The fallout from the Oscars’ most infamous moment continues. New Morning Consult data reveals that Will Smith’s popularity has taken a nosedive after the best actor winner slapped comedian Chris Rock on stage at Sunday’s Academy Awards over Rock’s joke about actress Jada Pinkett Smith, Smith’s wife, having short hair.
The incident has also quickly and decisively penetrated the American discourse like few pop culture events before it, as 88% of U.S. adults said they had seen, read or heard at least some about “The Slap” — on par with general awareness of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and well ahead of other major news events.
The slap heard round the world
- “The Slap” has dominated discourse in the media and around the water cooler, and the data suggests it’s one of the most well-known events in recent months. Eighty-eight percent of respondents said they had seen, read or heard at least some about Smith slapping Rock — equal to the share of registered voters who said they’d heard about Russia invading Ukraine.
- More U.S. adults have heard about “The Slap” than about inflation reaching a 40-year high in February (76%) and about President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address (67%).
- Awareness of the altercation transcends party lines: 91% of Democrats, 88% of Republicans and 86% of independents said they have heard at least some about Smith slapping Rock.
The impact
While speculation has run rampant in Hollywood over the potential lasting damage for Smith, one of the industry’s most beloved celebrities, the data suggests he faces an uphill battle to return to the heights of popularity he previously enjoyed. And if the Academy decides to suspend or expel Smith over his conduct, it’d likely be another significant blow to his reputation.
On the other hand, Rock seems positioned to benefit from the incident, as evidenced by the immediate spike in ticket sales for his comedy tour. While Rock acknowledged “The Slap” while performing in Boston on Wednesday, the comedian said he was still processing the altercation and would speak more about it at a later time. There’s little doubt many Americans will be acutely interested in whatever Rock has to say on the subject.
Morning Consult’s survey was conducted March 30-31, 2022, among a representative sample of 2,210 U.S. adults, with an unweighted margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.
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