The highly-anticipated season five premiere of Red Table Talk opened with a title card signaling, among other things, that Jada Pinkett Smith will not be speaking about her husband Will Smith’s behavior at the 94th Academy Awards any time soon.
“In light of what has happened over the past few weeks, the Smith family has focused on deep healing,” the opening captions read. “Some of the discoveries surrounding our healing will be shared around the table when the time calls. Until then, the table continues to offer powerful, inspiring and healing testimonies like that of our incredibly impressive first guest.”
Jada Pinkett Smith opens up about ‘Season of Healing’ in brief statement following Will Smith’s Oscar smack
The show immediately switched to the Smith house and then to Pinkett Smith, who entered the room and sang, “We’re back at the table.” Her child, Willow, said, “This is going to be exciting,” and her mother replied, “It is .”
But it’s not what you’re thinking, everyone: The pre-taped show was meant to feature guest Janelle Monáe, not a provocative discussion of the Oscars.
“Well, well, well,” Pinkett Smith said to Willow, who was joined at the table by her mother, Adrienne “Gammy” Banfield Norris. “That was your special request.”
Conversation at the Red Table
Willow Smith then introduced “free-ass mo-fo” Monáe.
“I’m so grateful and honored to be here,” said the Grammy-nominated singer and actor. “As soon as you started the show, I was there. That is exactly what we need.”
Monáe spoke about her large family, growing up as a “super conservative Baptist,” and being nonbinary. “I feel all my energy. I feel like God is so much bigger than the he or the she. If I am of God I am everything, but I will always stand by women. I will always stand by black women.”
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Pinkett Smith has yet to bring up the Oscars directly, and her husband slapped Chris Rock, who was on stage to present the Oscar for Best Documentary. After Rock jumped to Pinkett Smith, “GI Jane 2 can’t wait to see it,” Smith walked onto the stage and slapped him across the face. He then returned to his seat and shouted vulgarities to Rock. Most of the exchange was hidden from US audiences, but viewers abroad were able to hear the numerous expletives.
Shortly thereafter, Will Smith won the Academy Award for Best Actor for King Richard. Two days after the Oscars, Pinkett Smith posted on Instagram, “This is a healing time and that’s what I’m here for.”
Will Smith later apologized and eventually resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, but the Board of Governors still banned the actor from attending the Oscars for 10 years.
Jay Leno on Will Smith Oscars incident: ‘The most disturbing thing wasn’t the slap’