Far-left Democrats Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) and Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) initially showed support for Will Smith after the famed actor slapped Oscars cohost and comedian Chris Rock onstage, only to later delete their apparent support of violence.
Smith, who won an Oscar for his lead role in King Richard, stunned viewers Sunday night after walking onto the stage and slapping Rock across the face — a reaction apparently triggered by a joke about Smith’s wife’s bald head, as the comedian jokingly referenced “G.I. Jane 2.” Smith’s wife, actress Jada Pinkett Smith, apparently has alopecia, which causes hair loss, and looked visibly annoyed by Rock’s joke.
After sitting down after the slap, Smith shouted, “Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth”:
While the internet debated whether the moment was staged or not, Pressley and Bowman used the opportunity to show their support.
“#Alopecia nation stand up!” Pressley, who has the same condition, said, thanking Will Smith and giving a “shout out to all the husbands who defend their wives living with alopecia in the face of daily ignorance & insults.” She later deleted the tweet:
Bowman took to social media, writing, “Teachable Moment: Don’t joke about a Black Woman’s hair.” He later deleted that tweet as well:
It remains unclear if the left-wing lawmakers experienced a sudden change of heart or still support Smith’s public assault. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, however, released a statement noting that it does “not condone violence of any form,” although it did not withdraw Smith’s award.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), Rock is not pressing charges.