The opinions are piling on about Chris Rock’s comedy special, some loving it, others not too much. Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith joined the conversation with thoughts of their own.
Will Smith’s response to ‘Selective Outrage’
According to Style Caster several sources, say Will did not respond well.
“Will is embarrassed and hurt by what Chris said about him and his family in his Netflix special.
He didn’t watch it, but he had people tell him what Chris said,” a source told ET. “It’s everywhere when you look online and on social media, so Will and Jada have seen comments about it.”
“Will apologized to Chris and would like for Chris to let it go,” the source added.
“Will has worked on himself and he is banned by the Oscars for 10 years. He feels like that’s enough and wants Chris to move on, so that he and everyone else can too.
Will is also upset that Netflix was a part of this and thinks Chris insulting Jada again is below the belt. He is upset that Netflix gave Chris this platform to share these messages and thinks it’s distasteful.”
Though the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actor still has a lot to say since he “felt terrible for so long” about smacking Chris at the Oscars. “He’s tried unsuccessfully to make amends in the best way he could with Chris.
In his special Chris said:
:She hurt him way more than he hurt me,“ Rock said. “Who’d he hit? Me, a n— he knew he could beat. That is some bitch-ass shit.” He continued, “Will Smith is significantly bigger than me. Will Smith does movies with his shirt off, you’ve never seen me do movies with my shirt off. If I’m in a movie getting open heart surgery, I’ve got on a sweater,” Chris said. “Will Smith played Muhammad Ali in a movie. You think I auditioned for that part? I played Pookie in New Jack City.” He admitted he was a fan of Will when he was opening for Run DMC, but “Now, I watch Emancipation, just to see him get whooped,” referencing where Will played slave Peter during the Emancipation Proclamation era.
Another source told People that Will is relying on his family for support. “Family is important to him and [Smith] leaned on them” in the aftermath of the incident, the source says. “It all has helped him look inside and mature. He is better but still remorseful.” The source continued, “Will listened to those who tried to help him and feels that he has become a better person.”
Jada’s reaction to ‘Selective Outrage’
Jada’s take on the whole thing is a little different, she thinks Chris is obsessed with her according to PEOPLE.
“Jada has had no part in all of this other than being heckled,” the source says. “Chris is obsessed with her and that’s been going on for almost 30 years.”
“Look where he chose to film his Netflix special. Her hometown [of Baltimore]. Obsessed.
“Back in 2016 she helped start a movement with the Academy Awards by questioning why there are so few Black members, and Chris took it to this?” the source adds.
In 2016, Jada showed her support for Black actors as part of the “#OscarsSoWhite” movement. Will, 54, was shut out of the Best Actor race that year for his performance in Concussion.
During his stand-up special, Rock quipped: “Years ago, his wife said I should quit the Oscars. I shouldn’t host ’cause her man didn’t get nominated for Concussion. And then he gives me a f–––ing concussion.”
The source counters: “She never asked Chris to not host the Oscars ever. She publicly said in a Facebook post at the time Chris would be a great Oscars host and is perfect for the job.”
In his special, Rock claimed that Jada deserved to be made fun of, saying that she was the one to start things and that he was simply reacting.
“I did some jokes about her. Who gives a f—? That’s how it is: She starts it, I finish it,” Rock said. “That’s what the f— happened. Nobody’s pickin’ on this bitch. She started this s—. Nobody was pickin’ on her.”
The source tells PEOPLE they “were shocked at how many times Chris used the word bitch in referring to Jada.”
Chris is now ready to move on
The way Chris ended his comedy special makes us think he is now ready to move on.
He ended his segment with a question he was asked a couple of times. “‘Chris how come you didn’t do nothing back that night?’ Cause I got parents, because I was raised,’” he said. “You know what my parents told me? Don’t fight in front of white people.” The source also added that Chris was “ready to move on” after the Netflix special. “He said everything he wanted to say,” the source said. “It was funny, self-deprecating, and thought-provoking.”
