Poll: Most Americans Disagree with Will Smith Assaulting Chris Rock

will smith slaps
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Alana Mastrangelo

Most Americans disagree with Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars on Sunday over a joke the comedian made about the actor’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, according to a recent survey.

A Rasmussen survey found that 55 percent of American adults disagreed with Smith’s behavior, with 38 percent reporting that they “strongly disagreed.” Meanwhile, just 36 percent of Americans said they agreed with the assault, including 15 percent who “strongly agree.”

The survey, which included 1,000 U.S. American adults, was conducted on March 29 and 30 by Rasmussen Reports. The polling company noted that the margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95 percent level of confidence.

On Sunday, Smith marched onto the Oscars stage and struck Rock in the face after the comedian referred to his wife as “G.I. Jane.” The actor then twice shouted, “Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth” after retaking his seat in the audience — a scene that shocked audience members and viewers.

***LANGUAGE WARNING***

After the assault, many in Hollywood turned on Smith, referring to his onstage meltdown as a display of “toxic masculinity,” calling his excuses for hitting Rock “bullshit,” and noting that the actor’s behavior has likely set a “terrible precedent” for comedians on stage.

Comedian Tom Segura was especially displeased, reacting to Smith’s actions by proclaiming, “fuck that cuck,” and warning the “spineless cowards in Hollywood” who didn’t defend Rock, saying, “we’re going to ruin your fucking life.”

Meanwhile, Oscars co-hosts Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes also shared their dismay, with Schumer saying “the whole thing was so disturbing,” adding that she is “still triggered and traumatized” by the incident, and Sykes calling the moment “sickening,” adding, “you assault somebody, you get escorted out of the building and that’s it. For them to let him continue, I thought it was gross.”

The Academy Awards also condemned Smith’s actions, declaring that it “does not condone violence in any form,” and later announced a formal investigation into the matter.

Smith, however, appeared unbothered by the ordeal. The actor was free to collect his Oscar for Best Actor after the battery, and later danced the night away with fellow Hollywood elites at the Vanity Fair Oscars after party.

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You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Facebook and Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.

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