'It Was A Bad Choice': West Philadelphia Community Reacts To Local Icon Will Smith Slapping Chris Rock
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Many people are talking about Sunday night's Academy Awards, and not because of the winners. One moment is overshadowing the historic highlights.
Comedian Chris Rock was presenting an award when he made a joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith that seriously offended her husband, Will Smith.
Smith apparently became upset after Rock joked about his wife's alopecia, a hair loss condition that she's dealt with for years.
After the slap, Smith returned to his seat and yelled expletives toward Rock.
Will Smith is really an iconic figure in West Philly and for all of the city. But some people say the situation could have been handled better.
As hair clippers buzz around at Sharp Skills Barbershop in West Philadelphia, there was a lot of buzz about Smith's reaction at the Academy Awards.
"His first reaction was he was laughing," a man said.
"I can't say what's going on with this man right now. What's going on his life? What's happening with him? But it was a bad choice," another man said.
Despite the reaction, some insist the "King Richard" star should still be able to keep the Oscar he won later that night for best actor.
"He earned his Oscar for acting, so he should keep his Oscar and he actually should be considered for another Oscar because we're all tuning in next year after what just happened this year," a barber said.
"I think it was unnecessary. I think it was uncalled for," former Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams said.
Williams knew Smith in high school in the mid-1980s before the West Philly native became nationally known as the fresh prince.
"We need more respect, we need hope, we need love. And it's unfortunate that last night that's not what we saw between two people, that for the most part, we've all come to really respect their work," Williams said.
Philly's current District Attorney Larry Krasner added at an unrelated news conference Monday that Smith and Rock probably both regret their actions.
"Maybe we should all give them a little bit of grace because as Bryan Stevenson has said many times, you are not the worst thing you ever did," Krasner said.
The LAPD says Rock does not plan to file charges.
