King Richard was a fascinating movie about the Black experience in our country and how one man protected his family and held out a powerfully positive vision about his daughters. Will Smith certainly deserved an Oscar for his portrayal of Richard Williams, a control freak who loved his family and had an obsession that he manifested into reality with his unwavering commitment to that beautiful vision. His daughters Venus and Serena Williams became two of the most heralded female tennis players in the history of the sport. They did it as Black women in a white-dominated sport. Quite an amazing accomplishment!
However, just a few minutes before receiving the Oscar for Best Leading Male Performance in 2022, Will Smith fell totally out of grace when he stormed onto the stage and violently slapped Chris Rock in the face because of an offensive joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. He was acting just like the controlling Richard Williams character he portrayed in the film, except with an additional violent act. It’s unfortunate that he reacted with such a display, knowing well that the whole world was watching the Academy Awards. As irony would have it, the character of Richard Williams, whom Smith portrayed so well in the movie, never once acted with physical violence.
Although I question comedian routines that all too often focus on exposing embarrassing challenges of famous people in the Hollywood inner circle, I want to commend Chris Rock for how he flexibly responded to such an assault. Thanks to Rock’s decision to take a breath, and then carry on with completing his monologue, things did not get any more out of hand.
There are too many levels to discuss about what happened at the Oscars last Sunday for this article. But I will just focus on a couple of points. On the positive side, the film was so important to millions of young female African American girls. There is a place in this country to be Black and female, and to be loved and respected, and to be incredibly successful. What an important message. The film also showed how important good parenting is, and how crucial strong mothers can be to the health and well-being of their children. We all know that already, but it stood out even more so in the film.
But now, let’s not be like everybody else and just condemn Will Smith for his fall from grace. Let’s understand the oppressive system he was brought into, and how hard he has worked to overcome the odds against him and rise to be wildly successful as a Black man in our country. That cannot be forgotten.
And let’s not stop there. Let’s go further and let the world know that, because his fall from grace was viewed by so many millions of people, that Will Smith now has even more notoriety than ever before. It may not be the kind of recognition that he wanted. But nevertheless, it is what it is.
Opportunity knocks today for Will Smith. To transcend our limits, we first must accept them. If Smith can accept his violent behavior as a real problem, and not just run from the public eye and hide in shame, then he has the unique ability to step up and do an amazing service for the young men in our country. Will he join an anger management course? Will he reach out to a group that teaches nonviolent communication? Will he eventually create a foundation for all young boys, Black and white, to help them develop the skill of shifting anger and toxic masculinity into real empowerment? Only time will tell. But this writer will be cheering for Will Smith, and for him to publicly step up and use this incredible window of opportunity to bring such needed change in our struggling country.
Breakdowns can be seen as breakthroughs. It only takes one person to have the desire to see clearly, and to jump toward opportunity when it arises. But it’s also true that “None are so blind as those who will not see.” So, which path will Mr. Smith take?
Join the family! 
