UnderCurrent

Having been asked to write an op on this topic since my phone began blowing up with text and calls since Sunday around 10-ish. After not watching the Oscars in years, my wife and I were to watch Kaley Cuoco’s new exciting series “The Flight Attendant”, on TBS, my intentions were to write a short column for my other gig that actually pays, for that show. Well, well, how things change and pivot. Working in my “basement bunker”, I admit, my TV was on the Oscars, but not watching, my wife was texting from our upstairs family room to hurry because our show was coming on soon. Chris Rock was walking on stage, that automatically caught my attention, after all, having met Rock a few times in comedy clubs in L.A. in the late 90’s when trying to break into the business. Chris is a super nice dude and very funny, my comedy hacks was usually limited to Sopranos‘ jokes, and a couple takes on people in the South. But Rock was the headliner back in the day, and the show everyone paid to see. So, waiting to see his presentation for best documentary Oscar, Chris made his usually funny faces, and remarks began to fly, when his attention switched to Jada Pinkett Smith, his remark was “Jada, love ya, G.I. Jane 2 –can’t wait to see it!”, that was it! – he didn’t make any derogatory remarks or question Will’s manhood! Will actually laughed and smirked, until Jada did an impromptu eyeroll and shot a dagger at Rock. Now, Smith stands up and starts walking to the stage and my thinking was, well, this is a work, as they say in the professional wrestling business, the swing of his hand was sort of weak, and Chris actually “leaned into the swing”, and also had his hands in his pockets, that’s why my thinking of staged crossed my mind. The telecast went silent, not a 7 second delay, it was at least a minute. As the camera viewed Smith sitting dropping F-bombs to “keep my wife’s name outta you f**king mouth!”

My thought switched to Chris’ well-being, he would not weigh 180 lbs. soaking wet, and to be swung down on by someone the size of Will Smith who will probably tip scales at around 240-250?- maybe more? Come on Will, you have to have more class than that!

Now for my opinion– Now that you have the facts….. Will Smith would not have walked up on Dewayne Johnson, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube or anyone else his size or larger, and further more, when Smith started his rant, Chris’ reply should have been, “NO!- I’m not going to give your wife a pass, this is what I get paid to do, C-O-M-E-D-Y, if ya’ll can’t take it, clean your table off, make sure you tip to your waiters and bartenders, and move it on out Fresh Prince….. and take Jada Jane with you- damn Will, you’ve done this shit before, you know how it works – Oh, and by the way, was that your best shot? And, was I the smallest dude in here you could find to smack?- Where’s Peter Dinklage when you need him????”

I’m not so sure what will become of this dumpster fire, the Academy is solely responsible for all that goes down at these events and is investigating. Chris Rock showed some class Sunday night, Will Smith did not.- Oops, went over my word limit but-That’s My Opinion Under 500.-Chow.

Z a c k B u s h.