'IT'S HOLLYWOOD, everything is fake'
Some viewers are convinced that Will Smith's slap of Chris Rock was fake, and was simply a way to generate interest in the awards show.
At the Oscars on Sunday night, Smith stormed on stage and hit Rock for a joke the comedian had just made about his wife, Jada.
But some are questioning whether the whole thing was staged or not.
One Twitter user listed the reasons he thought the slap was fake, pointing out that the Oscars "needed to find a way for people to care about the show again," and claiming that the "punch sound was not right."
He added that Smith and Rock are "actors, it's their job to fake things," adding: "IT'S HOLLYWOOD, everything is fake."
https://twitter.com/BFordLancer48/status/1508280020812378113
Others have pointed out that it looks like Rock is bracing for the slap as if he knew it was about to happen, with one even labelling the pair "marketing geniuses for this one."
https://twitter.com/UndefeatedRatio/status/1508296760250314754
https://twitter.com/BlackDaveNYC/status/1508298621858586631
Another was on the fence about whether it was fake or not but pointed out that "ratings have plummeted for awards shows" and that the clip was "viral material."
https://twitter.com/AdamMKaufman/status/1508273564557975559
Someone else said that only "sheeps be believing it," suggesting that "they want your attention away from something." They did not clarify what that "something" was.
https://twitter.com/MFHoz/status/1508385603460734980
Smith had initially laughed at the joke Rock made, which also raised the suspicions of some viewers.
The initial laughter from the crowd at the slap seems to suggest that many inside the auditorium suspected it may be staged, but when Smith continues to shout at Rock from his seat the moment becomes a lot more tense as everyone realises it may have been a genuine altercation.
https://twitter.com/moreoffilms/status/1508277114398978048
Smith's emotional and tearful apology during his acceptance speech after winning the award for Best Actor also seemed pretty genuine.
In his speech Smith reflected on how "people talk crazy about you" in the film industry, and said that "you've got to be able to take abuse." He also revealed that after the incident, Denzel Washington told him: "At your highest moment, be careful, that's when the devil comes for you."
https://twitter.com/RGIII/status/1508291050888216580
Neither Smith or Rock have confirmed whether the altercation was real or not.
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