Will Smith

[cremetangerine82]

“Who are we to condemn?”

Will Smith, damnit!

[ahah]

More important question - where did this notion come from that every time something bad happens someone must be condemned? Follow up question - how to we get rid of that practice?

[ladyboy]

From that article, Denzel says, "the only solution was prayer". WTF? Maybe just STFU, Denzel, because that is both stupid and unhelpful. These celebs are so up themselves. Maybe an apology would be a solution? Responsiblity for your actions? Some inward navel gazing about what made you act like an asshole at what should have been a crowning moment of your career? Nope, just prayer. Never responsiblity or self-reflection.

[Ridha]

Apr 5, 2022 15:58:55 GMT -4 mementomori said:

Apr 5, 2022 15:34:47 GMT -4 Ridha said:

There’s a clip on RTT that I just saw circulated on Fb, and I’m surprised it hasn’t done the rounds more widely before now. It depicts Will, Jada, Willow, discussing Jada’s 40th birthday party organised by Will. By his own description he had gone all out and when they got back to the room and Jada’s attitude both at the party and in that moment were her usual unimpressed resting bitch face. Will then proceeds to (in present day on this RTT) imitate how he like a puppy panting with his tongue out (he actually did that facial gesture himself) was waiting for “mummy to say good boy well done”.

The saddest part about that video (well not really sad because I think he’s an ass) was that re what Jada apparently unleashed on him about how that party (which included a live performance by Aretha Franklin) was about his ego not her, he totally agrees with in present day. And sure, whenever doing something of course one should do it according to the personality of the recipient not the giver. And that’s something healthy for Will or anyone to acknowledge that the party was more up his street than hers. But for it to be so 100% an epiphany of how “I tooootally get it now, I was so blind and she was so right about all I’d done wrong” rather than even a little bit about how Jada had an unduly negative/hostile reaction, was disturbing af.

So when there’s sentiment about “can we stop blaming Jada/the woman”, I don’t think anyone is absolving Will from taking the assholic/weak/simple-minded decision to bully an easy target for the sake of trying to (as per his own description) being the over-eager puppy hoping for praise from Mommy. But as much as Will’s pathetic motivation is on him, Jada - who has a pretty steamrolling gaslightey personality is an ACTIVE part of that dynamic. I’m not sure one can call it “blaming her” so much as calling out for their power dynamic for what it is.

Another video I thought was interesting was some award Will was presenting to Jada in 2015. He starts the anecdote by saying how he was lying in bed one dawn dreamily staring down at Jada when he got a phone alert from TMZ about how she filed for divorce. Fast forward to end of anecdote, it turned out the conclusion was about how even though he knew how bs the news was it got him thinking for a second what his life and the world would be like without Jada in it.

The whole lead up was so laughably transparent, so blatantly square peg in a round hole irrelevant except to drive home his agenda point how THE STORIES ABOUT OUR MARRIAGE TRUBBLES ARE BS, that it was cringey.

My various takeaways from these 2 vids include; 1. Will is very simple minded (most of what is said about Harry’s intellect on the Harry thread would completely apply to him too), 2. Jada has always had an undertone of patronising contempt for him, presumably marrying him for the power couple status, 3. I cannot get over how many similarities there are not just between Will/Harry but also Jada/Meghan, and the motivations of each behind this marriage.

Black women, and, since Meghan Markle was mentioned half-black women do not possess black magic wielding vajayjays. We simply don’t. Privileged adult men are entirely responsible for their own actions. That’s it. That’s all.

Who mentioned ANYTHING about race? Why even go there? Extremely unfair tactics in a discussion. The dynamics of the personalities (one of which is that both Harry and Will - is that only safe because Harry is white?? - seem simple minded) and relationships of the two is what I was clearly referring to. That’s not only a straw man argument but a particularly gross one. I had heard that in America there is a tendency for to bring race into anything and everything, and it’s true. I’m sure I’m about to get told off by a Mod for something now (although it is beyond me how this would be my fault, perhaps not ignoring your total misrepresentation of what I said, but basically twisting what I said to make out that I had claimed that “black women have magic vajajays” (??) is not something that’s ok, it’s just not.

And re your first reply above, I literally pre-emtively said I was not comparing Oscars and WW2, just giving an analogy about importance of reaction of the masses, lest anyone try to claim the former, but I guess it suited you not to read that.

[Trixie]

Apr 5, 2022 17:11:17 GMT -4 ahah said:

More important question - where did this notion come from that every time something bad happens someone must be condemned? Follow up question - how to we get rid of that practice?

Answer to the first question: Justice. A desire or hope for justice.
Answer to your second question: Let people murder, rape, steal, assault, etc. as they please. Reward them for violence and encourage more.

It’s not a “Will Smith” topic.

[cremetangerine82]

Jun 20, 2005 12:01:12 GMT -4 jaghetersimon said:

He's getting divorced soon. Mark my words.

This is from the first page of this thread. I hope. Either that or be unhappy in their “Bad marriage for life!” hell.

Co-sign on your entire post, ladyboy!

[ahah]

Apr 5, 2022 23:17:24 GMT -4 Trixie said:

Apr 5, 2022 17:11:17 GMT -4 ahah said:

More important question - where did this notion come from that every time something bad happens someone must be condemned? Follow up question - how to we get rid of that practice?

Answer to the first question: Justice. A desire or hope for justice.
Answer to your second question: Let people murder, rape, steal, assault, etc. as they please. Reward them for violence and encourage more.

It’s not a “Will Smith” topic.

If you are equating murder, rape, stealing and assault to being a general a-hole, then my point is made. There is such a huge gap between those crimes that we have a justice system to deal with and a person saying or doing something bad in public. The justice system does not deal with people merely being a-holes because it's not necessary to have justice for every single bad thing that ever happens. The lack of grace in the world today isn't playing out so well.

[cremetangerine82]

Of course he cares more about this than the harm he did to another person. *sigh*

[Trixie]

Apr 6, 2022 7:15:48 GMT -4 ahah said:

Apr 5, 2022 23:17:24 GMT -4 Trixie said:

Answer to the first question: Justice. A desire or hope for justice.
Answer to your second question: Let people murder, rape, steal, assault, etc. as they please. Reward them for violence and encourage more.

It’s not a “Will Smith” topic.

If you are equating murder, rape, stealing and assault to being a general a-hole, then my point is made. There is such a huge gap between those crimes that we have a justice system to deal with and a person saying or doing something bad in public. The justice system does not deal with people merely being a-holes because it's not necessary to have justice for every single bad thing that ever happens. The lack of grace in the world today isn't playing out so well.

I’m an editor and tend to read and use words precisely. You asked why we/society condemn every time something bad happens. I answered your wider question with my thoughts and added that the question was not a Will Smith topic, in order to separate the slappy Will from rapist Polansky. I think that’s obvious enough to avert your “If you are equating…” response. There’s nothing wrong with my response.

[famvir]

He should have thought about that before he assaulted someone onstage at the Oscars.

Yup, Will has issues, and if this was fiction we’d be all over how he cancelled himself.

I’m glad he’s worried he’ll never work again. I’m glad he sees the consequences. I hope his kid and wife and friends take note.

Hit a guy. Circle the wagons. Congratulate yourself. Kid says “That’s the way WE do it.”

Then find out they are reshooting all your scenes in one movie, and you are fired from the rest.

NOW you realize you did a career ending thing.