RIP Ghostbusters
Will Smith decks Chris Rock at the Academy Awards
- Thread starter Moviefreak
- Start date
I'm not sure what Chris Rock would sue for.
He didn't wanna press charges against Will (at least when it happened).
As for the Academy, you could criticize them for giving Will the award & continuing with the evening as planned, but that's about it. It's not the kind of setting where you would expect to need security guarding the stage. It's a private room full of well-dressed rich people who are mostly on a first-name basis with each other.
So far Chris has come out of this looking good. I hope he doesn't spoil it with dubious lawsuits now.
He didn't wanna press charges against Will (at least when it happened).
As for the Academy, you could criticize them for giving Will the award & continuing with the evening as planned, but that's about it. It's not the kind of setting where you would expect to need security guarding the stage. It's a private room full of well-dressed rich people who are mostly on a first-name basis with each other.
So far Chris has come out of this looking good. I hope he doesn't spoil it with dubious lawsuits now.
Chris ROCK got slapped by Will Smith’s OPEN HAND because he thought Jada got her hair CUT…. this is just a case of rock paper scissors. 
cboath
Master Member
Grammar Nazi: Points for creativity, big loss of points on grammar, it's 'than'.
cboath
Master Member
I replied just seeing the post, didn't read past
Great minds!
cboath
Master Member
i'd think, if anything, the academy would go to him and make him an offer to not press charges (criminal) and not file a suit (civil).
That would be an easy lawsuit to bring against the Academy, I would think…Negligence on the part of the Academy for allowing access to Chris Rock, by anyone, could represent a hazard they should have known about and could have prevented as the presenter of the premises / event.
Negligence tort: Duty owed (protection for Mr. Rock), duty breached (failure to provide said protection), damages (for Mr. Rock either, physical, financial, or mental), cause in fact and proximate cause of loss (breach of duty caused said damages and “but for” said breach, the loss would not have occurred.)
Rock could easily show evidence the Academy should have known that having no security, or barrier, protecting the on-stage talent was a known risk for the Academy by demonstrating past history in which people “breached the stage” at this show, and other award shows in the past.
By committing an intentional act caught on camera that resulted in damages, any suit against Wil would seem to be a no-brainer unless, I suppose, attorneys could argue that words are “the bullets of the mouth” and represented action to defend someone from broadly defined harm…I suppose I would expect a counter suit regarding the insult / joke creating a tort against Rock too…
Having said all that, I would be shocked to see any of this happen.
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Jodo
Master Member
On Thursday, my college had an awards ceremony. This was our first time gathering as staff and faculty since 2019, so it was a big deal. The announcer said that he was selected because our normal presenter didn’t want a “Chris Rock issue.” I immediately yelled (in our venue of 400+ people) “keep my wife’s name, out ya mouth!”
I got some really good laughs, but the silence immediately cutting the room as I yelled was deadly. It took a moment for people to realize it wasn’t someone actually interrupting the ceremony. My coworker who sits near me whispered “don’t do it, don’t do it,” right before hand because she knows me too well. LOL
I got some really good laughs, but the silence immediately cutting the room as I yelled was deadly. It took a moment for people to realize it wasn’t someone actually interrupting the ceremony. My coworker who sits near me whispered “don’t do it, don’t do it,” right before hand because she knows me too well. LOL
clonesix
Master Member
late to the party, and the assault has already been covered, BUT:
My deep respect to Chris Rock for the way that he handled it, AND the way he WILL handle it! He is playing the long game, and you can expect a 2-hr HBO special of his take on the Smiths, ALL of them.
If you caught the quick reaction by Mr. Rock, when he said “It was just a joke…Oh what could have sai…”
Well, what he “Could have” said, WILL be said! He will get together with a few writing friends and come up with a full two hour special that will be the end of ANY sympathy for the Smiths, they are all fair game!
When this special airs, I want a big bag of (coconut oil fried) movie-style popcorn, I mean a full two-hour’s worth of delicious movie popcorn to sit in front of my TV with, and munch/laugh away.
Chris Rock will have the last/best laugh!
My deep respect to Chris Rock for the way that he handled it, AND the way he WILL handle it! He is playing the long game, and you can expect a 2-hr HBO special of his take on the Smiths, ALL of them.
If you caught the quick reaction by Mr. Rock, when he said “It was just a joke…Oh what could have sai…”
Well, what he “Could have” said, WILL be said! He will get together with a few writing friends and come up with a full two hour special that will be the end of ANY sympathy for the Smiths, they are all fair game!
When this special airs, I want a big bag of (coconut oil fried) movie-style popcorn, I mean a full two-hour’s worth of delicious movie popcorn to sit in front of my TV with, and munch/laugh away.
Chris Rock will have the last/best laugh!
bwayne64
Master Member
Yes he's a bigger man than me. I believe in turn the other cheek, cause that's what the " Boss " says, but Chris actually did it. Will Smith is a little punk compared to Chris. I hope Will takes stock of himself, and gets his household straightened out. If he doesn't it will end very badly for all of them. Darned shame it takes something like this to get someone's attention. I hope it does.
el toro
Sr Member
Hypothetically, Rock could bring a legitimate lawsuit against Smith. However, I don’t think Rock would have a strong case for negligence against the Academy. The Awards haven’t historically been marred by violence, as the Academy wasn’t on notice of the possibility. Also, no one in the building was expecting Smith to hit Rock when he approached. Rock himself thought that Smith was approaching as a joke. So, the academy likely didn’t instruct its security to stop an actor from randomly walking to the stage unless it was clear that violence was intended. In addition, Smith wasn’t working as an agent or employee of the Academy. A lawsuit against the Academy would be an uphill battle. Anyway, lawsuits against both of them wouldn’t never make it to court, as both would settle immediately in order to stop the negative publicity.
This may sound cynical, but Chris will probably make much more money in ticket sales & specials than he'd receive in a punitive suit, & chances are, Smith's lawyers could have the judge in the case implement a gag order that would prevent Chris Rock from publicly discussing the case or even the incident.
Other than having some public record stating that "Will Smith was wrong in assaulting Chris Rock", which is already the prevalent opinion, I believe it's more advantageous for Chris to NOT sue.
Other than having some public record stating that "Will Smith was wrong in assaulting Chris Rock", which is already the prevalent opinion, I believe it's more advantageous for Chris to NOT sue.
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