"Will Smith should be ashamed" - Stephen A. Smith blasts actor for slapping Chris Rock at Oscars

In a wild moment at a relatively uneventful Academy Awards, actor Will Smith made his way to the stage and slapped Chris Rock after the comedian joked about actress Jada Pinkett Smith. The actor then made his way back to his seat and yelled:

"Keep my wife's name out of your f****** mouth!"

The comedian managed to defuse the situation and presented the Best Documentary Feature award to Summer of Soul. Post the incident, social media went into overdrive, with many defending the actor and others questioning his actions. ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith shared his opinion on the incident on Twitter.

Stephen A. Smith chimes in on Will Smith-Chris Rock incident at the Oscars

Like everyone who saw the footage, Stephen A. was in disbelief about what he had just witnessed. He tweeted:

"Please tell me I didn’t see what I just saw. Somebody please tell me that @willsmith was joking and it was part of the show when he just smacked @chrisrock on National Television. I’m begging y’all….please don’t tell me @willsmith would do something like that???"

Many wondered whether the incident was staged, but once it became apparent that it wasn't, Stephen A. criticized Smith for resorting to violence. He wrote:

"If @willsmith seriously did that — and he wins the OSCAR — he just stained the greatest moment of his career. You cannot do that S$&@!!Especially as a BLACK MAN, in that position, to ANOTHER BLACK MAN(@chrisrock) on THAT STAGE. If this was not a joke, Will won’t live this down!!!"

Will Smith upset about Chris Rock's G.I. Jane joke aimed at his wife

In the joke that led to the controversy, Chris Rock poked fun at actress Jada Pinkett Smith's baldness, telling her he couldn't wait for her to star in G.I. Jane 2. Actress Demi Moore sported short hair in G.I. Jane, resembling Jada's bald look.

Pinkett Smith's bald look isn't a fashion choice. The actress suffers from Alopecia, an autoimmune disease that causes rapid hair loss in the scalp, eyebrows, and eyelashes. Jada has been vocal about struggling to cope with the illness and was visibly offended by Rock's joke, which led to Will Smith's assault on the comedian.

Stephen A. Smith wasn't too pleased upon learning that the actor's actions were driven by what he believed was a harmless joke. Smith tweeted:

"I just saw the RAW footage. @willsmith should be ashamed of his damn self. It was a G.I. Jane joke. Total B.S. If it were @TheRock or someone like that instead of @chrisrock would he have done that shit!"

Upon learning about Jada's battle with Alopecia, Stephen A. Smith's tone got softer but added that the stage wasn't the right place to confront Rock. He wrote:

"Didn’t know until just this moment about @jadapsmith having Alopecia. She’s wonderful and great. So is @willsmith — which we all know. They’re both phenomenal. But you do NOT do what Will did in that setting. Go backstage and handle that shit if you must. Horrible look!"

Stephen A. Smith is just one among the thousands who have passionately ranted about the incident on social media.

Just minutes after the altercation, Will Smith was announced as the winner of the Best Actor award for his portrayal of Richard Williams, father of tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams, in the movie King Richard.

During his acceptance speech, the actor apologized to the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and those in attendance but not Rock.