Anyone minimizing the harm of Chris Rock's "joke" needs to learn more about alopecia,

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7. My heart goes out to those who suffer from alopecia and anyone bullied for any reason

But to take that lens to this particular situation and ignore everything else is just plain wrong.

The brief incident actually has quite a number of complicating factors. Alopecia, certainly. But also race, sex, wealth, celebrity, toxic masculinity, violence, academy award traditions, comedic roasting standards, and more.

Wealth and celebrity complicate the matter because ordinary people with alopecia can't hide it. But jada pinkett-smith could and did for some time. Thus when she showed up with a shaved head, that was not entirely the usual alopecia situation where that's the only hair style that works. Her wealth afforded her more options. In her case, a shaved head was a choice.

Still, that wouldn't justify bullying or insulting her.

But as others have noted, Chris rock didn't insult her. He likened her to demi moore's role as gi Jane, widely perceived as a strong woman who rocked that shaved head. That's a compliment, not an insult. Anyone who says otherwise is insulting Demi Moore.

Moreover, he suggested jada could star in a sequel. This can only be interpreted as a compliment to her acting ability.

All he did that was potentially problematic was to call out her shaved head. And yes, calling attention to an illness or disability is not cool (although it's standard fare for comedic roasting, which academy award attendees full well know to expect, especially if they're in the front row).

Except now we go back to that choice jada made to put her shaved head on display, in the front row at the academy awards, where it's known people there get roasted.

This is not a schoolyard bullying situation. This was a couple of career professionals who know damn well what to expect and what was expected of them.

If they weren't emotionally ready to handle being public with a shaved head, she should not have made that choice.

Again I recognize that most alopecia sufferers do not, in practice have any other choice so I would have far more sympathy for them if anyone even just pointed it out.

But this was not that. This was will, and probably jada as well, reaching to take offense and even then, wildly overreacting, to something obviously intended as a rather milquetoast roast.