‘Never, ever, ever any excuse’: Families of one-punch victims blast Will Smith
The mother of a man who died after being targeted in a one-punch attack says Will Smith’s reaction to Chris Rock’s poor Oscars taste joke was “totally unacceptable”.
After Chris Rock compared Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, who has alopecia, with Demi Moore’s character in 1997 film G.I. Jane, Smith walked on stage and slapped him across the face.
Catarina, whose son David Cassai died on New Year’s Eve in 2012 after being hit in the head, told Tony Jones there’s no excuse for assaulting someone.
“His reaction was totally unacceptable. He had an audience of millions … he could have condemned Chris Rock’s barbed joke,” she said.
“I would have thought he would have had enough resilience to not react in that way.
“Even though there might have been a bit of provocation that’s never, ever, ever any excuse to assault someone.”
Sasha, whose brother-in-law was also killed on a one-punch attack, slammed Smith’s “appalling” assault.
“He literally just showed the world if you don’t like what someone says you go and hit them,” she said.
“It’s wrong.”
Press PLAY below to hear the families of one-punch victims reactions to Will Smith hitting Chris Rock
The Academy is weighing up whether to strip Smith of his Best Actor award.
Smith has taken to Instagram to issue a public apology to Chris Rock.
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Image: Myung Chun / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Peter Ford brings us the reaction to Will Smith’s shocking Oscars attack