Body Language Analyst REACTS to Will Smith's Apology to Chris Rock Oscar Slap.

After Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards, the event was talked about on every news outlet in the world. 3 months later, the oscar winning actor made a public apology video to Chris Rock, his family and his fans. In the video, Will Smith apologizes for his behavior and claims that his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith had nothing to do with his actions. But what does his body language tell us? Find out now?
Full Apology Video on Will Smith's channel here: • It's been a minute...
Check out my analysis of the original incident here:
part 1: • Body Language Analyst ...
part 2: • Body Language Analyst ...
Find me on:
TikTok: vm.tiktok.com/9X42QX/
Instagram: / spideyhypnosis
facebook: / spideymagic
twitter: / spideyhypnosis
TIMESTAMPS
01:20 What do you Think of Will Smith's Apology
06:10 Analysis of the Setting
10:10 Will Smith Apology Analysis
16:40 Will Smith Apology to Chris Rock's Mother
22:45 is Will Smith's Remorse Authentic?
28:25 Did Jada Pinkett Smith Have Anything to do With This?
38:55 How Does Will Smith Really feel?
#bodylanguage #behavioranalysis #willsmith #theslap #oscars2022 #chrisrock #liedetection #learnbodylanguage #thebehavioralarts #howtoreadpeople #psychology

[@KASalaam2U]

The correct question regarding Jada should have been, “Why did Jada’s eye rolling trigger such a violent reaction in you, because you were laughing at Chris’ joke up to that point?”

[@onangelwings462]

Exactly 💯 because Will was actually laughing at the joke and she busted him for it

[@musicismagic3001]

Will - “Because if I answer this honestly, Jada is going to abuse me more. So I will protect her to protect me and the kids.”

[@DLJoLo]

THAT is the obvious question. He was laughing…. Then? What happened between him laughing and the slap? Bc it was SOMETHING.

[@arich16]

He didn't see her roll her eyes, that was her reaction while, he was busy laughing, just as others were. Yet if he did take an emotional queue from his wife, so?

[@KASalaam2U]

@@arich16 I’m sure you’ll figure it out.

[@laur131306]

Okay can we talk about how "Jada had nothing to do with this"? Wake up, Will. She had a lot to do with it. Emasculating and embarrassing you in front of the world multiple times and psychologically and emotionally abusing you has chipped away at you. You made the ultimate decision to explode...but she lit the match in my opinion. His apology to Jada was more sincere than his one to the man he assaulted. He needs to get away from her for the sake of his mental health.

[@itsamonkieplanet9367]

Literally THE REASON he felt any way the was appropriate

[@mermaiddiyartist8119]

Exactly

[@laur131306]

@@itsamonkieplanet9367 yep and I have a serious suspicion and belief that she had a large part in making it clear that she had nothing to do with it. I think a lot of people know better which just makes her look worse to me.

[@jessicaauerbach2296]

💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯

[@ruckusrevolution9475]

I think it's too late. There is no recovering after this much grooming.

[@meredithdixon1236]

He was “fogged out”, but recovered quickly in time to attend the after party and was dancing it up with his award in his hand. I actually keep forgetting that he won something.

[@rebeccariehle2764]

I have to agree, and while this behavior doesn't take a way from the talent that brought him the award, he should've been escorted out, and that decision should never have been Chris's.

[@RicardoSpeed-ro9cv]

The man had to make sure that he be feeling great and feeling life inside

[@CsillaX]

I feel sorry for Will Smith, because when I hear his name now, I think:"Yeah, that's the man that slapped someone publicly because his wife cheated on him." He created this memory and it will stay in our minds.

[@briant.v.5799]

My initial takeaway is that he is genuinely remorseful for the fallout from “The Slap” but not genuinely remorseful for the action itself.

[@ronaldoago-go5907]

Yeah like he sees himself as the true victim..of his own crazy actions.

[@glenpolen5562]

Brian, very well put, sir. I agree. I used to like will smith. But I dont like him anymore, i never will watch him again.

[@a_Cynthia_Main]

This is a really good summation. My biggest issue with it was how quickly he breezed through his "apology" to Chris. I think that there is a lot of baggage there that he can't hide. But the rest seemed fairly sincere. I kind of feel bad for the little boy who's sitting there, wounded and desperate for approval. Makes it impossible for me to be totally mad at him, as much as I hated what he did.

[@minuete82]

@@Balletified Chris chose to not press charges.

[@rheap129]

@@Balletified He wouldn’t be in jail. It was a slap, which is like a misdemeanor. He had no prior trouble. If he were a regular person, he’d likely get a pretrial diversion, pay some money, and then they would be dismissed. At most even if no pretrial diversion, probably informal probation and a fine.

[@anca6702]

What strikes me is how long he spent apologizing to everyone else and justifying it compared to ACTUALLY apologizing to Chris Rock!

[@sushmanataraj3627]

Same.. it was barely a sentence.

[@Sally-up8xe]

YES! He apologizes to everyone EXCEPT Chris. The best he does is the "not optimal" comment. Not good enough.

[@tinavalencia7411]

I don't think he should give his award back he didn't get it for being nice to okay but he did need to apologize to chris rite after better yet not do it and jada is a part of this she did ok at him is certine way he should not make it to the audience it's about Chris and what he did to him so no not a good sincere apology in my opinion could have just addressed Chris and his mother I'm sure he said sorry to his family in person he didn't need to o this video to chris so no not a good one I think he was out of line but he is a good actor I think but he's got to learn to control himself

[@andoletube]

@@Sally-up8xe Yep, "optimal" for Will means, "it was good, but it could have been even better".

[@andoletube]

@@tinavalencia7411 He should give it back. The same people who voted for that award would have changed their vote if he had slapped Chris Rock before the voting. He invalidated the entire night, all members and the occasion.

[@mathewfines8727]

I think you nailed it about him being very childlike and just wanting to be invited back to the playground, and accepted among the group again.

[@kateterlinden1134]

As someone who has been in a recovery program for 10 years I can say that you cannot make a full and sincere apology when you are holding onto a resentment. You may rationally understand what you did is wrong and you want to apologize for your side of the transaction but it cannot come off as sincere because deep down you feel somewhat justified. Will does not have any resentments toward Chris' mom or the other award winners. He is able to genuinely apologize to them. Even though he recognizes that he should not have done the slap we are not going to hear true genuine apology to Chris until he can let go of the resentment. When you are triggered so very deeply (agree that this is a deep inner child wound) it can take years to work through.

[@sharalhall5911]

Agree with all of this!! I couldn’t understand why his apology didn’t seem genuine- it’s bc he still resents it! “Fogged out & fuzzy my a**”. He couldn’t told the truth & said “I hated him in that moment”. He did!! You gotta have STRONG hate to disregard everything to do that

[@dainty_af]

You can't sincerely apologize when you're still holding onto resentment- what valuable insight. You made a couple things click for me & I thank you so much for sharing it. Best wishes to you & for your continued recovery.

[@libbybeliveau7506]

So true! I got the feeling that he wasn't invested wholly in the apology, and you hit the nail on the head. You can see it too when his mouth moves a bunch before he can even spit out the words that he's sorry to Chris. There's so much he feels that he clearly can't put into words right now.

[@knightingirl]

I would have agreed if he hadn't laughed at the joke at first before getting angry. It's stupid.

[@juliafedorko8154]

very well put! your words are wise and straight to the point. best of luck to you and all your endeavors 🤍

[@mismag822]

“No part of me thinks this was the OPTIMAL way to handle this” is a far cry from saying “what I did was wrong”.

[@chantesuite6322]

He also said his behavior was unacceptable

[@daftgowk1]

@@chantesuite6322 he also made it all about him on the respect front, he disrespected everyone, Chris rock disrespected nobody with his little joke. Got to respect rock for telling him to gtf though

[@adrianna2513]

I think it's way too soon

[@pjparkjd]

At least he mentioned Chris Rock in there somewhere. That was nice.

[@jasonblue9297]

There’s definitely more to the story. I have a feeling that Chris Rock has been instigating for years. Ngl, it wasn’t a good look, but we’re only seeing the surface.

[@anthonyknox1493]

It's bizarre watching somebody making an apology to someone else turn into something almost entirely about themselves.

[@jesterssketchbook]

yup "i...i....i....me....me...me" thats all i heard

[@peg9897]

Exactly!

