TYLER, Texas — Reactions from Will Smith slapping Chris Rock rippled through the country and landed here in East Texas.
At first, many people thought this slap was fake.
As a comedian himself, Card 53 comedian Aaron Smith said Chris Rock's joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith went right over his head.
“I didn't know what actually happened. I had no idea what was going on in her life,” Smith said.
Smith said there have been plenty of times when his jokes have gone south.
“You just don't understand it until afterwards. Somebody comes up to you and is like, 'yeah, you know, that joke about the dog that died? Yeah, apparently, she ran it over," Smith said.
Chris Rock has yet to confirm if he knew about Pinkett-Smith’s condition, alopecia areata. It’s also known as spot balding.
Dr. Christopher Levert with Memorial Hermann medical group explained there’s also social stigma surrounding hair loss.
“For the most part, this is something that's completely out of your control. Unfortunately for a large portion of the population – 1 to 2% of people – this will happen and it's pretty distressing when it does,” Levert said.
Smith said matters like this are nothing to laugh about.
“There is a philosophy that either everything is sacred or nothing is sacred," Smith said. " And usually what you don't want to do is make fun of something that somebody cannot change about themselves."