Chris Rock isn’t the only one who took a hit at the Oscars this year: So did Will Smith’s reputation. In fact, Smith may suffer more than Rock in the long run.
The slap heard and seen around the world seemed out of character for Smith – who has long been one of America’s most-beloved celebrities – and did immeasurable damage to his image. He can still recover, but his Oscar acceptance speech and Instagram apology made the path to redemption more difficult.
The keys to an effective statement after a high-profile misstep are speed and authenticity. The faster you say you’re genuinely sorry and acknowledge a wrongdoing, the more quickly and more likely you are to be forgiven.
Smith had an opportunity to apologize several minutes after slapping Rock as he accepted his Oscar for best actor. And he did – to “the Academy” and “all my fellow nominees.”
He never uttered Rock’s name but did say he wants to be “a vessel for love.” These ill-advised words seemed to contradict Smith’s violent actions just moments earlier. He also said that “love will make you do crazy things,” in an apparent attempt to justify his physical assault on Rock.
At the end of his speech, he joked: “I hope the Academy invites me back,” and laughed, tone-deaf to the gravity of the situation.
For better damage control, Smith should have:
- Immediately expressed genuine regret for his actions and directly apologized to Rock – by name.
- Simply apologized, without trying to explain his behavior. As Ben Franklin once said, “Never ruin an apology with an excuse.” It’s the equivalent of saying, “I’m sorry, but…” which never lands well with wronged parties.
- Kept his remarks brief after making a heartfelt apology.
- Used a somber tone.
It was nearly 24 hours after the infamous incident and acceptance speech before the world officially heard from Smith again. On Monday evening, March 28, he posted a statement on Instagram that still didn’t quite hit the mark. It read:
“Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally.
I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.
I would also like to apologize to the Academy, the producers of the show, all the attendees and everyone watching around the world. I would like to apologize to the Williams Family and my King Richard Family. I deeply regret that my behavior has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us.
I am a work in progress.”
Smith could have more effectively begun to repair his reputation by:
- Making a statement much sooner, ideally Monday morning or even late Sunday night.
- Using video instead of the written word, where he could have shown his remorse while also verbally expressing it. Text just doesn’t resonate like video, and Smith is known for being in front of the camera – both on big screens and on social media platforms.
- Being more authentic. The statement felt contrived and too carefully crafted.
- More convincingly and vividly expressing genuine remorse.
While no written or verbal apology can undo a violent act, experience tells us that people can be forgiven when they cross a line if they make amends. The jury is still out on Smith.
While he has decades of reputational capital built up from a public life previously free of major scandal, he spent a lot of it in the now-infamous Oscars moment created by his own hand.
Public personas are fragile, and one wrong move can negate decades of doing the right thing. In the aftermath of a major debacle, though, apologies can go a long way toward mending any reputational damage.
When the unexpected or unthinkable strikes a blow to your image, it’s critical to have public relations experts like the ones at GYC Vegas in your corner. A boutique Las Vegas PR agency, we specialize in crisis communications and image management for our clients. Contact GYC today, since the best time to prepare for inevitable future challenges – whether they are self-imposed or beyond-your-control – is before they occur, so you’re better-equipped to recover when they do.