The Tony Awards producers have warned that the next awards event will have a “strict no violence policy,” following Will Smith’s onstage Oscars smack. The caution was included in the FAQ section of a letter sent out to attendees of the 75th annual Tony Awards in June.
No Violence Policy Cautioned Tony Awards After Will Smith’s Oscar Smack
“In the event of an incident, the culprit will be expelled from the event immediately,” the letter added. The “no violence” warning comes only weeks after Smith made international headlines when he punched comedian Chris Rock onstage at the 94th Academy Awards after a joke about his wife’s shaved head on March 27.
Rock joked that he was looking forward to seeing Jada Pinkett Smith in the “G.I. Jane” sequel. Smith laughed at the joke at first, but then walked up to Rock and slapped him across the face. Pinkett Smith said in 2018 that she suffers from alopecia (a hair-loss condition).
The actress shaved her head after her treatment, prompting Rock to compare her to Demi Moore’s character in “G.I. Jane,” who shaves her head while supporting the army.
Rock elected not to seek charges following the incident at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. Despite Smith’s subsequent apology and resignation from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the consequences of his actions have lingered in recent weeks.
For the Alec Baldwin gunshot that killed a cinematographer, the “Rust” film company had to pay $137,000. The actor will be forbidden from attending any Academy functions for the next ten years, including the Oscars.
Smith’s long-awaited Oscar triumph for best actor for his part as the father of tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams in “King Richard” was overshadowed by the incident.
For an Alec Baldwin shooting that killed a cameraman, the Rust film company was fined $137,000. The 75th Annual Tony Awards will be held at Radio City Music Hall on June 12th.
Jada, who suffers from alopecia, wrote on her Instagram account, “This is a season for healing, and I’m here for it,” without directly addressing the conflict.
Alopecia has become a prominent topic since Will Smith’s smack. For the first time in 2018, Pinkett Smith stated that she had been diagnosed with alopecia, a medical term for hair loss. On her internet show, “Red Table Talk,” the actor and director admitted, “I was actually shaking with panic.” At that point, I thought to myself, “Oh, my God.” Is it true that my hair is starting to fall out?”
Will issued an apology to Jada on Instagram just hours before she responded. Will even labelled his behaviour “awful and repulsive” at the widely televised event.
“In terms of behaviour, last night’s Academy Awards were both horrible and unforgivable. I’m used to making jokes about my health at work, but one about Jada’s illness was too much for me to handle, and I reacted emotionally.”
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