Slap-happy Will Smith should have been kicked out of the Oscars ceremony for his attack on comedian Chris Rock.
That “joke” about Jada’s hair was a low blow, but the roasting of A-listers is now all part of the show.
Smith appeared to be pretend-laughing along too, until he saw his wife was really upset.
But after striking Rock he was allowed to return to his seat, yell foul-mouthed abuse and, during the next ad break, accept the comforting hugs of fellow stars including Denzel Washington and Bradley Cooper.
Then everybody cheered and applauded when he picked up his gong and wobbled their bottom lips at his long, tearful speech, pictured right.
It took four days of dithering before the academy’s board of governors launched disciplinary action, admitting they asked Smith to leave the ceremony but he refused.
“We could have handled the situation differently” they say.
Too right.
A couple of burly security guards marching Smith from his seat would have done the job.
And, as his Best Actor award was announced, an official could have made clear that violence is always unacceptable and that further action would follow.
Then those image-conscious, sycophantic A-listers would all have clapped along and reinforced the message.
Smith has now done the right thing and resigned from the Oscars Academy over his “inexcusable actions”. Officials insist disciplinary proceedings will continue but their tardy response has allowed him to control the narrative.
I don’t believe Smith should be stripped of his award though –he won it for his acting performance, not his petulant personal one.
But he should have been publicly censured by the Academy on the night
Instead, the whole nasty incident has tarnished the Oscars just as they had bounced back from the pandemic in a blaze of old-school glamour.
So enough about slap-happy Will. Let’s focus on the real stars – the winners, nominees and guests who SHOULD have captured the limelight.
Like West Side Story legend Rita Moreno. Because the evergreen 90-year-old drew audible gasps when she hit the red carpet in a stunning, shoulder-baring Carolina Herrera gown and dramatic feathered headpiece.
And THAT is the definition of a true Oscars knockout.
