Media Business

Joe Rogan: Will Smith Slap ‘Sets a Terrible Precedent’

Rogan argues that the meltdown now sets a dangerous precedent for comedy and live performances.

Published

1 year ago

March 30, 2022

The Will Smith slap on Chris Rock at the Oscars continues to be a topic of discussion on various platforms. During Tuesday’s episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” Joe Rogan talked about the aftermath comedians will face as a result of this incident.

Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, referencing the movie “G.I. Jane” as he played off her haircut, which is due to her hair loss condition.

These remarks resulted in Smith heading up to the stage, leading to the slap, and Rogan argues that the meltdown now sets a dangerous precedent for comedy and live performances.

“It was a rare instance where someone is so enormously famous and successful like Will Smith that they literally still allowed him to not just win the Academy Award but also go up and accept it and give a speech after he assaulted a small comedian,” Rogan said.

MMA fighter Josh Barnett, who was Rogan’s guest on the episode, stated that Smith needed to be escorted out of the ceremony. “They should’ve ejected him! They should’ve ejected him from the show!” Barnett said.

Joe Rogan thinks Will Smith should have been ejected from the Academy Awards. pic.twitter.com/3NwrcKEDxs
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) March 29, 2022

Rogan said that Smith shouldn’t have been allowed to smack Rock and proceed as though nothing had happened. Several minutes later, Smith was back on stage accepting the best actor award for his role in the film “King Richard.”

“You can’t just go smack a man in the face in front of the world and go about business as usual. It sets a terrible precedent in so many different ways. It sets a terrible precedent for comedy clubs. Like, are people going to decide to go on stage and smack a comedian now?”

“I don’t necessarily think people are going to change their behavior, but dumb people might,” he said. “But also it’s like what are we saying as a society when the people that we look up to, for whatever reason, for good or for bad, we look up to actors. And the Academy Awards is supposed to be them in their most regal- their most regal outfits, their best behavior and to drop down to violence for something so innocuous as a G.I. Jane joke.”

Eduardo Razo

Eduardo Razo is the Assistant Content Editor for BNM, which includes writing daily news stories on the news media industry. He can be found on Twitter @eddierazo_ or you can reach him by email at eddie1991razo@gmail.com.

Up Next

Dean Norris Wishes Joe Rogan Took the Slap From Will Smith

Don't Miss

Law & Crime, Laura Shin Partner for “Bonnie and Clyde” Crypto Podcast

Click to comment

Media Business

Saga Communications Tabs Pat Paxton As Senior Vice President of Content

Paxton spent 22 years working for Audacy. He has also worked for Cardinal Communications, Adventure Communications, and Nationwide Communications.

Published

5 hours ago

June 5, 2023

BNM Staff

Saga Communications has named broadcast veteran Pat Paxton as its new Senior Vice President of Content.

“I am absolutely thrilled to be named Sr. VP of Content for Saga Communications. The engaging culture that Chris Forgy has created at Saga reminds me of my days at Nationwide and Entercom,” Paxton said.

“At the heart of Saga’s mission statement lies a paramount focus on people. By placing a steadfast emphasis on people, we will undoubtedly attract and retain exceptional talent. It is the collective efforts of these individuals that have transformed this company into what it is today, and it is through their unwavering dedication that we will propel it to even greater heights.”

Paxton spent 22 years working for Audacy before departing in 2021. He has also worked for Cardinal Communications, Adventure Communications, Nationwide Communications, and Entercom in addition to his work at Audacy.

“Pat is a world-class broadcaster and an even better coach,” Saga CEO Chris Forgy said. “We are delighted to have Pat join our team at Saga, and having this be the last job Pat ever has.”

Paxton will begin his duties with the company on Monday, June 26th. Saga Communications Director of Group Programming Scott Chase will relocate to the company’s cluster in Ocala, Florida, and will serve as the group’s Operations Manager, while assisting Paxton in his new role.

BNM Staff

Media Business

Spotify Lays Off 200 Employees

Spotify Vice President Sahar Elhabashi told employees in a memo that those departing the company would be given “generous severance packages”.

Published

6 hours ago

June 5, 2023

BNM Staff

Spotify has announced it is laying off around 200 employees, which equates to roughly 2% of its total workforce.

Spotify Vice President Sahar Elhabashi told employees in a memo that those departing the company would be given “generous severance packages”, according to CNBC. He added that the company will continue to see partnerships with “leading podcasters from across the globe”, but added that the reduction in force was a necessary development.

Of the 8,359 employees in the company, 4,332 of those work in the United States.

In recent years, Spotify has spent more than $500 million in acquisitions with prominent figures, including Meghan Markle and the Obamas. The company reportedly spent more than $100 million for The Joe Rogan Experience alone.

The announcement of layoffs comes after company CEO Daniel Ek admitted that some of the investments the company made last year can definitively be labeled a “mistake”.

Spotify Sports Producer and former sports radio program director Dan Zampillo was among the cuts. Zampillo has previously programmed 97.1 The Ticket in Detroit, ESPN LA 710 in Los Angeles, ESPN 980 in Washington DC, and SiriusXM in New York City. He has also served as the Assistant Program Director of WGN Radio in Chicago.

BNM Staff

Media Business

NBCUniversal Communications Head Follows Linda Yaccarino to Twitter

Benarroch joined NBCUniversal in 2018, bringing with him over six years of experience from his tenure at Facebook as its director of communications.

Published

9 hours ago

June 5, 2023

Maddy Troy

Joe Benarroch, the former head of communications at NBCUniversal, is making a move to Twitter, following in the footsteps of his former boss Linda Yaccarino, who was recently appointed as CEO by Elon Musk.

Benarroch announced his transition in an email, stating that he will be assuming a new role focused on business operations at Twitter.

“It’s been an absolute honor being at NBCUniversal, where I’ve been able to work with Linda and our leadership team — to champion and scale our business priorities, create meaningful advocacy, and help build incredible partnerships across this entire industry,” he said.

“I am looking forward to bringing my experience to Twitter, and to working with the entire team to build Twitter 2.0 together.”

Yaccarino previously served as the head of advertising sales and partnerships for NBCUniversal, while Benarroch worked closely with her as the head of communications.

Benarroch joined NBCUniversal in 2018, bringing with him over six years of experience from his tenure at Facebook as its director of communications. Prior to his time at Facebook, he held positions at IPG, Discover, Starcom, and Leo Burnett, according to Media Post.

Maddy Troy

Maddy Troy serves as a writer and editor for Barrett News Media, with a specific focus on media business, advertising, and podcasting. You can find her on Twitter @Troy_Maddy.