Will Smith’s Oscars Slap Has, Unfortunately, Made It All The Way To The White House

The reactions to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars continue to roll in. Judd Apatow called it “embarrassing” and “dangerous,” Jim Carrey was “sickened” by the post-slap standing ovation Smith received after winning Best Actor, Zoe Kravitz referred to the Oscars as a “show where we are apparently assaulting people on stage now,” Alec Baldwin got involved because of course Alec Baldwin got involved, and so on.

The Slap has even made its way to the White House, where Joe Biden’s communications director Kate Bedingfield was asked what the president thinks about “the biggest story right now.”

“You saw the level of violence that was unleashed on Chris Rock. Is that something that the White House condones — that type of violence? Do you condemn it? And do you do anything to support comedians who have been attacked and other artists?” Today News Africa’s Simon Ateba asked Bedingfield, who’s filling in Jen Psaki while she recovers from COVID-19. She replied, “I don’t have any official comment from the White House on the altercation. I know the president was not able to watch the Oscars. Didn’t see it. So I don’t have any official comment from him or from the White House on this.”

Anyone hoping for Biden to call Smith a “jackass,” like Barack Obama did with Kanye West 10 years ago, sorry but you’re out of luck. Instead, most people are disappointed that a multi-millionaire slapping another multi-millionaire was referred to as “the biggest story right now” when there are much bigger stories happening.