Chris Rock vs Will Smith

 Okay, so on this one, I'm in the minority.  I support Will Smith and his slap of Chris Rock.

Will Smith did assault Chris Rock.  For that, he should apologize.  Oh, he already did?  Well what else should we require of him?  Punishment?  Let's examine the harm done.

The physical assault was a slap that didn't even muss Rock's makeup.  Did anyone mention the public humiliation of Chris Rock?  I hope so.  Humiliation is what this is all about. And, humiliation is what Chris Rock deserved.

In the first instance, it was Chris Rock who did the humiliating.  Trying to be funny about another actor's wife's ailment is off limits, or certainly should be.  You say, that humiliating people is one of a comedian's shticks.  Wasn'[ that what Buddy Hackett was all about?

But Buddy Hackett's shtick was different.  It focused on the person to whom he was speaking, or to someone in the audience.  People in his audience had a pretty good idea of what to expect. Chris Rock's poor excuse for humor was focused on someone who was there for the Oscars; not for Chris Rock. Chis Rock's humor, or for what some think passes for humor, was hurtful to a person who didn't come to hear Chris Rock.  She came to attend the presentation of Oscars.

I was never fan of Buddy Hackett.  But, people knew his shtick and a great many loved it.  Chis Rock, however, was just being an ass.  A comedians as big as Chris Rock should give some thought as to what they're doing.  Going off half cocked is for amateurs.