[@lapatti]

I'm very disappointed with this apology. I think there's enough apology videos out there at this point, for him or his team to know how to do a better job

[@jonathanxero]

Feel like for some people that's the only way they know how to express sincerity? It's not because they were trying to be the victim, their intent was purely to show sincerity or emphasize reflection, and that's the only way they know how to express it

[@jonathanxero]

@@lapatti would you rather something manufactured over something closer to his own words? Despite the jump cuts in the product placement in the awkward tone at times, I do believe this was in Will Smith's words and his intent was in the right place

[@samanthas2280]

the first time I watched this (seen this before) my thought was what my grandmother told my mother when she was 12. my mom told off her aunt, who was very mean to everyone. my grandmother told my mom "you need to apologize." she refused at first. she felt her aunt deserved it (probably did. she was VERY mean). my grandmother clarified. "I did not say you had to be sorry. I said you need to apologize." and that story has stuck with me here. this is where will is at. he's not sorry, but he needed to apologize. he still feels Chris deserves it. heh... good thing Chris didn't make a joke about the affair instead. he could have.

[@camilamcdermott1912]

I really like this story Samantha, it made me re-think some things.. I want to keep this difference (feeling sorry vs offering an apology) in mind. I also looked it up (since English is not my first language) and I liked the meaning: “The word 'sorry' is said to express remorse or sympathy. The word 'sorry' has a personal essence in it. Whereas the word 'apology' is used in a formal tone and used when one has done something wrong. While being apologetic, one might or might not be sorry for what they did wrong”

[@sparkletrashtheunicorn]

Thank you for that story that's so impactful! I really appreciate that distinction cause sorry has lost so much meaning

[@twiceshy9773]

Lol Chris was smart- he saved it all for the Netflix special😂👍👍

[@Babywyde]

I’d take a hit for $40 million.

[@just_some_internet_guy]

​@@BabywydeWhat 40 million are you referring to?

[@nicoleroberts9612]

For some reason, I feel saying “I apologize” isn’t the same as saying “I’m sorry”. This statement alone makes me feel as though the “apology video” is less about being sorry and more about claiming an apology was extended. In my opinion, the verbiage of the “apology” puts the blame of moving forward back onto the victim of his violent outburst.

[@blancahinojosa1516]

Best comment here!

[@kristajones7202]

This is one reason why I've taught my children that they can say, "I appreciate the apology, but things are not resolved yet."

[@Cat-qo3ht]

Saying "I apologize" (an emotionless verb) never feels as genuine as "I'm sorry" (an emotional feeling). To me, a person takes out their personal accounting as well as not acknowledging what he did, how it must have made Chris Rock feel especially in front of everyone there and on TV, and how awful it was for him to do that, those are things that would have made an apology feel more genuine and accepted.

[@wourydiallo1445]

Bruv most people don't even know the difference between saying I'm sorry or I apologize. To me saying "I'm sorry" feels more genuine but that doesn't mean that it's the same for everyone else and that it really matters when most people use it interchangeably.

[@Cat-qo3ht]

@@wourydiallo1445 It definitely feels different to me both when I say it and when someone says it to me. Like they said, he never talked about how Chris must have felt, etc. A genuine apology acknowledges the wrong, validates how the other person must have suffered, they acknowledge their actions and the sorrow they feel. But, we are all different in our "Language of Apology".

[@wourydiallo1445]

@@Cat-qo3ht ay I agree the apology ain't that genuine. But it just annoys me when people say stuff like that. Like you said, everyone has their own language of apology heh. It might be his.

[@AnnelisR]

That’s something in life that REALLY bothers me - when someone says “I apologize” it makes my skin crawl, and the reason why is illustrated when he says “Chris, I apologize to you” versus when he says “Jada, I’m sorry babe”. Those were two VERY different apologies and sentiments.

[@marianohernangutierrez2525]

Courious. We dont have that diference in spanish.

[@KimmyPJammin]

This apology is an absolute disgrace and disappointment. It was a pity party for himself. I think he's got a lot of emotional stuff going on and I hope he gets some help.

[@patriciapurvis1]

He made me think of how a child acts when you tell them to apologize and they don't want too

[@kelliebrito2529]

His very first sentence, calling what Chris Rock said as a disrespectful “insult” says it all. He feels no remorse and is still blaming his victim.

[@asmith8947]

Yeah he's wrong of course. It was just a harmless joke.

[@easylizzy1725]

Two things can be wrong at the same time

[@AZ-rl7pg]

When he "apologized" to Chris and put his hand out that seemed more like he was saying (to the public) "there are you happy now I apologized" similar to a child being made to apologize for something that they aren't sorry for in the slightest. It seemed pretty clear that Jada was directly involved in this by the fact that Will put more time and effort into apologizing directly to her than he did Chris. If she wasn't directly involved in anything then there's basically no reason to apologize or even bring her up outside of simply answering that one question. I find it interesting that he used the excuse of everything being "fuzzy" yet he had a clear enough head to remember the look in Questlove's eyes just after the slap.

[@crisfield4364]

It's not unusual at all to not remember a traumatic incident fully but have explicit memory of moments during the incident. I also agree that he could still have been angry and not wanted to admit to that.

[@Muck006]

@@crisfield4364 That might be true for most incidents, BUT this one was RECORDED and Will could watch it himself to "refresh his memory". The fact that he "defends" Jada explicitly in the apology clearly shows that he is threatened by her ... just like an abused spouse will defend her / his abuser!

[@sandmanlopez9920]

Guys don’t click the top comment it’s a virus!!!!

[@jakestine4753]

@@Muck006 Agreed, his apology to Jada sounded like abused apologizing to an abuser. He literally sounds scared at one point. And quite honestly I think his inability to apologize to Chris is rooted int he same abuse: even now, he's afraid of how Jada will see him if he friends-up too much to Chris in his apology.

[@kathyp1563]

I agree that when he said "I apologize to YOU", his hand extending seemed backward. I think most would put their hand to their chest.

[@haydo8373]

When he stated that his actions weren't "optimal" he let it slip that he didn't think his actions were poor, to say the least. If someone gets drunk, beats up their spouse, and the following morning states that their actions weren't optimal, it shows they still believe some of their actions were warranted. Someone who is truly sorry doesn't preface their apology with "we're all human". They would state how ashamed they are of their actions and will show disbelief if it was truly out of character for them. He would also state the damage done to the people who look up to him and how he set a very poor example to his kids and fans etc.

[@sylviabierle]

Completely agree. That word gave the whole game away, in my view. He does not think he did something unambiguously wrong.

[@ExtremeModeration]

Also, comletely agree. That, combined with his unwillingness to unpack even a brief explanation for his actions, makes it hard for me to really care about anything else he says...even though I know we need to look for clusters :-)

[@reneeg4817]

I agree. He really needs to take accountabilty for his actions. To me this wasnt sincere. More like a child who got caught with hands in the cookie jar. He needs help. She is definitly his handler..

[@emnurse2056]

Yes, he also mentioned it as not the optimal reaction to disrespect or insult, which seems like he’s trying to justify the actions. Comedians “insult” pretty much everybody - everyone is fair game in that platform. Dave Chappelle is prime example and GOAT for that

[@anonview]

I picked up on that too. It's like he doesn't want to admit that he did something wrong, even if he knows that it was.

[@PTSD_is_my_protest]

He’s not sorry to Chris. But he is sorry to his family. You can tell by the way the two apologies looked and sounded different.

[@xxmaorimaorixx]

First impressions: Whenever watching something like this, I work on trying to see things from the perspective of the speaker as much as possible. And I think having a natural charisma as a person, or public figure makes them much more enduring to watch and listen to. And with that in mind, some observations. Sincerity was definitely high. He has some deep shame that feels real and truthful. A connection to a real trauma, that especially at the end, I could resonate with. And I felt myself tearing up. I believe he has remorse for his actions. But whats the motivation of his remorse? When he shakes his head while he talks, I feel like his subconscious isn’t saying ‘no’, but it’s expressing disappointment in itself. Shame and guilt. He sees himself as a protector. His biggest driver is his family. He mentioned at least 3 people personally that he hurt during the process, post his actions. Disappointment of others in him, hurting the ones he loves. It’s his trigger. Does he believe he was in the wrong when he slapped Chris? I think he believes he didn’t handle it well, but there’s an element of pleading in his shaky voice which makes me think that he believes on some level that he was justified. He makes a point to say that Jada had nothing to do with it, again, protecting his loved ones. It sounds like he’s really struggling internally about how to move forward. An apology over video doesn’t feel strong enough. He wants to meet Chris and make amends. But perhaps for his own self forgiveness as well as Chris’s healing. I’m also interested in the specificity of his words and how he emphasises certain points. It shows what his priorities are, and they’re most prevalent in words around his actions, as a way to emphasise how much he means it, “I apologised to you”, “people I hurt” “my actions in the moment”. But there’s a layer of calculation to his words that makes me think he’s been thinking about what to say for a long time - to the point of falseness. His motivations are weird, and they’re not centred around Chris. They’re centred either on Jada or his shame and masculinity (or lack of in the eyes of others). That’s all I got! Love your work Spidey!! Arohanui, from Aotearoa.

