Can the real Will Smith please stand up? Gaming exec faces Oscar slap brunt

Will Smith’s Oscar slap has garnered a strong reaction from the internet, with many users mistakenly going after the verified Twitter handle @willsmith, which belongs to a podcaster, gamer, and Public Relations man for Stray Bombay, the indie gaming studio. The actor Will Smith does not have an official Twitter account. 

However, this San Francisco based individual who has the same name has been bracing against the misguided flow of commentary that’s hit him since Smith, the actor, slapped comedian Chris Rock for a joke about Jada Pinkett, the Best Actor Oscar winner’s wife. 

Also Read | Viral video shows Jada Pinkett Smith laughing after Will smacked Chris Rock

For the gaming executive, this isn’t the first time he’s been confused with the ‘King Richard‘ actor. Smith’s personal website is registered as notthatwillsmith.com, and his Twitter bio also clarifies he’s not that Will Smith. 

After the slap occurred at the 94th Academy Awards, the San Francisco-based gamer wrote “Real talk, I’m not the person you’re upset/happy with. I make podcasts and video games for a living. At the risk of making people pissed off at me instead of that other guy, the world would be a better place if we stopped answering words with violence”. 

The gamer’s public service announcement didn’t have much effect, with a user commenting that he should return his Oscar. However, another individual on Twitter empathized with this Will Smith’s plight, saying “Somehow, still this many people are not questioning why the other guy would have a picture of some bearded white dude as their avatar?” 

Also Read | Oscars drama has left Daniel Radcliffe ‘dramatically bored’

At the 2022 Oscars, Will Smith slapped Rock for saying Jada Pinkett Smith could be in ‘GI Jane 2’, referring to the Demi Moore movie where she played a woman who shaved her head to be a Navy SEAL. Jada Pinkett Smith sports a close-cropped haircut due to her struggles with alopecia, a condition that results in severe hair loss. After hitting Rock, Smith returned to his seat asking the comedian to keep Smith’s wife’s name out of his mouth.

Since then, Smith has apologized for his actions and resigned from the Academy, while his actions remain under investigation.