It took a slap in the face for me to realize the Oscars were going on. Who would’ve thought?
There’s just too much going on in life to concern myself with such things. But here I am.
So, I guess Hollywood has pulled it off yet again. Reminding us ever so subtly (maybe not this year) that they’re still somehow relevant.
There’s been enough debate about the incident between Chris Rock and Will Smith, and I’m not one to pile on.
Maybe it was choreographed, or maybe not. But that’s not why I’m writing this.
In the aftermath, I noticed that words like violence, assault and fight were being bandied around the press and on social media.
As a former professional MMA fighter that has been with the sport since its early years, it’s surprising how the concept of violence continues to be misunderstood.
Did Will Smith exact violence against Chris Rock? Probably not with a slap.
Was the intention behind his actions violent? You could make a strong case for it.
A man apparently disagreed with what another man said. So yes, he chose violence. He strode up on stage and “slapped the shit out of me” to quote Chris Rock.
Why does this matter anyway?
I’m in the fight business. It’s no big deal, right? I’ve seen guys get into it all the time.
Except this isn’t all the time and this is not just some other guy.
I hardly consider celebrities role models, but I believe many young impressionable children do.
With each passing day, it’s getting harder to justify that “violence solves nothing”.
Unhappy with what somebody said? Slap them in the face.
Disagree with a country’s autonomy and self-governance? Just launch an invasion.
Since time immemorial, society has been largely governed by rules and laws. It’s a sense of order to this world in which we navigate.
And if those boundaries are ever breached, consequences should follow.
Except we’re realizing that may not always be the case.
What’s pernicious about how things went down at the Oscars is – and I’m guessing most will agree with me – is that nothing much will come from it.
There will likely be little to no consequences. No jail time, but just some anger management classes. Something an A-list Hollywood celebrity like Will Smith, who’s worth about $350million can afford to shrug off without breaking a sweat.
If the roles were reversed, had that been anyone of us striking another human being unprovoked, we would be arrested and in prison. More social and professional repercussions would follow.
In my sport of mixed martial arts, the concept of violence still overrides aggression in the minds of many.
The action people see in the octagon is so visceral, it cuts deep. It’s gnarly and raw. These are men with scores to settle, bad blood and deep rivalries who willingly throw themselves into the fray. Words are exchanged and fists fly.
It’s a fight as they say.
But violence? Nah.
What the majority of folk don’t understand is that MMA is not a violent sport. It’s an aggressive sport. Fighters channel their animosities into aggression toward each other in the octagon.
But after the match, you know it’s done. Sometimes it can take a couple of matches, but wherever and however it started, it all ends inside the octagon. That’s the unspoken rule and a code that all fighters know.
Jorge Masvidal sucker-punched rival welterweight Colby Covington recently in a steakhouse in Miami. I’m light on the exact details but suffice to say Colby was caught off-guard and has suffered injuries.
Despite having settled their bad blood within the octagon at UFC 272, their aggression spilled out into the public domain and turned violent.
That boundary was broken and Masvidal, who acted out of character, will have to pay the price for his actions. Felony charges, fines and possibly prison.
Rules exist for this very reason. Because it’s in the absence of consequences that true violence can occur.
Will Smith chose violence but unlike Masvidal, there will likely be no proportionate punishment or consequences for him.
I’m not here to debate whether the joke was in poor taste. Chris is a comedian. Roasts are a part of Hollywood festivities.
Having been in the business for nearly three decades, Will would have known that.
Will knew what he was doing. For a fraction of a second, as he rose from his seat to walk onto the stage, he believed he could get away with it – the slap, the humiliation and the sheer audacity of it all.
Maybe that’s the world that he lives in.
Fortunately, I know that in my world – in my sport – you don’t break the code.
No matter who you are or how you feel, there is a time and place for everything.
Until then, keep your hands to yourself.