[@orlaspring363]

spot on

[@angiq1970]

Wonderful analysis!

[@jbwhitebirch6620]

Great analysis, straight from Paradise!!

[@JCQue]

So I have two things: Firstly, he was always going to say that Jada had absolutely no influence over his actions. We all saw “the look”. She has (amongst other things) emotionally chipped away at him for years. That, for me, was the height of his actions. He clearly loves her dearly and is a wreck because of her. Secondly, I believe he is remorseful. Not for his actions, but rather the fallout from it.

[@reneeg4817]

Because he has lost so much.. not feeling it.. no true remose.. not geniune. Who put him up tp this??

[@O2life]

Out of curiosity, have you watched Spidey's original breakdown of the slap?

[@casualsdvgirl]

I don't think he's sorry for what he did, I think he's sorry for the consequences. He's sorry that people don't approve of him right now, and that genuinely hurts him. So he's sorry that he did something the general public thinks is bad, but he's not sorry for doing it.. "protecting his family" I also think he is sorry for ruining the night, because all the actors in the room, his friends, are looking down on him.

[@wizardelite]

Agree 100%

[@ThomasKropf]

@@wizardelite me too!

[@ianhamilton639]

exactly. There was no - "chris didn't deserve that.." or anything close to it..

[@dorisnochebuenaful]

I agree! He is sorry for the consequences not for the disrespect and damage towards Chris. He seems to still have some bad feelings towards Chris. This is a fake apology. If he was sorry he would address Chris not the world. This is about the losses he has to take due to his actions and with the purpose of gaining sympathy and forgiveness from the world, not Chris.

[@Freethinker_746]

Who cares what you think?

[@NeilHaran]

I honestly believe sometimes it is best not to say anything at all rather than give an apology like this. It is extremely insincere and not only does he downplay what he did, but constantly distanced himself from his actions. He tries hard to convince us he's a man of honor and holds himself accountable for his actions, yet at the same time doesn't really own up to the seriousness of what he's done. This apology made things worse.

[@Lisa-im6hy]

Why is it so difficult for some people to just say "I'm sorry" ? "I apologize" feels to me like " I'm not actually sorry so if don't say the words 'I'm sorry' it's not a lie"

[@ivettedizon7020]

Because they are prideful, arrogant & stubborn

[@selahr.]

It feels very formal and guarded to me, and it’s missing one key part for me… a real apology that includes “I am sorry I did that.” He uses the phrase “I apologize” and “No part of me believes that was the right thing to do” but not “I’m sorry I did that.” It’s like some part of him doesn’t regret what he did, like “I know it was wrong but it felt good” or “I’m glad I did it anyway” or “You still deserved it.” It’s a logical emotional, not an emotional one. He is also much more emotional and real in how he apologizes to everyone else except Chris. When he says he was trying to understand why he did this based on his past “and my relationship with Chris” that comes across as a dig like there’s something negative there. Not a fan of this whole set up scene. Not sure if that’s because he’s trying to avoid feeling shame or guilt (which what he should have said is he’s avoiding TOXIC shame, because some shame was appropriate to feel), or if he’s still worried about possible legal problems from this incident so he’s avoiding taking on full guilt/responsibility. So he gets a point for trying to take on accountability but it’s still not feeling like an apology if it had happened to me.

[@kssgpv]

you are just reaching.. you believe what you want to believe

[@JLF201]

I agree. I think he feels justified for doing something bad. He can recognize that what he did was wrong and hurt people, but he still feels like he did a bad thing for a good reason. I think that's why his apology comes across as awkward.

[@rayo1790]

In summary, he didn’t regret his actions, but how it affected people around him. An important part was when he talked about how this came about due to “..his history with Chris..” Sounded to me as though he meant Chris had it coming.

[@michellehill6166]

He just took accountability for his actions. You just put words in his mouth that he didn’t say. People were trying to blame Jada and he said, no, it was because his own feelings. He literally said that he didn’t think that what he did was right. What’s really sad is that he doesn’t matter what he says, people will say he didn’t do enough or he didn’t say the right words. He didn’t do it at the right place. He didn’t do it soon enough. Or he did it too soon. Give him space to do the work and make amends.

[@w00lleymam0th9]

Definitely history with Chris didn't seem super exciting, but he wishes to be professional about things. It's why I believe he didn't say, "I'm sorry," to Chris.

[@MissteryDiva]

*Cue Chicago the musical* 🎤He had it coming

[@stevenatkinson2393]

It seemed to me he was apologizing to everyone else apart from Chris, almost like he wanted everyone to like him so he can be in movies but what Chris thinks dosen't matter because he is only 1 person

[@HiHereIAm693]

Maybe he did have it coming. I do not know. Yet this action seems very stupid if you are suddently faced with someone “doing it again”. Why so out of control? There is more. And WS wants to blame his own baggage and CR being a bit of an arse…

[@leoskiss3390]

I have to agree with most of the comments. Nothing about this “apology” seemed genuine. The whole acceptance speech kinda said it all….. he didn’t think he was in the wrong, so of course it’s difficult to be remorseful when you don’t think you’re wrong. I hope Will gets some help

[@goosebump801]

Bottom line: I think he’s still angry with Chris, but sincerely regrets his reaction, for two reasons: 1. It was so public and extreme that it was particularly painful to Chris’s mother (among others.) 2. He doesn’t like how he came off. I agree that during his speech he still thought it had been the right thing to do, but the repercussions have made him regret his actions. Thanks for another excellent analysis, Spidey. I had 90%+ the same interpretations you did, but only rarely could articulate why - it was just my intuitive sense of what was or wasn’t sincere 🤷‍♀️💐

[@patleslie6878]

First impression, you asked for it…. Will talked more about himself than anyone (Chris). He never said “I’m sorry” to Chris. He never said he knows that he disrespected Chris. He never said he regrets the pain ( physical) and embarrassment he caused Chris. He never said he admired that Chris could go on with a televised show even after being cold cocked. He never said “Chris, you are a professional and I admire you” . I do not believe him when he says that his actions are not something within his being to do. His swagger back to his seat was telling. Simply put, but I could go in, I think he “apologized” because it is at the point when he HAD TO do something or never work again. Period. I do not think it was completely sincere, other than the fact that he feels sorry for HIMSELF. Period. Oh, he is sorry…sorry he is such an ass who did it and had no self control.

[@OkayImLisa]

💯🎯👍☑️

[@praxidike1023]

Agreed, i also believe he is apologising for the backlash the event caused Jada.

[@CherylSimser]

I agree. The only sincere moment that he exhibited was his expression re: Chris' mom. Everything about this felt staged and forced, including the questions to suit the narrative he wanted to present. He wants his fans back. There was no introspection on Will's part here. Also, he says he's human, that's an excuse and why shouldn't he feel shame. Will damn well should be ashamed of his actions but he can't. His apology to Jada and his children was cringe. I remember all too well his son saying about the assault upon Chris: "That's how we do!" This wasn't a complicated issue requiring psychiatric treatment to resolve and Will's use of the psychiatric terms to solidify his presentation was ridiculous. To me he appears to be unable to associate himself with simple feelings and the ability to express them as he only views himself and his family through the lens of entertainers and how to desperately maintain that viable connection.

[@glittery_cucumber]

I mean I get your viewpoint, but he did say right at the beginning "I apologize to you" aimed at Chris. He said "I apologize" and "I'm sorry" a bunch in this video. The fact that so many people still perceive it as self centered is really interesting.

[@Kekira]

@@glittery_cucumber We perceive it as self-centered because after the one sentence apologizing to Chris, he continued to dodge answering any questions which there were only two. Then he just talks about how hurt he was, and how he didn't want to be ashamed, and inserting himself to the hurt of each person he's apologizing to, and most of it was just me me me me me. The fact that he even did this 3 months after the event in this staged room makes it completely insincere.

[@CalebSpears1]

To me it’s huge that he said “I’m sorry to my family FOR THE HEAT I BROUGHT ON US” he isn’t sorry for the example he set, for causing violence, for hitting another man, embarrassing them, etc. He’s sorry he brought heat on them

[@davidwright7588]

And he’s sorry for the heat he brought on himself too

[@SuperDflower]

Hi so sorry about the negative publicity… Not the man I hit and humiliated or attempted to humiliate but I wasn’t able to because the man I hit had more class than I could ever dream of.

