Good on Will Smith and Chris Rock, I guess, for enlivening a failing institution (Hollywood) last night, but … that was something. Here’s what it was. NSFW warning: Will Smith drops two F-bombs:

In case you don’t watch it, Rock, the Oscars host, had made a tasteless joke referring to Jada Pinkett Smith’s bald head. She suffers from alopecia, an autoimmune condition in which your hair falls out. She was visibly bothered by the crack. Here’s the thing, though: Will Smith laughed at it when the camera was on him. Look at these two reactions to the joke:

He probably realized a second later, after looking at her, that she was hurt, hence his violent gesture.

I appreciate a man standing up for the soiled honor of his wife. But it’s also the case that in showbiz, you have to be prepared to be insulted by comedians. It comes with the territory. I don’t think Will Smith had a problem with this until he realized that he was going to be in trouble when he got home for not standing up for her.

Nobody’s wife (or husband) should be considered off-limits for criticism and joking, but the Jester has to know what’s too far. Chris Rock crossed a line in insulting Jada Pinkett Smith over a medical condition. What if she were disabled and couldn’t walk, and Rock made fun of her for being in a wheelchair? Same thing. Had JPS chosen to shave her head as a fashion statement, à la Sinead O’Connor, she would have been fair game. But she shaved her head because her hair was falling out because of a disease over which she has no control. You don’t pick on somebody who is suffering from a chronic and incurable disease. You just don’t.

It would have been better had both Jada Pinkett Smith and her husband been able to laugh it off, but I understand why she couldn’t, and why he, as her husband, felt duty-bound to defend her against insult. I know everybody is mad at Will Smith today (“everybody” = Twitter), but count me as halfheartedly on Team Will. This is once again an opportunity for me to remind you that I am from the South, and ours is a shame/honor culture.

UPDATE: Will Smith just posted this:

Classy. I hope that ends it.