I was really glad to see so many of you defending Will Smith – or not outright bashing him – for his “slapping” of a Ukrainian journalist in Moscow last week. We covered it on Sunday – Will was working the press line at the Moscow premiere of Men In Black III when this Ukrainian reporter tried to kiss Will on both cheeks and the mouth. Will shoved the guy away, and then as Will was walking away, he lightly back-slapped the guy’s cheek. The situation was really awkward, and I thought Will didn’t really deserve the public bashing he got on some sites. I don’t think the slap was necessary, but then again, the kissing was over-the-top. Here’s the video again:
You know what I like about that video? It shows Will reacting, laughing about it, and then simply moving on to the next media outlet. Dude’s a pro. He didn’t pitch a hissy fit, he didn’t bitch out one of his handlers and make it into some epic drama. He just moved on and continued doing his job.
Anyway, Will was on The Late Show with David Letterman last night, and Dave asked him about the incident. Will’s reaction was still pretty solid, I think. Will said: “He says, ‘I’m you’re biggest fan, can I have a hug?’ So I go to give this joker a hug, and he tries to lean in and kiss me! It was just awkward, Dave…They were like, ‘Oh, no, we’re sorry, you know. It’s just his ‘schtick,’ you know. And I said, ‘well, that’s why his ass got schtuck.'” Here’s the video:
Eh. I still think it’s fine. I mean, I hate when people invade my personal space too, so I can completely understand Will’s reaction, and I think he’s talking about it with the right attitude. If anything, this incident has kind of made me like him more.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I, for one, really love Willy’s public persona.
Me too, I love him I can’t help it!!
I do too.
And I actually like all of the $cientologists’ public personas (that I know of), with the exception of John Travolta because he seems so sad and desperate. Paul Haggis said in that New Yorker $cientology piece that the church had probably helped him after all, because it was like being in intensive talk therapy for years and years.
I think this is why the $cientologists seem to have such positive and optimistic and, well, attractive personalities–because they’ve exorcised their demons through talk therapy. Granted, they believe the polygraph test they’re taking is measuring their thetan purity or whatever that sh!t is, but still. The polygraph (e-meter) lets the “auditor” see when some topic gets a physiological reaction, and then they have to talk through it.
That’s why the CO$ can advertise to and lure in actors–it basically makes them self-reflective in a way most people never are, and it allows a person to intentionally think about his choices and direction of his life, which usually leads to better choices and direction, which usually leads to success.
The same is probably true of someone who confesses to a priest honestly and intensively every week. That level of self-searching and accountability is probably great for your outlook and personality, especially when paired with belief in a good and loving God–not some intergalactic asshole who buried you and everyone else at the bottom of a volcano because there wasn’t enough Tang and freeze-dried ice cream to go around in the galaxy.
So, basically talk-therapy = good, BS surrounding Scientology = ridiculous. I concur. I think when done in the right way talk therapy can be useful, but I also find that you can’t always find a therapist that does it well.
Oh, and everyone: WILL SMITH IS NOT A SCIENTOLOGIST! He denied it and if you are a Scientologist, and you deny it, you become labled a supressed person. Which basically means if Will ever was a Scientologist, he wasn’t the moment word got back that he denied it.
Link Party:
http://www.hollyscoop.com/will-smith/will-smith-denies-scientology-claims.html
http://www.tmz.com/2008/03/18/will-smith-i-am-not-scientologist/
I agree, Will seems like he is a nice guy as far as his public persona goes.
I have no problem with the way he handled the situation, seemed pretty level headed about it to me..
He could have leveled the guy with one of his Mohammad Ali moves and I’d still defend what he did. No one should be able to assault you, man or woman. And good on him for laughing it off rather than threatening to sue like some high strung diva (cough*kimkardashian*cough).
ITA with everything you just said.
“It’s just his ‘schtick,’ you know. And I said, ‘well, that’s why his ass got schtuck.’” Quite possibly the best comeback ever~LOL!
Can you imagine what went through Will’s head?? “What if he’s a good kisser?” Nah, he doesn’t do that (in public). I totally would have done the same thing. No one has a right to invade your personal space
I admire how Will handled the whole thing. A hug, sure. A kiss on both cheeks, sure. A kiss on the lips? What the actual f-ck? Hellllllllll no. You can’t just go around kissing people on the lips, it’s way to personal and unhealthy.
