Kareem Abdul-Jabbar criticizes Will Smith, saying the star's violent outburst at the Oscars helps perpetuate “stereotypes about the Black community.” Born Lew Alcindor before changing his name when he converted to Islam in 1971, Abdul-Jabbar is well-known as an NBA legend and the basketball league's all-time leading scorer with 38,387 points. Throughout his long career, Abdul-Jabbar has been outspoken about various social issues, namely the unfair treatment of African Americans in the United States, even protesting the 1968 Summer Olympics to raise awareness about the issue.
The 94th Annual Academy Awards aired this past Sunday night on ABC, an event dedicated to honoring the year's best films, which was unfortunately overshadowed by Will Smith storming the stage and slapping Chris Rock in response to a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. The joke in question teased Pinkett Smith for her short hair, the result of an autoimmune disorder called alopecia. Rock's controversial joke and Smith's violent response has started a public debate about when comedy crosses a line and if Smith's actions were warranted, with various celebrities weighing in and coming down on various sides.
Now, Abdul-Jabbar is the latest to condemn Smith's actions, which he believes help perpetuate “stereotypes about the Black community.” In a Substack column titled “Will Smith Did a Bad, Bad Thing,” the NBA legend shared his complete thoughts on the matter, including how Smith's violent outburst "advocated violence, diminished women, and insulted the entertainment industry." Read the relevant portion of Abdul-Jabbar's column below:
"When Will Smith stormed onto the Oscar stage to strike Chris Rock for making a joke about his wife’s short hair, he did a lot more damage than just to Rock’s face. With a single petulant blow, he advocated violence, diminished women, insulted the entertainment industry, and perpetuated stereotypes about the Black community."
Abdul-Jabbar goes on to slam Smith for failing to live up to his responsibility as a role model for young Black boys. He points out how the situation is exacerbated by commentators who attempt to characterize Smith as a "superhero-like protector," which makes those who look up to him "much more prone to follow in his childish footsteps.” Abdul-Jabbar argues this is evidenced by Jaden Smith's response to the slap, who simply tweeted "And That's How We Do It," throwing his support behind his father.
While many have defended Smith as a loving husband defending his wife, Abdul-Jabbar argues that his actions were "also a slap to women," as his violent response implies Pinkett Smith is not capable of defending herself against mere words. In short, Abdul-Jabbar's column is not only a strong condemnation of Smith's actions, but those who attempt to justify them. Of all the celebrity responses to the Oscars slap so far, many of which have been impulsive and flippant, Abdul-Jabbar's is one of the most well-thought-out, replete with various salient points.
Source: Substack