The Smith Family Has Reportedly Been 'Focused On Deep Healing'
By Kristin Myers on April 20, 2022 at 3:50 PM EDT
It seems the Smith family is not ready to talk about the Oscars slap incident just yet.
On Wednesday, the season 5 premiere of “Red Table Talk” was available on Facebook Watch. The opening title revealed that the family is focused on “deep healing” and that their “discoveries” will be “shared at the table when the time calls.”
The Smith Family Shares Cryptic Statement Ahead Of ‘Red Table Talk’ Premiere
The Facebook Watch talk show features WillSmith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, her daughter Willow Smith, and her mother, Adrienne Banfield-Norris. Judging by the new trailer, it appears that the “King Richard” actor will not be participating in discussions this season.
An opening title card for the series did not address the slap directly but hinted at the possibility that it might be discussed later in the season.
“Considering all that has happened in the last few weeks, the Smith family has been focused on deep healing,” the opening title read.
“Some of the discoveries around our healing will be shared at the table when the time calls,” the statement continued. “Until then the table will continue offering itself to powerful, inspiring, and healing testimonies like that of our incredibly impressive first guest.”
Jada Pinkett Smith Previously Discussed ‘Healing’ Shortly After Oscars Slap
During the 94th annual Academy Awards, presenter Chris Rock made a joke about Jada’s hair loss by referring to her as “G.I. Jane.” Smith then walked on stage and slapped Rock before resuming his seat and shouting, “Keep my wife’s name out of your f---ing mouth.”
Although many felt that Smith should have been thrown out of the ceremony, he retook the stage shortly afterward to receive his first-ever Best Actor Oscar for “King Richard.” At the beginning of April, he resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, but the Board of Governors still banned him from attending all Academy events, both in-person and virtual, for ten years.
Shortly after Smith published a public apology to Chris Rock on his Instagram page, Jada posted on Instagram, “This is a season of healing, and I’m here for it.”
Janelle Monáe Joins The Smith Family For The ‘Red Table Talk’ Premiere
As Deadline reported, the episode began with Jada Pinkett-Smith entering the room, singing, “we are back at the table.” Her daughter, Willow, said, “This is going to be an exciting one.” Jada agreed, “It is.”
The season 5 premiere featured guest Janelle Monáe, a Grammy-nominated singer and actress. She has also won an MTV Video Music Award and the ASCAP Vanguard Award in 2010.
Janelle said, “I’m so thankful and super honored to be here. As soon as you guys started the show, I was in. This is exactly what we need.”
Janelle explained that she had grown up as a “super conservative Baptist” and that she now identifies as non-binary. In a 2020 interview, Janelle addressed confusion that she had changed she/her pronouns to they/them on her Wikipedia page.
“That was not me,” she said. “People can call me whatever it is they want to call me. I know who I am. I know my journey. And I don’t have to declare anything.”
“I feel all my energy,” Janelle told the Smith family. “I feel like God is so much bigger than the he or the she. If I am from God, I am everything, but I will always stand with women. I will always stand with Black women.”