[@lesediamondamane]

@@SuperDflower That's what he is truly sorry for, the negative publicity.

[@Juliejulez]

Good catch!

[@LurnWell]

He already apologized to Chris, including this full video. This isn't all he said.

[@ryvirkelley5047]

I'm so glad you brought up that 2nd point about the no gesture when apologizing. I used to do that when I apologized because I was thinking, "I can't believe I did that, it was wrong, I'm disappointed in myself". After watching a lot of behavior analysis videos, I realized I was coming across insincere and even practiced apologizing with a "yes" gesture so they would see I really did mean it.

[@fdwebb9732]

He said "I'm sorry" to his wife and others but to Chris he said "I want to apologize", which leaves it open to interpretation. If he's truly sorry, why not just say so?

[@ABJK-ds4wq]

…because then that’s taking ownership of The Slap which may result in getting sued by Chris.

[@Ashrees]

He still called Chris Rock's joke "disrespect," so definitely still believes he was justified in his actions. Also, y'all notice how the media is trying to paint his apology as genuine and putting pressure on Chris to accept it? Yeah, right. I used to love Will Smith, but this incident just made me lose all respect for him.

[@baishihua]

I mean to be fair, what he could be saying is that he shouldn't have done it even if it was disrespectful, if he said something like "now I think the joke is fine", then you may say he thinks he simply misunderstood the joke, and it is totally okay to hit Chris if the joke was disrespectful.

[@kaydee6555]

I mean is he not allowed to feel as though it was disrespectful? Not saying he should have hit him that was wrong but feeling like your being picked on or targeted is a valid emotion even if the person didn't mean it to be.

[@antoinecottin1217]

Why does it touch you? You're not concerned by his action. Personnaly, I don't care about the slap, but I care even less to a political apology and a political acceptance. It only concerns them, too bad that was public, that's all.

[@antonphd]

that's the opposite of what he said. he said slapping someone is not an appropriate response to an insult or disrespect.

[@HavocKN]

it can still be disrespectful but the slap was unnecessary nd that’s wat will said y’all reaching fr nobody tryna force chris into accepting his apology it completely up to chris he said he was ready to talk when eva

[@Abhijeetsingh-my5di]

I think he believes that Cris making a joke about Jada is completely wrong, therefore we don't get to hear, "It's all my fault and I am really sorry", instead we get "I tried getting in touch with Cris", so that gives me the vibe that he is sorry for the part he played in the whole thing but still believes that something had to be done to teach Cris a lesson, just that he went a little far. I also feel that in Will's head as it is not all his fault, he is waiting for Cris to own up to his part of wrong doing as he says "There is no part of me that thinks that is the optimal way to handle a feeling of disrespect or insult". This feels like Will is saying "You disrespected and insulted me (and my wife), to which I reacted. I shouldn't have reacted the way I did but you disrespected me. Period."

[@StacyRampaul]

I think if he had been honest and said he didn't apologise in that moment of his Oscar speech because he genuinely felt he was standing up for someone he loved and thought it was the right thing, I would've at least respected him for being honest and upfront... even though his thinking was messed up. It's worse that he copped out by saying he can't remember and deflected.

[@orlaspring363]

I agree. If he's had 3 months to work through the "nuances" and "complexities" of that moment, he remembers.

[@mamasuki]

I think the academy should have intervened and escorted Will out of the building immediately after the incident. He assaulted someone, case closed. And Chris should have pressed charges. The consequences fitting the action. AND I know that there are times we all do something out of character, especially when under stress or when you’re going through a low mental health period. A sincere, simple, unconditional apology would have gone a long way to healing and moving on. One of the (many) things that frustrated me in this apology video was when he said something re Chris not responding to/connecting with him, like “See, I tried. It’s on Chris now.” Wiped my hands clean… 🙄

[@mnwm9300]

How do u know his apology was not sincere?

[@plynn136]

@@SuperPapog I agree. These people need to calm down. They are not mind readers nor can they touch emotions.

[@johnathanwebb]

@@plynn136 these people with opinions? Ok lol

[@ugggggggggggg212]

I love it when people go through the comments and add their opinion which is that it is dumb that the other people commenting have opinions. Why bother reading the comments if you don’t think people should have opinions? That is what the comment section is for. Maybe you should calm down. Commenting is fun and I’m bored. Your opinion of how others shouldn’t have opinions. Cracks me up. It is my favourite part of comments sections.

[@ugggggggggggg212]

‘They’ll just talk it out like grown men’. Will smith walks on stage and hits a guy over jokes he is paid to make. It’s been three months. I don’t see these two sharing an ice cream anytime soon. Hahaha

[@needtoknow617]

He wants to salvage his career. That’s the whole story. There’s a genuine and sincere effort on his part to get his fans back on his side. He’s only sorry about potentially destroying his future in the industry. There are consequences resulting from his idiocy and rage, and he needs more than 3 months of therapy to really grasp that a shout out to Rock’s mom isn’t going to cut it.

[@mnwm9300]

His career doesn't need salvaging. His fans have not deserted him as much as everyone would like to believe.

[@needtoknow617]

​@@mnwm9300 If his career isn't in peril, then why is he putting out this pathetic apology video?

[@pa8315]

You are so on the money and he needs to wake up to it, unfortunately he’s to far gone and firmly in jada’s clutches and control.

[@mariee.5912]

He is being in therapy for a long time. I don't think his career is over.

[@RawBrilliance]

I disagree. If I mean, sure he wants to salvage his career. Sure he is mad feeling disrespected by Chris Rock. But I'm not so sure he is sincere about being embarrassed that he Took it public disappointing his and,Chris Rick's family. He is owning his choice. He is owning his disrespect for others in his choice.

[@bereasonable2499]

My first impression was, he lied. I believe it had everything to do with Jada and that look she had on her face. You can’t fix what you don’t acknowledge.

[@hattivatti8440]

My initial opinion after I saw that clip the first time and now rewatching it was that it was mostly a PR thing. It just had that vibe, the way it was shot, how there were multiple cameras and angles, the décor in the room, the staring right at the camera while talking, the way Will talked like he was reading from a script, etc. My other thoughts! In the beginning his deep breathing seemed to suggest reluctance and/or weariness. Next, it was odd that he waited three months before making a public apology and then he says he doesn't want to go into details why it took so long for him to understand what happened, or what he learned. It also feels a bit like he's dancing around the subject, like he doesn't really recount what even happened, he seems to only imply what happened. I guess I could say he's - like you experts say - psychologically distancing himself from the slap? Next, when Jada was brought up, he sounded like he was about to cry and then he claimed she had nothing to do with the slap, even though it was about a joke made about her, so it was weird and illogical to even claim that. He should've said Jada didn't have anything to do with the slap itself, not that she was uninvolved in the whole affair. But him almost crying did give me a gut feeling that Jada's recorded reaction to the joke did instigate his poor response. So, while she may not have told him to do anything, I think she clearly communicated non-verbally that she didn't appreciate Will laughing at the joke nor the joke itself. And lastly, the bit about Will not wanting to feel shame... Ugh. Just ugh. I really hate this modern idea of wanting to eradicate shame, when it's a genuine human emotion that can help us grow and learn. Not wanting to feel shame is pretty much the same as not wanting to learn from your mistakes. I think he was right to say that he doesn't want to feel like a POS, but he shouldn't deny himself from feeling shame. Now, he shouldn't wallow in shame, of course, as that doesn't help anyone, but he could/should learn and grow from it. [Edit: After the watching the full video] Great video as always! You're right that Will's breathing at the beginning could just be stress. The sudden jump to his "Sorry, babe" bit bugged me, but I couldn't articulate why, but after you pointed about the obvious cut, now I can finally understand.. ^^; You're right (again) how it feels like he's a kid who can't play with his friends 'till he apologises. Which is a weird thing, the treating your fans like they're your friends, when you don't know them and they only think they know you, but I digress. I don't think you need to "choose a side." Your analysis was objective and just happened to stand neutral. Anyways! I know I'm a little late in watching this video, so my bad. I look forward in seeing more from you, Mr. Spidey! ^^

[@lauriethomas4145]

Wow. This is the first time someone has mentioned that she rolled her eyes at not only the joke, but Will laughing at the joke. His response says someone suffering PTSD.

[@dugw15]

my personal first impression is that he's sincerely embarrassed and sincerely ashamed of his behavior, but the language he's using does not convey deep ownership of the mistake

[@lindagray1809]

And that's why he has successful movies!

