Photo: Arturo Holmes/FilmMagic; Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty
Bill Maherhas added his two cents to the discourse aroundWill SmithsmackingChris Rockat the94th Academy Awards.
TheReal Timehost, 66, chose to go afterJada Pinkett Smithand herstruggle with alopeciaFriday on his HBO talk show, downplaying the condition in his opening monologue before taking aim again later in the episode.
“I mean, alopecia, it’s not leukemia, OK?” Maher said at the beginning the show. “Alopecia is when your hair falls out … there are worst things.”
He later doubled down on the topic in a discussion with guestsAndrew YangandLaura Coates, admitting that he first thought Rock, 57, crossed a line with his “G.I. Jane 2” joke about Pinkett Smith, 50, until he googled alopecia.
“If you are so lucky in life as to have that be your medical problem, just say ‘Thanks God,'” he said. “It’s not life threatening. It’s part of — for most people, 80 percent of men, 50 percent of women — it’s part of aging.”
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“Aging is, trust me I know, it’s the degradation of the flesh. It happens to all of us. And you know, just put on a f—ing wig like everybody else atthe Oscarsif it bothers you so much,” Maher added.
Pinkett Smith has recentlyopened up abouther hair loss as a result ofher years-long struggle with alopecia. Sherecalled the “terrifying” momentshe was confronted with the condition during a 2018 episode ofRed Table Talk.
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“It was terrifying when it first started. I was in the shower one day and had just handfuls of hair in my hands and I was just like, ‘Oh my god, am I going bald?'” Pinkett Smith recounted.
The debacle at last weekend’s awards show unraveled after Rock made light of Pinkett Smith’s shaved hairstyle. “Jada, I love ya.G.I. Jane 2, can’t wait to see ya,” he joked.
Smith, 53, then walked onto stage and smacked Rock in the face, leaving the audience and live viewers around the world stunned. “Oh wow,” said a seemingly taken-aback Rock as Smith made his way back to his seat. “Will Smithjust smacked the s— out of me.”
“Keep my wife’s name out your f—ing mouth!” Smith yelled up to the stage at Rock after taking his seat again.
RELATED VIDEO: Jada Pinkett Smith Breaks Silence AfterWill SmithApologizes to Chris Rock
“I deprived other nominees and winners of their opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated for their extraordinary work. I am heartbroken. I want to put the focus back on those who deserve attention for their achievements and allow the Academy to get back to the incredible work it does to support creativity and artistry in film,” Smith added.
The Academy has sinceaccepted his resignation, adding that it will “continue to move forward with our disciplinary proceedings against Mr. Smith for violations of the Academy’s Standards of Conduct, in advance of our next scheduled board meeting on April 18.”
source: people.com
