Rita Panahi: Aftermath of Oscars slap reveals Hollywood’s moral compass

If Will Smith wasn’t one of acting world’s most bankable stars, he would have been in the back of a police car after the Oscars — but this is Hollywood.

Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith after he won Best Actor at the Oscars. Picture: AFP

It says something about Hollywood’s warped moral compass that Will Smith got a standing ovation shortly after assaulting Chris Rock. And it says something about Smith’s warped perspective that he tearfully apologised to everybody, from the Academy to Serena and Venus Williams, but not to the man he assaulted.

If Smith wasn’t one of acting world’s biggest and most bankable stars, he would’ve been in the back of a police car instead of accepting a gold statue on stage.

But then again this is Hollywood where the A-list turned a blind eye to Harvey Weinstein’s predatory antics and gave a standing ovation to convicted child rapist Roman Polanski.

The slap was real, it was ugly and unhinged and it completely overshadowed Smith’s greatest professional triumph. Picture: AFP

They love lecturing the little people about morality and sociopolitical issues, and they did again during Monday’s ceremony, but as a group they are ill-equipped to opine about anything beyond who is best at pretending.

Now, when I first saw Smith slap Rock I thought it was a manufactured stunt, a set-up to maximise publicity. But it was quite clearly nothing of the sort.

Firstly, Smith is a bona fide A-lister who would not give two hoots about boosting the flagging ratings of an awards ceremony, one that he and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, have criticised in the past. He would be the last man to risk reputational damage to prop up the Oscars.

Will Smith would be the last man to risk reputational damage to prop up the Oscars. Picture: AFP

Secondly, he was nominated for the coveted best actor in a leading role, and won for the first time in his stellar career, but now the event will be remembered for his demented reaction to a little joke about his wife’s baldness.

In the aftermath of the slap he was comforted by several actors, including Denzel Washington. In his acceptance speech he revealed what Washington said to him: “At your highest moment, be careful, that’s when the devil comes for you”.

Smith also made a point of comparing himself to the man he portrayed in his Oscar-winning performance: “Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family,” he said. “Love will make you do crazy things.”

In the aftermath of the slap he was comforted by several actors, including Samuel L Jackson. Picture: AFP

You would think Smith would be more concerned about the ridicule his wife invites by sharing details of their unconventional “open marriage” than some lame joke about her alopecia. As African-American commentator Rob Smith said: “Every black male stereotype acted out for the world to see by the biggest black male movie star in American history: violent, overly emotional, lack of impulse control”.

The slap was real, it was ugly and unhinged and it completely overshadowed Smith’s greatest professional triumph.

Rita Panahi is a Herald Sun columnist