Like most of the entertainment world at this point, Joe Rogan weighed in on Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars after the comedian told a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith. Despite his MMA background, and having actual MMA fighter Josh Barnett on his podcast, Rogan did a surprising amount of pearl-clutching over the incident. The podcaster sided firmly with people who thinks Smith should’ve been kicked out of the event after he “assaulted a small comedian.” (We’re sure Rock appreciated that adjective.)
“They should’ve ejected him! They should’ve ejected him from the show!” Rogan said before arguing that Smith’s actions could put other stand-up comics at risk. Via Mediaite:
Rogan continued, “you can’t just go smack a man in the face in front of the world and go about business as usual. It sets a terrible precedent in so many different ways. It sets a terrible precedent for comedy clubs. Like, are people going to decide to go on stage and smack a comedian now?”
After calming down, Rogan conceded that people probably aren’t going to start jumping stages and popping comics in the mouth, but the potential is there because society looks up to actors.
“The Academy Awards is supposed to be them in their most regal,” Rogan said. “Their most regal outfits, their best behavior and to drop down to violence for something so innocuous as a G.I. Jane joke… this is a nonsense scene where you’re allowed to just go smack someone!”
So there you have it, Joe Rogan’s biggest takeaway from The Slap is that comedians like Joe Rogan might get hit now even if they’re dressed all fancy. What a stunning observation that truly showcases the podcaster’s uncanny ability to think outside of the box. Remarkable.
(Via Mediaite)