Whereas a lot of the web continues to unpack the actions of Will Smith on the 2022 Oscars and what it means concerning the state of Hollywood and society typically, one other group has grow to be hell bent on proving it was nothing however an enormous conspiracy.
And many of the conclusions these conspiracy theorists have come to are, fairly frankly, extra of a disappointment than The Slap itself.
Associated: Whoopi Goldberg — An Academy Governor — Teases ‘Massive Penalties’ For Will
However for those who’re like us and nonetheless need to learn a few of these crackpot theories out of morbid curiosity, you’ve come to the proper place. Let’s dive in…
The Cheek Pad
Essentially the most simply disproved of all of the conspiracy theories is that Chris Rock was carrying a cheek pad — one thing we don’t suppose even exists outdoors this principle — on his face to cushion the blow.
This ludicrous concept has gained steam due to a photograph circulating on-line, which you’ll be able to see (under):
In 8k high quality photos you possibly can see a pad on chris rocks cheek, yeah conspiracy theorists gonna go loopy with this one pic.twitter.com/oFyMXOPkNy
— posting clips that went viral (@viralclipsss) March 28, 2022
The factor is, whereas it purports to be the REAL look, in “8k,” everybody watching the telecast on their HD TVs know there was no level by which Chris Rock — filmed fairly shut up — might be seen carrying this factor. It will be fairly apparent, even in lowly 4k. Ha!
But this REAL look is barely obtainable from this one angle? Yeah, sorry. Fairly clearly doctored.
The truth is, as Reuters definitively identified, the pic is by one in all their photographers, Brian Snyder, and it’s not even in 8k. And naturally, the unique, which you’ll be able to view HERE, does NOT include a “cheek pad.”
After all, the one manner Chris would know to put on a pad is that if…
“It was staged for publicity”
TBH, we determine most folk thought the slap was a comedy bit at first — till it turned clear Will was NOT taking part in. In the event that they’d all laughed it off, we may purchase it, however as is? No manner. However some of us have been nonetheless cautious they have been being tricked.
Fox Information anchor Lawrence Jones was one in all many voices insisting The Slap was “a staged act” to advertise Chris Rock’s upcoming stand-up tour with Kevin Hart.
Positive, there was the coincidence of Will instructing a child — named Chris of all issues — easy methods to take a faux slap on a video from a number of months in the past. But it surely’s not nearly if he may, it’s about if he would.
We guess it is smart that an entertainer would possibly promote their very own tour with an enormous publicity stunt… however why the heck would Will Smith tank his popularity to assist Chris promote tickets? Do these folks suppose they’re going backstage and shaking arms and splitting the income?? Sorry, that is NONSENSE, y’all!
“It was a Massive Pharma conspiracy??”
Sure, some folks truly suppose this can be a factor.
As you probably know, Smith got here for Rock after the comic made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair. Jada had beforehand opened up about her battle with alopecia, so this situation discovered itself in plenty of the dialogue surrounding The Slap.
Nicely, in keeping with some significantly imaginative QAnon of us on Twitter and TikTok, the reality was clear: The Slap was used to drum up assist for Pfizer’s new alopecia drug! (We want we have been kidding.) These theorists consider this was a secret plan by Oscars sponsor Pfizer to create buzz about alopecia earlier than it submitted its newest chemical cocktail for approval from the FDA.
Positive, Pfizer was certainly one of many Oscars co-sponsors — together with Rolex, Verizon, Crypto.com, Michelob, Snapchat, Subway, and Geico — and one in all its subsidiaries, Area, is growing a drug referred to as “etrasimod” as a doable longterm therapy for immuno-inflammatory ailments.
Nonetheless, this drug would probably deal with extra than simply alopecia, and Area had been growing it lengthy earlier than it was acquired by Pfizer in March 2022. Additionally, the FDA submission might be judged in “a scientific setting,” so it truly doesn’t matter what the general public thinks about alopecia.
Sigh…
“Chris Rock uttered the cursed phrase…”
Okay, this one would possibly truly maintain some weight, amongst our Broadway Infants at the least. LOLz! Some on-line theorists — who’re additionally presumably theater fans — recommend that the now notorious second was brought on by the curse of the Scottish play, aka Macbeth.
As it’s possible you’ll know, it’s an previous superstition that you just’re by no means imagined to say the identify of the Shakespeare character in a theater, besides to carry out or rehearse a line from the play. In accordance with folklore, the play was cursed from the beginning, when a coven of witches opposed Shakespeare’s use of their craft within the textual content.
As an alternative of claiming “Macbeth,” the character should be known as “the Scottish king” or “the Scottish lord,” and the work itself as “the Scottish play,” in any other case, catastrophe ensues.
Nicely, as destiny would have it, Rock talked about Macbeth by identify when praising Denzel Washington‘s efficiency within the Shakespearean drama — RIGHT earlier than The Slap went down. He stated:
“Denzel! Macbeth! Liked it!”
After The Slap occurred, Twitter customers wrote:
“To be truthful, Chris Rock put a hex on himself by saying ‘Macbeth’ in a theater”
“Maintain… Macbeth’s identify… out of your F**KING mouth”
“Very obsessive about this take that Chris set himself up for failure by saying ‘Macbeth’ out loud”
“I truly love the concept that Will Smith was merely appearing out karmic penalties for saying Macbeth within the theater. The one take I’ll be validating.”
Ha!
The curse superstition goes again to the very first efficiency of the play in round 1606, when the actor taking part in Girl Macbeth immediately died, so Shakespeare himself needed to play the half. It could appear ridiculous, however theater of us swear it’s nonetheless actual!
Conclusion…
Look, The Slap isn’t that sophisticated, y’all. It was merely the results of a beloved actor who momentarily misplaced his mood on the largest evening of his life. It was not staged for publicity or to push a brand new alopecia drug — nonetheless, we are able to’t say with certainty {that a} centuries-long curse had nothing to do with it both…
[Image via YouTube/AppleTV+/ABC]
