Chris Rock and Will Smith Are My New Heroes—Some Thoughts

Chris Rock and Will Smith are my new heroes because Will Smith expressed his anger and a Black man did not die or go to jail. This situation could probably not have occurred with many other people.  They are both wealthy and have a lot to lose.

Actors smile when they are angry. They are accustomed to hiding their feelings.

I have often felt that actors are inauthentic persons.  They use different survival skills. Expressions of anger are rarely tolerated.  Therefore, anger is often displayed inappropriately.  They may also exhibit counterphobic behavior to mask their true feelings.  Chris is my hero because of the way he diffused the situation. He could have easily escalated it. I agree with Skip Bayless. I think Will Smith was still in the Richard Williams character. Will appeared to be going through something lately. I do not diagnose people that I do not know and have never seen. Remember,
Richard Williams expressed his anger and defended his family especially his girls. He was not popular because of it. Did Will Smith go too far?  We saw the consequences of a Black man expressing his anger. A ten year ban from the Oscars.  This is way too much punishment for the “crime”.  It shows us the Black man’s place in America and the Oscar’s intolerance for a Black man protecting his family albeit inappropriately.

Chris Rock is unique. Any other Black man would have slapped back. Rock is no fool. He is later quoted as saying “Mohammed Ali just slapped me.”  He understood the dynamics of fighting Will Smith. He did not press charges and make the situation worse. For this I will forever love and thank him. The Will Smith and Chris Rock slap may be the Black man’s independence day when the Black man could and did express normal feelings in public. These two Black men allowed America and certain persons to show us who they were and their feelings about Black men as people in general.  Make no mistake. America has some growing up to do as it concerns the Black man and Black people in general. Will Smith and Chris Rock just showed us that for all the world to see. I remember asking my Sociology professor who was telling us about the suicide rate in Black men at the time in 1968. It was extremely high.  Black men could not appropriately express their anger. I asked, “What will happen if the Black man stops internalizing his anger and committing suicide and projects his anger outwardly on the object of his anger?  Would the Black man become homicidal?” I asked.  My white professor did not have the answer.  Will Smith and Chris Rock showed us that Black men do not have to be homicidal or suicidal. They showed us how Americans respond to Black men expressing their anger. They have given us all food for thought. What should our response be to a Black man expressing his anger in public?
We owe these men some gratitude. They became authentic at a price. They are my new heroes!!!

Helen—
All Rights Reserved  5/18/22