[@bomb2themax]

A few things that made me side eye his apology 1) Him mentioning that Chris Rock said he wasn't ready to talk. I felt he was putting pressure and heat on Chris to respond and forgive now that the "apology" is public. I didn't feel the apology to Chris specifically was sincere. I hope Chris sticks to his boundary and doesn't talk to Will until he is ready. 2) Feeling regret without being ashamed of himself. He should be ashamed of himself if he really felt bad about his actions. 3) Also bringing in all the other people he hurt. Chris is the one who got hurt and deserved the more sincere apology than the one he gave Chris's mom, Jada and fans.

[@denisetyree-montecino9809]

Completely agree with your first point. It almost seemed like an accusation toward CR that he had not given him an opportunity to apologize.

[@lynnhubbard844]

@@denisetyree-montecino9809 yeah--don't call him back, Chris...make him think some more, feel some more--silence is powerful

[@fujidenzo_kid4147]

He was fogged out when its time to apologize in his speech but was clearly attentive about Quest Love's anxiety when the slap happened. Yeah right. 😅😁

[@chrisyanover1777]

I feel this was a well rehearsed video that every word was carefully planned. This was a production from a academy award winning actor. The thing that bothered me was he spent so much time apologizing to so many other people and not to Chris Rock. He did initially apologized to Chris Rock but then spent the majority of the video apologizing to other people besides Chris. If this was an apology to Chris Rock he should have spent the majority of the video talking to him and not his fans or other people in the movie industry or to his own family. Like this should have been directed only to Chris and not this whole Hollywood and fan community! It was interesting that he had to apologize to his wife and family immediately after apologizing to Chris! Like why did that need to be done in a public apology when he has had so much time to do that privately? I also felt a little bit more genuine apology to QuestLove than Chris Rock.

[@rubypriceallen9584]

The whole “apology” centered around him and others never about Chris. This all says , “I slapped him and he deserved and I’m just sorry everyone thinks differently of me now”. His words were never about Chris - just his momma. He is not sorry for slapping him, this was all forced. He was so stubborn about it that’s why it has taken him this long and it still came out to be all about himself.

[@deerod584]

Totally agree, it’s obvious that he feels bad because of the backlash not because he is an ass. It is all staged and reeks of a PR stunt.

[@sylviabierle]

My reaction is the same. Zero remorse what he did to Chris Rock. 100% focus on self. And it's pretty clear he still thinks Chris deserved it.

[@soil80]

also he must be furious that Chris didn't get backlash from the industry or media and his shows are sold out after insulting his wife. Meanwhile Will's projects are all frozen. I'd be mad too and it definitely comes across in the video. Chris mocking him sure doesn't help.

[@vee_tinymoose]

I think he does name Chris directly in the full video - this one has been clipped in some places

[@reneeg4817]

He is stll angry we see that.. he hasnt learned his lesson. Sorry thats what I see

[@rosaliealderman2685]

First impression: He is not taking full responsibility for what he did. It's not a bad thing to be ashamed of negative behavior and actions. Taking responsibility is part of growing up. I feel he should be ashamed of the actions as well as inactions he took that evening. Walking away and causing others to clean up his actions and or inactions was something he should definitely be ashamed of and is, in my opinion an important part of growth

[@MGGSasha]

That ashamed comment sounds like it came from therapy. If his shame makes him spiral into something negative instead of being apologetic and working toward mending it is a bad thing. Thats why he said I can be remorseful but not ashamed. Being ashamed can cause self harm in many ways. That whole part of the speech was therapy talk and instruction.

[@ralphengland8559]

Shame is not a very helpful emotion. Remorse though... that's a much more useful emotion.

[@marytyra1030]

Right! I was like YOU SHOULD FEEL SHAME, SIR

[@robnewsome2407]

I agree, the comment about being remorseful but not feeling ashamed, I don't think the two are that far apart, remorse he requires a certain amount of shame and to say you are trying to be remorseful but not feel shame shows he may be remorseful of the consequences but refusing to feel any shame for his action. This is just a pr move for damage control

[@stacyr3743]

That’s what I was thinking. That Shane is unpleasant, and we don’t like to feel it, but it’s important because it steers future behavior. That doesn’t mean not forgiving yourself.

[@renatacantore3684]

Dearest Spidey, thank you for coming into my consciousness at this point in time when I am trying to figure out how to distinguish good guys from bad so I don’t destroy my life. I am on red alert & You are saving not just My Life but countless other’s as well. God Bless You.🏆🏆🏆

[@Kkayoodle]

Welcome back Spidey! Another great video!!!

[@secretsdedessin2018]

I find his way of answering the first question dishonest, he distracts the viewer's attention by pointing out that it is Chris who does not want to accept his apology, that it is Chris who is not ready to forgive him, so that it's Chris who has a problem. It's completely unfair.

[@darneegriffin116]

Will Smith is a sell out he sold his soul to a trifling woman who has no problem making him look like ish. Its Will Smith fault not Chris Rock...HEY WILL YOU ARE 2M LATE TIME TO PAY UP

[@alexricky87]

I think it's important for us to know that Chris isn't ready to accept or hear an apology and Will telling us that isn't a distraction. He made the gesture to apologize and it was rejected and the opportunity to apologize in person is still available. Of course it's Chris who controls whether or not Will can apologize in person so it's not a "problem" but it's Chris's right to set the terms.

[@gordonraleigh5647]

Well Chris doesn’t want to accept it. He came out and said that

[@MadMaddyArts]

When someone starts apologizing to 'my family', you know it's bogus. Just leave out the fringe. If you really feel bad about it, towards him, just say 'sorry Chris, I overreacted, because I was angry and not thinking straight'. That would be sincere. Now it's just theater.

[@zamiwas]

Well said. That apology was BS

[@karolynknight931]

If he was actually sorry he would have just done that. But he’s not sorry so we gets this convoluted mess.

[@soil80]

he def glosses over it 'cause apparently the only way he can feel some sympathy towards Chris is by thinking that he has a mother who felt hurt by his actions.

[@lynnhubbard844]

and had a few cocktails...........

[@lynnhubbard844]

@@soil80 men don't feel sorry when they hit each other--it's manly and it fixes the issue--that's what they've been led to believe

[@ocristianoalmeida]

Man, you're so accurate and meticulous! I always enjoy your analises, but this one's so nicely done.

[@ludmilajonmuri2760]

Thanks for posting this well-made video 🌹Please; could you do a series of ” celebrities apologies ” 🤔?

[@beaucoupcurls9475]

THIS IS WHAT IVE BEEN WAITING FOR!!😆😆 (Disclaimer: everything you put out just happens to be exactly what I’ve been waiting for🤣). Thanks for always staying up to date and giving the people what they want lol

[@sherondadavis8907]

Me too

[@slimeboy4987]

Wow ur funny slay 😐

[@LAURACLE22]

I feel like this is something he will never come back from. The look on Chris Rocks face while he was standing there in shock, this was heartbreaking because everyone was consoling Will and Chris was standing there in shock. I literally lost respect for Will and Jada that day.

[@pamelafrye4667]

AMEN 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏... I'm right there with you 💯!!!!!

[@shawnahathaway4762]

I thoroughly enjoy your channel, I found you during the Depp vs never gonna be 'heard' again mess😵‍💫 .... you do such a great job of helping us see what you see, you make it make sense and your editing is fantastic - the way you keep re-showing what you're talking about, while you talk about it. I wish I could say this to you in person so you could see my sincerity 😄

[@lulaonley9222]

So the last summary about his last comment makes me feel like he’s continuing his self talk but dealing with his inner child…. I also think he gives us the answer to why this all happened. His central trauma is disappointing others and when he was laughing at the joke and she was rolling her eyes, he immediately thought he disappointed her and wanted to make up for it but in turn created a whole lot of disappointment on a grander scale. And from what I hear from her reaction, it wasn’t all that supporting of him which probably leads to some of that contempt we see when he speaks of her.

[@orlaspring363]

That's an interesting take on it. I never thought of it that way but it actually makes sense.

[@aliengranpa]

His apology video should be titled: Not sorry, I just really want my career back.

[@ronaldoago-go5907]

"I'm sorry I'm not sorry..."

[@judes_music]

The overproduction annoyed me a lot. Especially that picture, that's when I rolled my eyes for the first time - not so much at him, but at whoever was responsible for setting this up the way they did.

[@thepershins]

That apology to Jada, I watched it several times & each time I get the "he's irritated he has to say this" vibe

[@mikegrecamusic5917]

Always great analysis! I felt the apologies on the professional domain but not so much in the personal domain.

