Nolte: Will Smith Releases Bizarre Video Apology to Chris Rock

With his career in a tailspin, former superstar Will Smith released a rather bizarre video Friday where he apologizes again to comedian Chris Rock and attempts to answer some of the lingering questions around his Oscar-night assault on the comedian.

Watch below:

It’s good that he’s apologizing to Rock and to Rock’s family, specifically to Rock’s mother.

It’s also good that Smith has tried to reach out to Chris Rock. For reasons we all understand, though, Rock isn’t interested in talking to Smith.

In that video, Smith also says a few things that are a tad off. Like this…

“Disappointing people is my central trauma. I hate when I let people down. So it hurts,” Smith says in answer to a question about what he’d say to those he “let down.”

Is this really about Will Smith’s trauma? Or his central trauma? What does that even mean?

Then he adds this: “The work I’m trying to did is I am deeply remorseful, and I’m trying to be remorseful without being ashamed of myself.”

Why shouldn’t he be ashamed of himself after his disgraceful behavior?

Shame is a good thing.

Shame is a teacher.

Listen, I don’t think Will Smith should be locked in Bad Public Relations Prison for the rest of his natural life. He’s apologized. He’s paid a price, not only with his immediate career prospects (which have vanished), but with his legacy. A man who entertained and charmed us for three decades blew himself up in front of the whole world, and did so on the very night he was to achieve a career triumph with a well-deserved Best Actor Oscar.

In one stupid moment, he destroyed his image, how he will be remembered, and his greatest professional moment. It was the melt downs of all melt downs by an actor whose entire image was based on being cool and never caught off guard.

Listen, I believe in forgiveness. I believe in second chances. Will Smith deserves both.

Nevertheless, who talks like this? Who gives advice to a Will Smith to talk like this?

Do you have to remove your penis before you can discuss your “trauma” and how you’re “working on yourself?”

I don’t think Smith is helping himself.

Part of his problem is that Smith’s rehabilitation is tied directly to how Chris Rock chooses to handle this, and right now Rock is allowing Smith to twist in the wind while he publicly ridicules him.

Rock is getting his pound of flesh and then some, and Smith is releasing videos like this hoping he can do an end run around Rock and appeal directly to the public.

Unfortunately for Smith, the public probably won’t be ready to move on until Rock agrees to shake hands and accept the apoplogy.

For now, Rock is much more interested in paying Smith back, and who can blame him for that?

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