Bill Mick: Will Smith went from action movie star to verb | Opinion

I like Will Smith. At least I did like him. He’s a talented actor, rapper (I suppose; rap isn’t my thing) and success in Hollywood. At least he was.

Then, at the Oscars, Smith decided he was man of action, one who had to defend his wife when she was the target of comedian Chris Rock’s humor.

In one swift movie, Will Smith became a verb. He "Will Smithed" Rock by walking up on the stage and slapping one of America’s best funnymen for doing what comedians do. I’m glad nobody ever "Will Smithed" Don Rickles or Rickles would have been perpetually bruised, or an out of work comedian and actor. But people got humor in Rickles’ day. We seem to have lost that.

Americans look up to their entertainers and admire them for their talents and actions. Many are worthy of such adulation. Some are inspiration for others to strive to reach their goals.

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Sadly, some are also inspired by whatever these hero figures do. Just a few weeks after the Academy Awards, "Will Smithing" someone became a thing. An immature audience member took to the stage and attacked Dave Chappelle during a set at the Hollywood Bowl. Only this time the assailant didn’t just slap or strike Chappelle, he was carrying a mock handgun that contained a knife. The situation could have ended much worse than it did. Chappelle recovered his composure and concluded the show, as Rock did at the Oscars.

But the damage has been done; the precedent set. If someone says something you don’t like, especially if that someone is a comedian, they are open game. Go Will Smith on them to put them in their place in order to preserve your dignity, because that is what we now do.

It’s a shame, because "Will Smithing" could have been a verb for climbing out of a troubled youth to reach the pinnacle of career success. Instead, "Will Smithing" is being immature and acting out while unable to control your emotions — and being violent about it to boot.

The Academy took near-immediate action in sanctioning one of its brightest stars for his stupid act. Will it hurt Smith in the long run? That remains to be seen. I hope he continues to act in comedy and action features and redeems himself in the eyes of his peers and the public.

We’ll miss him if he doesn’t.

And if he does, maybe he climbs out of the self-created hole he’s in and gives us a new definition for "Will Smithing."

As it stands now there are two:

Will Smith, Will Smithing, Will Smithed:

Verb: emotionally reacting with violence (especially at a comedian in performance) when upset by uttered words.

Becoming successful in spite of the odds being against it.

There’s room for a third definition involving redemption and triumph, if Smith can only figure it out.

Only time will tell.

Bill Mick is program director and host of “Bill Mick Live” on WMMB-AM. Read more at billmick.comSupport local journalism and become a subscriber. Visit floridatoday.com/subscribe

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Bill Mick: Will Smith went from action movie star to verb | Opinion