Stephen A. Smith says he cannot support Will Smith movies until he has a candid conversation with the Black community explaining why he slapped comedian Chris Rock.
Will Smith was unofficially exiled from Hollywood for a period of time after he stormed onstage at the 2022 Oscars and lowered the boom on Rock for joking about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s bald head.
The “First Take” host spoke on his eponymous YouTube podcast in light of the fact that Bad Boys: Ride or Die hauled in more than $56 million at the box office, which is higher than industry expectations.
Despite Will Smith’s apparent rebound from being a pariah in 2022 to becoming a viable box-office commodity again in 2024, Stephen A. Smith asserts that the Men in Black star has unfinished business.
“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,” Stephen A. Smith asked. “And this is why I wanted to have this discussion … I want to emphasize that right now as we see Will Smith and Martin Lawrence on the circuit promoting this new film.”
Stephen A. Smith uttered these words before the movie dropped in theaters. The fourth movie in the Bad Boys franchise made over $100 million if you include the overseas tally, making it possibly one of summer’s blockbusters.
“I’m just saying a lot of folks ain’t get over what happened,” Stephen A. Smith surmised. “Lots of folks find it hard to just go to the movies to watch you. I’m one of those people and I never missed a Will Smith movie.”
Despite Stephen A. Smith’s aversion to seeing a Will Smith movie at this point, many critics called Bad Boys: Ride or Die the best of the four movies in the franchise. Furthermore, fans are not trying to hear what Stephen A. Smith has to say about Will Smith at this point.
- “I understood it when it happened. I for one would like stephen A to apologize for having the nerve to think he speaks for us in any capacity,” said the first of many fans who spoke in the comments section of The Neighborhood Talk.
- “Please leave Will Smith Alone. It’s been two years, and we are good over here. BB4L is good.”
- “OMG!!!!!! Is today complaining day?!?! That man sold over $53 million at the box office this weekend. MOVE ON!!!😂😂😂😂😂 He ain’t gotta tell nobody NOTHING EVER!!!!!!!! Entitlement and audacity must be 50% off this year….GET OUTTA HERE!!!😂😂😂😂😂😂.”
- “😂😂😂 my co worker said she and her hubby won’t watch it either. I don’t care we got our tickets to see it tomorrow 🙌 I can careless what happens in Hollywood just always loved Bad Boyz movies 🍿.”
- “We are over it. Move on and stop beating a dead horse.”
