#WordOnTheStreet: Why Grown A– Man Stephen A Smith whined?

It”s #WordOnTheStreet Sunday and look, ‘the slap heard round the world’ definitely has a lot of divided opinions. The slap being when Will Smith infamously slapped Chris Rock into 2035 at the Oscars for a joke where Chris jokingly referred to Jada Smith as G.I. Jane. Some feeling the actions was justified as Will defended his wife and some feeling the action was excessive and unwarranted.

Welp, looking back at this now infamous subject from 2024. There was one person that Will upset was none other than Stephen A Smith, who according to Vibe said he found it hard to support Will following the slap to Chris Rock years back.

“Could the lack of presales be because people have not forgiven Will Smith for that? That slap right there? How much you want to make it better does. And this is why I wanted to have this discussion with I want to emphasize that right now, as we see Will Smith and Martin Lawrence on the circuit promoting this new film.”

Now, mind you both Chris Rock and Will Smith are grown men and while I myself have mixed opinions on it, was it necessary for Uncle Pick Me to try to throw salt on another Black man, especially over something he apologized and tried to make amends for? The ONLY people that should have been upset were Chris Rock and those directly responsible to the Oscars.

In no way, am I saying Will’s actions were fully justified, under any circumstances. I do, however, believe in giving people grace.

Years back, after the slap actually happened, Stephen A responded and he wasn’t wrong in nearly anything he said:

But to still be talking about it in 2024…

Mental health is important, highly important. However, to say Chris Rock is damaged is crazy, that’s for Chris Rock to say. It’s not Stephen A Smith’s place to speak on his mental state.

How this man is more hurt than Chris Rock himself is insane? Stephen, let it go and stick to crying being obsessed with Lebron James.