The Will Smith-Chris Rock incident at Oscars 2022 on March 27 has prompted much conjecture about what caused it. Is there bad blood between the two mega-celebs? Was Rock's joke about Smith wife Jada's bald head the only thing that set him off, leading to the slap seen around the world?
Some social-media speculators are wondering if Smith's 2021 trip to Peru, "where he took psychedelic drug ayahuasca 12 times while experiencing problems in his marriage to Jada Pinkett-Smith," according to media reports, had anything to do with it.
Dr. Michele Ross writes: "He needs more psychedelic integration and less psychedelic ceremonies. Out there doing media tours about using ayuahusca 14 times and lots of other substances. Oscars tonight was not the actions of a grounded man."
Moriah Barnheart wonders: "Did someone convince Will to take psych meds and this is the side effect? Has he been seeing fraudulent shamans at thise psychedelic retreats?"
Last November, Smith revealed the ayayhuasca trips to Oprah Winfrey. "It's about being able to find that contentment within yourself – not with external stimuli," the actor explained. "The spiritual process is detoxing all of those things – not leaving your marriage so you can go get some chocolate cake. No. It's no chocolate cake. It's not alcohol. It's no sexual stimulation and all of that... The spiritual process is more about detox than going to get more."
"Clues to Will Smith's Oscar night meltdown may be traced to revelations he had while consuming the powerful jungle hallucinogen, ayahuasca."
Under the influence of ayahusaca, a jungle vine containing DMT that's consumed as a drink, Smith said, "We realized that it was a fantasy illusion that we could make each other happy. We agreed that she had to make herself happy and I had to make myself happy. Then we were going to present ourselves back to the relationship already happy – versus demanding that the other person fill our empty cup."
Smith went to Peru without Pinkett-Smith in search of enlightenment. The couple married in 1997 and have two children, Jaden and Willow. Smith wrote about ayahuasca in his 2021 book Will: “This was my first tiny taste of freedom. In my 50 plus years on this planet, this is the unparalleled greatest feeling I’ve ever had.”
Clues to Smith's Oscar night meltdown may be traced to revelations he had while consuming the powerful jungle hallucinogen. Maybe Smith had a vision that one day he would need to defend his wife in a public spectacle. Almost in a trance when Rock cracked the joke - "Jada, I love you - 'G.I. Jane,' can't wait to see it" – Smith rose to his feet and walked about 10 steps to where Rock was standing and nailed in the faced with his open right hand. Rock staggered to respond. Smith walked back to his seat and repeated the following statement while ABC cut the sound: "Keep my wife's name out of your fucking mouth."
Smith was allowed to remain in the theater and a few minutes later accepted the Best Actor award for his role as Venus and Serena Williams' high-maintenance father in King Richard. "I look like the crazy father," Smith admitted in his tearful speech that included an apology to everyone but Rock. "Love will make you do crazy things."
On March 28, Smith posted the following statement at Instagram:
"Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally.
"I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.
"I would also like to apologize to the Academy, the producers of the show, all the attendees and everyone watching around the world. I would like to apologize to the Williams Family and my King Richard Family. I deeply regret that my behavior has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us.
"I am a work in progress."