[@christhornycroft3686]

If it wasn’t about him looking at Jada, why would he go from laughing at the joke to immediately walking on stage in a second? I worked in mental health and if that’s what happened, I’d be deeply concerned about Will’s mental health. How do you go from laughing to slapping someone on a dime, on your own with no trigger? I don’t think it was staged, but I am concerned about his mental health. But it’s consistent behaviour with narcissistic personality disorder, as is making the slap all about him and making himself the victim. “My central trauma. Feel sorry for me, not Chris. This hurt me more than it hurt Chris.” Like a parent who hits their kid and says this hurts me more than it hurts you. That is objectively false. You caused physical and psychological trauma on someone. They are the victim, not you.

[@LizbetPCB]

Agreed, completely. If you’re laughing and smiling, then switch immediately to anger and violence, that’s a huge red flag. It’s frightening, IMO. I’ve known a person who behaved this way, and remembering that is very unsettling.

[@warrenwhite9085]

OJ Simpson didn’t handle anger well either.

[@feliciagittens6911]

Completely agree with you.

[@elainestrang5719]

You took the thoughts from my head and printed them! Completely agree with your assessment!

[@The_Woof_Pack]

You underestimate the power a spouse can have over their partner even with just one look.

[@dugw15]

Bringing his own central trauma into the apology is poor form. One's central trauma is really important. That's something he should talk about. He should definitely talk about that with his counselor and his friends. He could talk about it with the public, too, but not in the middle of an apology. When apologizing, it can be tempting to bring up one's own pains because it's hard to give sympathy when you feel like you need some sympathy too. But it's important for a good apology to not include requests for sympathy. I think he could've brought that up in this video, but not in the way he did. This is not about Will's pain. But... if is central trauma is disappointing people, it makes sense why he's soooo susceptible to Jada's narcissistic manipulation. She has made it very clear that he disappoints in their relationship - in general, and in bed, and by not being Tupac. And THAT is the pain that drove him to slap Chris Rock in the first place. He didn't want to be a disappointment to Jada. He had to show that he's man enough for her. But really for himself. Because she's never affirmed him. I feel bad for Will. We can say he was egregiously wrong to slap Rock and feel bad for him at the same time.

[@3omar3aysha]

Great analysis 👏🏽

[@BbGun-lw5vi]

I feel bad for him too. And I agree with what you said except for Jada’s part in this thing. While I agree that Will reacted as a way to show his manliness, and to win Jada’s approval, most of it was due to his narcissism. I really don’t like Jada. For many different reasons. And I used to think Will was the victim in their relationship. But after reading his book I realized Will is even worse than her because he’s so intensely narcissistic. I was surprised that I felt a little bad for her and understood why she was sick of him. Will is extremely damaged and I’m not sure he’s going to get better.

[@lapatti]

@@BbGun-lw5vi wow, and you are able to give a diagnosis after reading a book? Well, who needs a psychiatrist!?!

[@BbGun-lw5vi]

@@lapatti We don’t need a psychiatrist to see when someone has obvious narcissistic tendencies. Also I am not truly diagnosing Will as a narcissist. This is a chat where we’re giving our opinions on a celebrity’s mental state. And I was just pointing out that Will’s book was filled with stories that were incredibly narcissistic. His book showed someone arrogant, entitled, and difficult.

[@lapatti]

@@BbGun-lw5vi still, I don't like when people throw around labels so easily. If you say he's arrogant, entitled etc, ok, but when you say he is "intensively narcissistic" you imply he has a very serious condition

[@pinayJayX]

Brilliant video as always.

[@felixsanchez1658]

I love this video! Thank you! So my thoughts, this was definitely too directed. That being said I feel like he was mostly sincere in what he was saying. The interesting part to me is his dynamic with Jada. As someone who has suffered from PTSD from my relationship with my ex-wife... When Will Smith says that he made his own decision and that Jada didn't tell him to do anything, I believe him. But, he also says that given his experiences, that's where he drew from to make his decision. From my past with my ex, and the trauma I experienced there, I believe that Will is also traumatized by Jada. At some point in their history, she must have felt unprotected by Will and she must have gone to an extreme to teach him a lesson. That lesson is so deeply ingrained in his psychy that he has been traumatized and doesn't want to experience anything like that ever again. So the moment that he saw his wife's face turned up, he stopped enjoying the joke and he took the best action that he could to "protect" Jada (really protecting himself from the potential for immense pain), and got up and slapped Chris. He takes way too much caution to protect Jada, which leads me to believe that he's trying to overcompensate. He's a wounded man. I also believe that some of the moments where he seems a bit disgusted may stem from hating the fact that he even has to do this and I believe there is some level of anger and frustration at himself and also Jada for this ever having happened.

[@princesssofiyagm]

I saw a man who didn’t regret his actions. But deeply regrets how it has effect both him and others.

[@tesslittrell]

I was married to a narcissist. Everything about this “apology” made my skin crawl, as if I were watching my ex husband taking - although he never apologized. I feel a lot of insincerity and Spidey- I think you nailed it when you said “no ice cream unless you apologize” That is exactly how I felt, watching this. Now I can never unsee my ex when watching Will Smith again. Bummer.

[@TwentyOneCatz]

I feel like I somewhat agree but I think that jada is the narcissist and their relationship feels emotionally abusive to me. He seems almost scared that people aren’t going to believe him when he says she wasn’t involved in the decision to slap Chris.

[@arkarh1114]

@@TwentyOneCatz I agree, imo they both are narcissist on a certain extant (I am also), Jada tho seems to have way more control over Will, it's sad. As if she's some kind of puppeteer using the nice guy in Will.. The slap was really telling as of how he felt like he had to prove her something it's making me mad he deserve way better.

[@TeddyLovesAxl]

@Tessie True ● It is a nightmare to have that so ingrained in us, our experiences with narcissists, that something like this "apology" triggers us? I can see what you see in this. I hope my comment finds you well. 🙏 🥲♥

[@LoveLife-gv8jg]

@@TwentyOneCatz because we don't

[@promisedjubileedaniels]

SAME. This felt robotic in the way a victim says exactly what a narc is telling them to say to keep them chill.

[@regaagbaa3499]

You are the best body language dude that reporting the issues without been rude, arrogant like others.

[@robinlosee3411]

Great video and analysis! I found the placement of the globe light behind him to be rather interesting as though it was intended to allude to him having a halo above his head.

[@tatethetottle]

i'd say he is sorry for everything and everyone, but chris. like he genuinely doesn't think what he did was good, he is sorry for everybody who got involved and hurt, but he still feels a little bit angry about chris and feels he deserved it even if it was wrong

[@ruthdulleck6108]

Way to go Mr Smith, you just made your apology all about Will Smith.

[@rileyy4563]

i always love your videos!! i love learning about psychology and you make it so entertaining :) i have a (maybe) fun video idea.. what if u were to analyze your own video?? i think that would be funny but idk lol

[@sandraspidle5972]

Thank you for your discernment and this video.

[@melissatoro2918]

The fact the he chose to “answer” these questions from the fans or format the video this way screams PR move. He is reacting to people’s concerns instead of simply speaking his truth about the incident. I understand not doing a live video to avoid screwing up more with something that has been so damaging to his image and his carreer, but it was way too produced. Given it took this long for him to talk about it, a candid video would’ve made more sense saying I was not ready to face all of you or I was ashamed. For me saying he doesn’t want to feel ashamed is like not taking ownership, like deep inside he still believes he had valid reasons to do it. I’m still dissapointed, maybe a little more.

[@thehammersfamily3943]

Theirs a movie with EXACT same actions and word for word..I saw it online but don't know the name ..

[@malakith5176]

@@thehammersfamily3943 it was a video made to look like an old movie. They did it bc people made this theory that it was staged so they made a video to make this look staged even more for fun

[@stephanielaws9826]

Agree completely!

[@maireadmcg3393]

Not HIS truth. We want THE truth.

[@emmacalhoun5296]

My therapist and I are working on the same thing - remorse vs shame. I will say that sounds bang on to me. Shame is sticky and it prevents me from being able to let things go and move on. I feel the regret and pain of hurting someone else all the time because I can’t just feel remorse and regret in my actions, process those feelings, and then learn and grow from them and let them go. The self hatred of shame sticks and becomes a place I get trapped. It sparks a spiral of self-loathing, so separating those emotions is critical. Realizing you can’t be perfect or make the right choices all the time is critical. This is my experience obviously, but it struck me as a common lesson my therapist and I work on as valid.