I’m not a touchy-feely person and I have a rather large personal space bubble. I can deal with hugs okay but kissing is awkward and uncomfortable for me. Once a fool gets near my mouth (and it’s not my man), I’ll be ready to do a little slappin’ too! I totally get his reaction
I’ve always found Will Smith to be a decent person (at least from what little I know of him looking in from the outside) and you can tell by his Graham Norton appearance that he is game for a laugh, nothing stuck up about him. I totally defend his reaction, it was invasive and received the appropriate reaction.
The man is just gorgeous
Seriously what is his secret? Apart from his face filling out a little, he doesn’t look much older than his Fresh Prince days. I swear when I am his age I am going to look like a troll
I think he’s using some sort of ritual magic to steal Cameron Diaz’s youth to keep himself young.
His Letterman interview is hilarious.
Will was right in what he did. In the US, under Common Law, the photog/reporter committed simple assault and Will protected himself. Having said that, they were in Russia and God knows if they even have any laws there anyway, and this creep thug will sue Will and Will’s team will have to settle $$$$$ because he is the star…technically speaking, Will should counter sue this j/o for simple assault…that won’t happen though.
Yup, God knows. And yup, they have laws there anyway. WTF? Surprised you did not mentioned bears on the Red Square.
No, the creep is a troll and would not sue anyone.
Yeah, it’s obvious he was surprised by some weirdo literally getting in his face. It’s not like he hurt the guy. I’d probably do the same thing in that situation. At least he’s laughing it off now rather than being a drama queen.
Honestly, I like that Will did it. I hate when people take advantage of the situation and enjoy forcing themselves on people for the fun of it.
There was one guy I used to work with that used to “fall” a lot and try to use it as an excuse to grope myself and other women. Every time he did it I wanted to slap the smile off his face.
Man or woman, people need to make it clear what is and isn’t acceptable to do to their bodies without permission. I hope that taught the reporter a valuable lesson. Maybe next time he wont be such a sleazy d*&@.
I’m glad people aren’t vilifying him for his reaction either. The moment someone invades my personal space like that, they’ve relinquished their right to me not whooping their butt.
He behaved surprisingly well considering the situation and composed himself well after the fact.
It could be a cultural misunderstanding. I know that the old Soviet leader used to great people with a real kiss on the mouth.
Here a picture where he is kissing an old East German leader.
http://www.google.se/search?q=brezhnev+kiss&hl=sv&client=safari&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=Ihe9T_PPOYbZ4QT33t0f&ved=0CF4QsAQ&biw=320&bih=416#i=0
If you look at how the guy really leaned in and *grabbed* him, I can see why Smith bugged out and shoved the guy. If someone leaned in that close and then reached around my neck and pulled me towards them, I’d have no idea what was about to happen, so I’d go from 0 to “GTF OFF ME” in about 0.25 seconds.
the reason that reporter tried to kiss him is probably because he knows Will is a closeted homosexual. all the press lately around that could potentially pinch things for Will and his box office revenue. that’s why now Jada is all of a sudden the doting wife again when she’s been fairly MIA for months. it’s all such a farce!
I really don’t see how that makes it OK to grab someone and try to stick your tongue down his throat without warning or consent.
I agree with Cindy and the others who are on Will’s side. And so what if he is gay? Which I highly doubt. It is not OKAY ever to do what this jerk did. Who knows what kind of disease he might have. Even if he didn’t, it’s just not right and I would have done the same thing. It’s not like he really punched the guy out either. Just let him know his place. Team Will.
It makes no difference if it were a male or female celebrity the guy tried to kiss. It’s still assaulting someone. I would have liked to have seen Will punch the guy, but he couldn’t since it would have caused a major incident.
Will Smith being gay will not hurt his box office career at all. MIB can stand on its own merit. How do you know Tommy Lee Jones isn’t gay or Emma Thompson? Would it change the film if they all were? If an actor does his job right, we lose ourselves in the character they are playing. Their real life has nothing to do with the content and entertainment value of any film.
Urgh. Can’t stand him he’s so affected and fake, even Tom Cruise’s laugh doesn’t sound as fake as Will Smith’s.
His ego outshines Cruises’s which I thought impossible.
There is an aura of bs and lies around WS that is just re-pul-sive.
That’s what I admired most about the incident. That Will slipped right into the next group, laughing it all of with good natured cheer.