While Jada Pinkett Smith isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, over the years, I’ve grown to admire her. She’s been on the right side of history many times, and so much of the angst and anger directed at her is because she married Mr. Popularity, Will Smith. On the Chris Rock issue, Jada is unequivocally the victim. She never did anything to Rock, and all he’s done is harass her and make her the butt of his jokes for decades. Rock has been obsessed with her for so long, and he felt empowered to stand on stage at the Oscars and make fun of her alopecia on a night where she was simply there to support her husband, who was nominated. Will Smith was the one who slapped Rock – all Jada did was stay in her seat and roll her eyes in disgust as Rock once again had her name in his mouth. Well, Jada’s friends are talking to People Mag in the wake of Rock’s horrid Netflix special, and I’m glad her side is saying all of this:
Jada Pinkett Smith is not involved in the ongoing tension between her husband Will Smith and comedian Chris Rock, a source close to the actress tells PEOPLE. A year after the infamous incident at the 94th Academy Awards where Smith struck Rock onstage, Rock addressed the assault in his live Netflix comedy special Chris Rock: Selective Outrage on Saturday, peppering it with scathing jokes about the Smiths and their marriage.
“Jada has had no part in all of this other than being heckled,” the source says. “Chris is obsessed with her and that’s been going on for almost 30 years. Look where he chose to film his Netflix special. Her hometown [of Baltimore]. Obsessed. Back in 2016 she helped start a movement with the Academy Awards by questioning why there are so few Black members, and Chris took it to this?” the source adds.
In 2016, Jada showed her support for Black actors as part of the “#OscarsSoWhite” movement. Will, 54, was shut out of the Best Actor race that year for his performance in Concussion. During his stand-up special, Rock quipped: “Years ago, his wife said I should quit the Oscars. I shouldn’t host ’cause her man didn’t get nominated for Concussion. And then he gives me a f–––ing concussion.”
The source counters: “She never asked Chris to not host the Oscars ever. She publicly said in a Facebook post at the time Chris would be a great Oscars host and is perfect for the job.”
In his special, Rock claimed that Jada deserved to be made fun of, saying that she was the one to start things and that he was simply reacting.
“I did some jokes about her. Who gives a f—? That’s how it is: She starts it, I finish it,” Rock said. “That’s what the f— happened. Nobody’s pickin’ on this bitch. She started this s—. Nobody was pickin’ on her.”
The source tells PEOPLE they “were shocked at how many times Chris used the word bitch in referring to Jada.”
Despite Rock’s targeting of Jada, she is looking ahead, the source adds.
“Right now Jada is focused on her book that will come out this year,” the source concluded.
Yeah… I believe Jada’s side. She didn’t do anything to Chris Rock. I would argue that, from the way he’s obsessively sh-t talked her, she probably rejected him at one point, back in the 1990s. That’s the incel energy Rock has brought to Jada’s doorstep for decades – that of a man who got rejected and couldn’t handle it, so he had to smear the woman repeatedly. I believe Jada on the Oscar-hosting thing too – she wasn’t mad about Rock hosting the Oscars that year, her point was about Black actors and creators needing to be nominated. And she was right. Rock has created this whole delusion where Jada is constantly belittling him or starting sh-t with him, where all she’s ever done is exist and be married to Will and be an activist and an outspoken Black woman. (And yes, the Baltimore thing is f–king crazy.)
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Kirill Bichutsky/Netflix.
. MADRID 25/11/2008 PHOTOCALL DE ‘MADAGASCAR 2’ WITH BEN STILLER -; JADA PINKETT SMITH-BELEN RUEDA; CHRIS ROCK – -MANEL FUENTES,EDUARDO ALDFAN AND ARTURO VALLS. BEN STILLER- JADA PINKETT SMITH-CHRIS ROCK,Image: 539595930, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: World rights – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 sales@avalon.red, Model Release: no, Credit line: Look Press Agency/Look Press / Avalon
Presenters Elliot Page, J.K. Simmons and Chris Rock backstage at the Oscar® for Original Screenplay to Kenneth Branagh during the live ABC telecast of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022.,Image: 673582693, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Avalon Licensing Ltd. do not claim any Copyright of the attached image WORLD RIGHTS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon 
Chris Rock backstage at the live ABC telecast of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022.,Image: 673582761, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Avalon Licensing Ltd. do not claim any Copyright of the attached image WORLD RIGHTS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon 
WESTWOOD, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – NOVEMBER 30: American actress Jada Pinkett Smith arrives at the Los Angeles Premiere Of Apple Original Films’ ‘Emancipation’ held at Regency Village Theatre on November 30, 2022 in Westwood, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 741563427, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Jada Pinkett Smith, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 30: (L-R) Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith attend Apple Original Films’ “Emancipation” Los Angeles premiere at Regency Village Theatre on November 30, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.,Image: 741616744, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Credit line: Jeffrey Mayer / Avalon 
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 30: (L-R) Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith attend Apple Original Films’ “Emancipation” Los Angeles premiere at Regency Village Theatre on November 30, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.,Image: 741616785, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Credit line: Jeffrey Mayer / Avalon 
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 30: Jada Pinkett Smith attends Apple Original Films’ “Emancipation” Los Angeles premiere at Regency Village Theatre on November 30, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.,Image: 741617442, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Jada Pinkett Smith, Credit line: Jeffrey Mayer / AvalonncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pLHLnpmirJOdxm%2BvzqZmcWhnaX12e8%2BepqmklZSwqb7IrJarp5OgrKmtw5iZnp2elLyjv8Ssqp6cj6y2tbS%2Bo5idmY%2Bltq%2B3xK2rmKudnsGpq8WoqZhrYJTGpq3RrGY%3D