[@TajDevelopment]

This is the journey that many seem to miss. We sometimes forget that life sends us opportunities to learn so that we can grow! The process of looking at our errors owning them and yet moving pass them. We can beat us up worse than anyone else ever could and that serves no purpose nor gives humanity no path to unconditional love! And that starts with us! Especially living in a world that enjoys pain hatred and chaos! We forget there is a path to comfort love and order!

[@darceeanthony5489]

What you said is the best comment of all! Will Smith is human, just like we all are! We all make mistakes we are either sorry for or ashamed of and shame is a horrible emotion! Most of us can simply be sorry, apologize, then move on. But many of us who have suffered abuse from others in our childhood grow up to be “shame-based”. And you are so correct when you say shame is a sticky, mirey mess we get caught up in which it’s hard to get out of!! I feel for Will Smith because I believe Jada didn’t have to say one single word, yet he knew he “had to” do something to appease her! We shame-based people often marry someone just like our childhood abuser then try to make them happy in an attempt to “fix” the past. And we believe if we can “fix” our spouse, we will feel and be so much better! We think this is the way out of always feeling shame! People have been too hard on Will, I believe. None of us outside of a few hundred or so famous people don’t have to watch our mistakes repeatedly played out on National television for EVERYONE to judge! Let’s give him a break! It’s plainly obvious he married an abuser. I blame Jada more than I’d ever blame Will!

[@angiq1970]

Anything that makes you feel bad about you, including your own thoughts, is a tool of darkness to steal your freedom, joy, and serenity. Having walked where you say you are, the only way out, permanently, is to be set free spiritually from darkness and dark things...the grass really is greener on the other side! :)

[@ahay68]

No man should be ashamed of protecting his wife....... Love you Will.....

[@annohalloran6020]

You have entertained us for decades. I think we can move on. Everyone makes mistakes. We can get over it. Just keep on keeping on.

[@ShiftyGeeza]

When someone apologises to you, you know if they are really sorry or if they're just saying they are sorry to 'get it over with'. That difference is key in showing Will Smiths insincerity. I suspect that Will Smith waited this long to see if the furore would show any signs of 'blowing over' and if he could carry on business as normal without apologising. This is purely a business decision and is being carried out in an almost corporate damage limitation style to protect a brand. He might as well have included a power point presentation in his apology.

[@RawBrilliance]

I really disagree. There is a lot of trauma in this for him. He says why processing had been tough for him. He is as vulnerable as he can be as he confesses, ' disappointing others is my central trauma." That is very serious. Whatever we are most motivated to accomplish us also what we are most offended by in others. I think this was charged internally and his, " ...personal history with Chris Rock". Taking time to be honest with yourself is not proof of insincerity. I'm always shocked at how much people don't listen to oeoplw when they are speaking their deepest hurts. It colors everything for everyone.

[@CorynKLeaman]

Yes!!👏

[@jagmandu]

Bingo!..🙌🏿

[@lapatti]

@@RawBrilliance Will isn't Chris' victim, if he has trauma that's not Chris' fault so why isn't he apologising to him yet? He's given an apology to everyone but Chris. Imo he still thinks he's justified but has to appease the public

[@shayburton4104]

I don’t agree

[@stephaniewood7611]

First reaction: The artwork on the wall “The world is sick Love is the cure” being prominent feels very scapegoat-y. Along with the heavy sigh to begin with as though this is torturous for him to have to go through. And the apology to Chris felt super insincere. His apologies to other people seem to be more sincere but even so, feel too little too late. Like, this was such a basic apology video why did it take so long? And he didn’t even address the Williams family despite using their dad as an excuse for his behavior at the Oscars. And finally, he read the questions like he’s never read from a teleprompter or like he didn’t know what the questions were going to be, which also felt a bit phony.

[@OutOfOrderEntTV]

I see many celebs do that, to show that those words are not their own and the slow read gives the listener clues they will be answering genuinely.

[@sandracushing8907]

When Will Smith talked about a feeling of disrespect and insult, coupled with his "history" with Chris Rock, I get the feeling Will Smith had to apologize or felt he had to. It's one thing to not feel ashamed by your actions, but still another to genuinely feel remorse. I do think he felt remorse with Chris's mother and Tony Rock but not Chris. Chris Rock has had a history of being beaten up by other kids in school, so understand his reticence to forgive at this point

[@stephaniewood7611]

@@sandracushing8907 I agree. It seemed like he was putting the onus on Chris to do something about making amends.

[@paratianmaya]

Oh great

[@kelviannaepperson3677]

Yes I completely agree I think overall it wasn't sincere especially the apology to Chris.

[@donalddarko9636]

I'm glad you pointed out that cut that moment felt so off to me couldn't put my finger on why but it was definitely that tone shift it was jolting

[@maddiedawkins1038]

The thing that stuck out to me the most was that little chuckle when asked if Jada asked him to do something. Also the only thing I actually like about what he said, was that he’s trying to feel remorseful without feeling ashamed. The most self aware thing he said in my opinion, that and how many people it affected.

[@EllenMcDermott]

I love the symbolism of the angelic globe around his head from the lamp behind him and also love how he chose to answer to no one by reading questions from the public and not being interviewed by a person. This man answers to no one literally!!!

[@kateLibby86]

WOW!!!! I did not notice the light globe until I read your comment! Wow! Like those Messiah paintings where they have that full halo 😇 That's a great spot 👏

[@kbpretty1]

Good catch, talk about the halo on the devil... as in the Will at the time of the slap, not the man.

[@aurilanise]

The halo light was the first thing I noticed! He didn’t wear a white shirt to show innocence instead had the light behind him and that is what what turned me off before hearing anything he had to say.

[@ms1535]

@@aurilanise Yeah, I noticed that “halo” right away too. Maybe it’s my Catholic upbringing. I bet it was done on purpose. Mumma Mia!

[@orlaspring363]

no one except Jada

[@michaelgage652]

The thing that’s stood out about every instance, which are few, that he’s released a statement about this is that He never says directly that what he did was wrong. He says I handed it wrong, I shouldn’t have done it that way, but always follows with the fact that he was offended. “I’m sorry I hit him, “BUT”… he’s always trying to excuse what he did because I still feel he thinks it was deserved. He still thinks his reaction was justified and Chris was wrong.

[@cdbmountainmoney6779]

I dont think he blamed Chris but i do think he feels like he had the right to do something, just the slap was the wrong thing. He has a right to be offended in a moment. He also has the right to react in that moment. Just keep your hands off people.

[@ugggggggggggg212]

Totally agree with you. He actually looks very angry and resentful about having to do this PR stunt. It is all over his face. Snarky snarly. It’s all chris’ fault. I’d love to see will smith take on ricky Gervais. That would’ve been hilarious. Having said that Chris handled it well though and still joked afterwards. Ricky would’ve destroyed him though with words and more jokes. Hahaha

[@janicelawson7518]

I agree. My main impression of the whole video is that he blames Chris Rock for his reaction. He has no remorse for what he did. He’s just sorry we see that he humiliated himself. He should be deeply, deeply ashamed. It was so hard to watch. He could have walked up, told him quietly how distasteful the remark was and asked for an apology. He would have looked the bigger man but now he looks like a fool.

[@ShindlersFiist]

We've been waiting for this lol

[@rjj-52]

One thing that I picked up on was Will's ability to actually say "I'm sorry" to Chris's mom and to Questlove, but could only say "I apologize" to Chris. The difference I feel between those two word-choice statements is sincerity... or the lack thereof.

[@karenk2409]

"I'm trying to be remorseful without being ashamed of myself." So much wrong with that! nstead of all this word salad and answering questions like this is an essay test, how about just, "Chris, I am absolutely sick about what I did, it was completely wrong and I will be sorry forever, whether you forgive me or not. I don't know what got into me, but I am getting serious help for it and I promise it will never happen again. I am giving my award back because my behavior proved I do not deserve it at this time."

[@charisma-hornum-fries]

In private of course and if Rock goes public then fine, that’s his provocative. Smith doesn’t give Rock a choice about it.

[@LadySandraisaBolton]

That would have been a genuine apology, especially if it was delivered on stage that same night. Hard to see him as sincere now.

[@w00lleymam0th9]

I believe it was genuine. Being ashamed of one's self can be a huge setback. It will cause you to be stuck in the past and unable to modify the behavior for the future. It's why you don't look down when walking on a ledge, or "don't stare into the night sea, unless you'd like to be pulled under," when aboard a ship.

