It was visible that she had shaved her head as Demi Moore did for G.I. Jane. That had to be funny. Right? It was as funny as a screen door on a submarine. As funny as referring to MLK Day as Martin Looter King Day.  As funny as asking a fat man or woman when their baby is due.

Our society decided years ago that humor can be used as an excuse for any insensitive remark. Kids apologize and say they were sorry for a remark when they get in trouble for it. “I didn’t mean anything by it” is a common response to hurt feelings. Is this an acceptable excuse for bullying someone?

I do not believe it is. We are angry when we hear that a young person has committed suicide because of online name-calling and verbal abuse. Parents have to remove their teens’ access to social media to avoid their being terrorized by school acquittances. Some school boards have been forced to spend large amounts of money defending their policies because this abuse is done on campus with personal phones.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=YVvgCMZSkyw

Bullying is one of those things that is viewed differently by those who are involved. If I call you Tiny and you are six foot two and weigh 350 pounds, you can laugh or knock my head off. It was just a joke, right? Not always. So-called jokes are often insensitive or even veiled derision.

I refer to myself as being good-looking. I tell people that I like to point that out because sometimes others don’t notice that immediately upon meeting me. I can do that to be funny. The person I am calling not attractive is myself. The joke is on me.

If I bully you, the joke is on or about you. I used to tell dumb blond jokes. Then I realized that blonds might be listening. Pollack jokes were funny for a while until I learned that this was a derogatory name for citizens of Poland. I am offended by the N-word, the J word, the S words, and other words and phrases that are used to belittle others. Sorry about that Tiny.

One particular celebrity has taken the forefront of bullying on one TV program. Other shows are used to scare, intimidate, and make fun of contestants competing for prizes. They sign agreements before the recording of the program that prevents them from taking legal action after it is broadcast. Seems like hypocrisy to me.

Time will tell if Will Smith accomplished anything in the entertainment world that is a part of his and Jada’s life. I hope that slap was loud enough to be remembered throughout the entertainment community as well as the rest of our country. What you think is funny may get you slapped, and we may laugh at you and not with you.

©Copyright 2022 by Charles Kensinger