Houston’s ‘Blame the Comic’ talks about the Oscars ‘slap in the face’ between Will Smith and Chris Rock

HOUSTON –A local “Blame the Comic” comedian knows firsthand what it’s like to be in the hot seat — or hot stage — that Chris Rock found himself on at the Oscars on Sunday night.

Mouths went wild, Twitter fingers started flying and the internet was set on fire after America’s favorite “gentleman” and funny guy – Will Smith – took to the stage and slapped Rock during what some are calling the biggest award show in history. Afterwards, he tearfully accepted the best actor award for his portrayal of Venus and Serena Williams’ father in the film “King Richard.” During his acceptance speech, he talked about being a protector.

It appears Smith was defending his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, from being the butt of one of Rock’s jokes, when the legendary comedian called Pinkett Smith “GI Jane.” What was disturbing to many was that Pinkett Smith publicly shared the pain of losing her hair to alopecia, a medical condition suffered by many African American women.

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Two questions remain:

1. Was Rock out of place to make fun of someone’s medical condition?

2. Was Smith out of place to “physically” defend his wife, let alone do so live on stage?

Well, if you were to ask your grandmother, the phrase “keep your hands to yourself” would probably be the first thing she would say.

From the latest gas price hike to “things black mothers say,” Marion Stafford, also known as “Blame the Comic,” keeps the internet abuzz with her viral videos poking fun at hot topics. . KPRC 2 spoke to the comedian, who admitted he wasn’t watching the Oscars when the ‘slap heard around the world’ sounded, but it didn’t take long for him to find out what happened. passed. First his wife called, then his social media timeline started buzzing.

[WATCH: Full RAW interview with Houston’s funniest comedian ‘Blame the Comic’ and Click 2 Houston’s Nakia Cooper]

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“I had to watch the video and see for myself what was going on and I was like, ‘eh, I’m not buying it,'” he said. “If that’s true, which I don’t believe, he was dead wrong.”

Despite his beliefs about whether or not the incident was staged, Stafford says the comics have rights.

“I feel like comedy culture, in itself, is already under attack from ‘cancel culture’ through the things we can say in regards to free speech and I think that kind of pushed the level a bit far,” he said. . “Even though Will Smith is a celebrity, we are now physically attacked for the things we say.”

Stafford says a line has clearly been crossed.

“It’s too far, comedy should have a safe space. If a comedian can talk about himself with self-deprecating humor, I should be able to say things about others and get the same fair treatment of laughs on the downside.

Stafford said if what happened is true, in his opinion, it’s “just another push of toxic masculinity.”

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“It goes back to when you were a kid, people can say whatever they want to say about you as long as they don’t get their hands on you, that’s how it goes,” he said. -he declares. “What other people think of me is none of my business because I don’t live for other people. “

Stafford says hitting on others, especially on a national platform like the Oscars, drives the narrative that it’s okay to act that way and it’s not.

“It’s toxic, it’s abusive, it causes emotional distress,” he said. “Nobody wants to walk around and be able to talk freely and guess what they want to say, feeling like they’re going to offend somebody. Especially when you come to a place known for jokes, known for his laughs, known for his humor which is going to be a little taboo… but it’s all fun.

So what about people who say that because Smith’s wife had a medical condition, she shouldn’t have been targeted? Not so fast, Stafford says, it’s all fair in the name of comedy.

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“I think when you live in your truth, the truth will find you. Everyone knows his story. She is not the first person or woman to sport a bald head and she is not the last person to have a bald head,” Stafford said. “Things that are presented to the public are open to public opinion and things that are left behind closed doors are private. So everything is fair when you are in public.

Stafford finds it disheartening for Rock and Smith, two titans of the entertainment world, to be embroiled in such controversy.

“Chris Rock is an icon in this comedy community, and if he doesn’t have a safe space, then what about the rest of us?” He asked.

But back to his theory that it doesn’t appear to be real, Stafford – in his comical way – shared his thoughts.

“If you are appropriately slapped or touched, your eye will water. Your ear will ring. You’re going to recalibrate your jaw because it’s pain, it’s a buzzing sensation,” he said. “A good slap will make you start thinking again. It might even bring those little gray lights.

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He says Rock didn’t seem shaken enough, the camera angles were just “too perfect” and Smith’s hand was “just too flat.”

The comedian joked, “When you slap someone, you’re just going to have a little cuff in your hand to get that touch you want to feel.”

He went on to assume, “Hey, this is the biggest platform for actors. Why wouldn’t it be believable? Will Smith is an A-rated actor. Chris Rock has hosted the Oscars a couple of times; it’s all question of grades. It’s a publicity stunt and I stick to it.

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