Brooke Boney explains why she defended Will Smith after he slapped Chris Rock

Channel 9 star Brooke Boney has spoken out after publicly defending Will Smith in light of the Oscar winner’s outburst yesterday.

Channel 9 star Brooke Boney has elaborated on her defence of Will Smith on the Today show this morning, clarifying that while she “doesn’t condone violence”, she stands with ableist jokes being called out publicly.

The entertainment reporter took to Twitter in the wake of the chaotic Oscars moment yesterday in support of the Smiths amid a sea of commentators lashing out at the Oscar winner for his burst of fury aimed at Chris Rock.

“To hell with black men who put black women down for the benefit of a mostly white audience. As if getting slapped on stage is worse than humiliating someone because they’re disabled,” Boney wrote.

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Brooke explained why her initial reaction was in defence of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith

Her take prompted fierce debate in the comments, with Channel 7 entertainment reporter Peter Ford writing: “Brooke there are better ways he could have shown his displeasure including getting up and walking out. It’s about respect & response. It’s about violence in a workplace. It’s about lack of consequences. It’s about a bunch of things but black isn’t one if then.”

Others backed Boney, with one follower chiming in: “Fairly sure Brooke knows that violence in the workplace (or anywhere) is not OK. Her tweet doesn’t say it is. And she isn’t the only POC to be calling Rock out for his jokes targeting black women (including the type of joke) especially at events filled mostly with white people.”

While addressing the saga on the Today show with Karl Stefanovic, Allison Langdon and Richard Wilkinson, Boney didn’t discuss the topic of race, but doubled down on her criticism of Rock’s joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s condition.

“I don’t condone violence in any way, obviously, but I did feel really bad for Jada. She’s got alopecia and he’s making fun of her in front of an international audience – it’s not a kind thing to do,” she said as Wilkinson offered his stance on the matter.

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Jada Pinkett Smith was forced to shave her head due to her hair loss. Picture: AFP.

“Imagine if instead of Smith jumping up and clocking him, imagine if he and Jada stood up and said, ‘We are out of here’ … left the room and got someone else to get up and accept his Oscar and explain what he was upset about,” he said.

“I think that would have been much more powerful and classy.”

Boney disagreed, pointing out that Rock has made jokes about Jada in the past.

“I don’t think silence is always the way – it seems (Rock) has it in for her for some reason or another and I think it is really punching down to make fun of someone who is there to support her husband.

“I’m not defending Smith because I really dislike violence, but I don’t always think it’s the best thing to do to just stay silent in the face of that behaviour.”

Wilkinson replied: “He lost his temper, it’s as simple as that and violence should not be the first resort.”

The audience was stunned into silence after the wild moment. Picture: AFP.

Brooke went on to point out the double standard of people supporting organised wrestling and boxing matches, yet slamming Smith for the slap.

“I’m not condoning violence – I think it’s abhorrent, but there are people who love UFC and boxing and are saying, ‘this is barbaric and shocking’, but happy to watch two people fight in a ring,” she said.

“I think the really sad thing here is so many people are upset about Chris Rock getting slapped when you’ve got someone with an international platform making fun of someone who has a hair-loss condition.

“I’d be more upset about that, people are really outraged by this slap and the focus should be on her.”

Boney said people should shift the focus from Will Smith, Chris Rock and the slap. Picture: AFP.

Boney isn’t the only public figure who has taken this stance, with British actress Jameela Jamil tweeting overnight that Smith was in the right to defend his wife.

“Will Smith said “Not Today”. A man big enough to absolutely floor him, slapped him softly enough that Chris barely moved, because he made fun of his wife’s alopecia on a world stage. Don’t say #protectBlackwomen for two years and then only condemn Will here. Come on…,” Jamil wrote.

The post included a quote from civil rights activist Malcolm X, which read: “The most disrespected person in America is the black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the black woman. The most neglected person in America is the black woman.”

Will Smith said “Not Today”. A man big enough to absolutely floor him, slapped him softly enough that Chris barely moved, because he made fun of his wife’s alopecia on a world stage. Don’t say #protectBlackwomen for two years and then only condemn Will here. Come on… pic.twitter.com/6aTfKlNynN

— Jameela Jamil 🌈 (@jameelajamil) March 28, 2022

Australian writer Vika Mana similarly praised the actor for the reaction to Rock’s joke.

“Bro I’m speechless, because Australian TV didn’t bleep a single word said from Will Smith,” Mana wrote.

“Praising this man for standing up for his wife because this is what disabled people have to deal with on a daily. Making ableist/ablenoir jokes about Jada on international TV is not on.”

Writer and actor Michelle Law offered a similar defence.

“As someone with alopecia, frankly go off Will Smith,” Law tweeted, adding in the comments, “It’d be different if Jada had cut her hair that way. But she didn’t. It’s an illness.”