[@ruthdulleck6108]

The academy may well take the statue and remove his name and prestige are all gone

[@kathimostefai2325]

I agree he shouldn't have stated it that way. When you truly apologize, it needs to be unequivocal. I do however understand what he was trying to say and it's pretty clear he's been working with a psychologist on this point. It's next to impossible to improve yourself and make a genuine change in behavior when ashamed. Those ashamed, repeat the same behavior because they believe themselves to be a terrible person. I'm quite sure he's working with a therapist and to me this is one of the positive things he said.

[@madalynnr9940]

I think the apology to Chris's mom and the nominees was genuine. I think it was self talk from therapy when he talked about his central trauma and that when people are disappointed in him he reverts to being like a child. I find it interesting that when he answers why didn't he apologize in the speech he can't remember but when apologizing to the nominees he talks about how vividly he remembers. The Jada had nothing to do with it comment felt so false and like he's desperately trying to save her face by making it so absolutely clear that it was just him and not her and taking on more than his share of the blame while she refuses to take on any of it. It's really hard to watch how unhealthy the dynamic is between them

[@peterfeeneyjr6577]

I like your videos, I learn so much.

[@killersmurfett]

ohhhhhh i just love how honest you are to us

[@heidiwood3142]

I wouldn’t have been able to put it into technical words the way you did with your background and observation and keen perception, but I, too, immediately felt a shift in vibration when he apologized to Chris’s mother. It literally feels like a button as pressed and the entire tone felt different from the rest of the content of his video. I wouldn’t have known why I felt that without your technical explanation. For me it was more or less an intuitive vibe.

[@TheBehavioralArts]

Great job 😊

[@Ladythyme]

I’m really not interested in whether or not his heart was broken for any reason. This isn’t about how he was hurt in all of this. And He SHOULD be ashamed. Sometimes in life living through the “Shame” if/when we’ve done something shameful is part of the growth and evolution of character. It reflects acceptance of accountability. I believe it is way too early for him to expect forgiveness or acceptance by anyone. Yes this was all a pretty much semi-scripted show.

[@constanzaesposito6333]

I'm always very impressed by your videos. I'm always by you with 90% and feel like since I've grown up in a traumatic inviroment and got very sensitive through these experiences I've had, plus I do love will and follow him since i can think.. I always wonder if you had some critical childhood too. Because I don't believe that what you make out there is all training. And if so i give you the biggest respect bow!

[@kendallneason3645]

My impression is that Chris Rock was the hero that night and handled WS bizarre behavior bravely and professionally to keep the show going. Also I think Will has a great deal of anger unrelated to that joke that has been building for quite sometime. I hope he’s getting professional therapy.

[@susanporter105]

This man is a jerk! His arrogance is astounding. I USED to like him.

[@mremington8]

everything about this 'apology' is about how HE feels, the impact it had in HIM, how HE needs to move on from it, what nonsense, My gut just cant buy this load at all, I think false humility is so despicably manipulative it needs to be called out, also i like (sarcasm here) how he just expects to be forgiven because he said the words. This is so narcissistic and childlike reasoning i almost feel embarrassed for him. Dude just be honest with yourself and stop the self deception and admit your a POS with no ability to self reflect, at least that level of honesty i think we can respect.

[@mazzid9973]

TRUST me he's more scared of Jada than anything or anyone else, this was a show for him to say sorry to JADA, she's the true controlling narcissist, and he jumps to her commands, I think he IS sorry inside but on the outside he HAS to keep Jada happy, I watched it all, and Immediately afterwards said that was for Jada, why did he ha e to apologise to Jada at all, he defended her 'honour', he's the one that allows her to totally dominate him, so his actions were due to Jada's eye roll, he was laughing up to that point, the saw her disgust and eye roll (caught him laughing) so he OVERreacted, she is cruel to him, it's all her way or the highway, personally I'd tell her to take a hike, but he is IMO VERY codependent in that marriage. I had heard that she's had an affair with Chris Rock but I don't know if that's gossip or truth, if truth it may explain 🤔 why he over reacted? 🥺😳😵‍💫🐨🦘

[@mremington8]

@@mazzid9973 interesting take, i like it, i just cant believe he is sorry to Chris. when you truly apologize, you work hard and do everything you can to make amends, the burden is on you. this is a non BS apology- you are right though, i can see it now this was for Jada

[@mazzid9973]

@@mremington8 I don't disagree with you but I as a survivor of DV can see controlling behaviour a mile away, with Will I truly believe he loves her very much, she uses this against him, he is more interested to keep her happy than the actual apology, (he may feel badly to a point) but in his life, he has to please the controller or maybe lose her, his worst nightmare, such is his codependency, I wish for his sake he had the balls to call her bluff and leave her, I wish he had that strength, she is toxic to their relationship. 👍💯😳😵‍💫🐨🙃🦘

[@afroborilafemme]

I didn't comment about the Jada part because I wasn't confident in my own perception but I've learned a lot from watching your channel and I felt like his body language was saying "Jada didn't tell me to do this with her words, but her actions told me to do this." Which is what I always felt from the beginning. My husband and I have been married over a decade, he's my bestfriend. We have a very clear shorthand, from across the room at a dinner party one look could say so much between us. So when Jada rolled her eyes, Will saw that as a call to action. I agree with you that he should have just said that he was defending her.

[@renatacantore3684]

Thank you for giving me a forum to speak my mind. As you can see I have given this Allot of thought.😅

[@blackwhite2361]

Personally I feel the apology was genuine irrespective of the set up and body language. He might still feel Chris deserves the slap but I think he wished he hadn't done it. We've all been there b4 (I know I have punched someone in the spur of the moment and later regretted it) so let's stop acting like saints in the comments section. Me and the guy still talk. But I was ashamed of myself for doing that but I couldn't erase that moment. But me and the dude are still tight after all these years👍 . Let's learn to control our emotions people. It's very important. Never act on your emotions. It clouds your judgment. Plus if it wasn't genuine he wouldn't have tried reaching out to Chris. It might sound easy but it's hard to actually call someone and verbally appologize and risk having to be told to Fu€k off.

[@Sally-up8xe]

He does a great job of dancing around an actual apology. From that his reaction was "less than optimal" to the trauma of his past, to apologizing to everyone EXCEPT Chris, to that he refers to it as "the slap" instead of "when I slapped you", he says everything except "Chris, I'm sorry for hitting you. It was wrong, I was wrong, and I'm ashamed of my behavior. It ruined the night for you and everyone else. I'm sorry. I would like to say this to you in person, when and if you will let me." He tries to explain and justify his actions instead of taking ownership of them and admitting he was wrong. Not buying it. He may feel remorse, but he's not expressing it.

[@lynnhubbard844]

he cannot feel remorse if it's true that Chris and Jada had an affair

[@love.wildly.live.fearlessly]

Honestly should have let you write his apology. Even though you weren’t the one who slapped him I truly felt remorse from your statement. Like almost like you’ve been there and done something you shouldn’t have and this was they way you apologized because you were actually sorry.

[@alexricky87]

This video isn't for Chris, so Will doesn't need to display all of the emotion and say all of the right words. He is basically giving his side. He can talk with Chris, when he is ready, and that's when Will can demonstrate his sincerity. It's wild that you demand so much when you have no stakes in this at all.

[@yazminasporrong8880]

The second he said I apologise and made that direct hand action, he lost me completely. I don’t believe any of it. He’s Sorry to his family, but Apologise to everyone else. Chosen words mean a lot..

[@yourconnection9303]

My immediate impression as soon as Will Smith's video began, was that "this is staged" and that this is "an act". And with the framed poster thing thrown in about love, seemed so obviously added as a prop, convinced me even more. And what he had to say didn't seem all that free flowing. I agree in what you questioned about why couldn't he have just made an apology on his own without others there around him. Instead, this apology was being played out like into a major production, like he was in a roll. Is he genuinely sorry and really regret his actions that night? Or is he more feeling down because "the slap" backfired on him when he thought he'd be hailed as a hero? And then apologizing because he knew he needed to for his own sake. Will Smith has the true answer to this query.

[@madameshuggadrosenbloom1111]

Thank you!!!

[@Made_In_America1776]

The big sigh before Will walks into the room, hes nervous what Jada will say about how he "acted" "I'm sorry babe"🙄 Also, he's not ashamed because he's human? Are you kidding me? The slap was a shameful act to everyone, Chris, Will & his family, "previous fans". No, not buying it. Will trying to save face with his fans because toxic Jada told him too.

[@needtoknow617]

He’s denying that Jada’s response caused him to go onstage and assault Rock. Has he not seen the video? He was laughing at the joke before she sent him a look. And watching this pathetic sob explanation makes we want to scream,” Be a man!”