[Closed] Hitting someone who takes the Mick out of your wife's illness

It was like a WWE slap. 😆 real? Gives a break.

[img] [/img]

And here I am, a poorly adjusted man-boy who, if I’m honest with myself, didn’t want to hit this guy because he hurt my GF’s feelings. I wanted to hit the guy because I felt my manhood was challenged.

We need less people defending their partner’s honour to cover for their own perceived shortcomings, not more.

Maybe if you'd snottered him, you wouldn't have been carrying the guilt from inaction around for the last however many years.

Or maybe you'd have been in jail. Hey, swings and roundabouts, something about dice.

Let’s add it to the list of all time great conspiracies.
JFK
Moon landing
9/11
Covid
Will smith oscar slap

Someone walked on the moon? How, it's made of cheese?

Maybe if you’d snottered him, you wouldn’t have been carrying the guilt from inaction around for the last however many years.

Or maybe you’d have been in jail. Hey, swings and roundabouts, something about dice.

And also my girlfriend would definitely remember the whole thing and not in a good way, I imagine.

If I had hit him, it definitely wouldn't have been for her benefit no matter what people told me and I told myself after.

And I did take action. I just waited a few days and sorted it out then (when we were both sober). He apologised to me but I never asked him to apologise to her which I think tells you all you need to know about my true motivations.

I don't really like the phrase because I think it get used in inappropriate ways far too often but it really is a text book example of toxic masculinity.

What disappoints me is people who have never been in a fight and don’t really understand what it’s like to have your first reaction in any conflict be to punch someone in the face start saying that his is somehow OK and Rock was asking for it.

Thanks to a typically shite Scottish upbringing my immediate reaction to any conflict is violence. I have to suppress that, take a breath, calm myself down, and then figure out how to resolve the conflict like a normal human being.

First reaction in a pub being 2 feet from the guy whos just called your lass fat is different to having to walk around multiple celebrity laden tables, avoid the (presumable) security, skirt the cameramen, not trip over the cabling, actually get up on stage and then do your 'immediate reaction' though.

Interesting if Smith has a sabatical, and as one poster said, the Oprah 'interivew'. I'm guessing he'll be too big to be dropped for consideration from the next blockbuster.

My view? Violence not acceptable, especially in that position. Though slightly torn as, well, its Chris Rock.

The hindsight me is either wait for your speech or go up there and tell the world how beautiful your wife is hair or no hair (possibly not those words mind...)

Oscars has never been so irrelevant, they must be loving it though. If you have to do a roast fest to make you acceptable for television then it might be time to reconsider your position.

This truly is a moral minefield.

I personally suffer from auto immune disorders including Alopecia, luckily only in patches.
At it's worst I had a bald patch the shape of Africa on the back of my head, covered it with a nice comb over.
I've had some comments about it and it doesn't really bother me.
What really get's me is seeing females suffering with Alopecia and for someone to make light of the situation is not on.

Equally WS getting up there and getting handy is not on either.
Much better if he'd just shouted at him from the stalls and demanded an apology!

@cougar

https://mobile.twitter.com/SupremeDreams_1/status/1508305911164592131?s=20&t=WuNFycmwDB4Aeq5mmOYR5w

Anyone looking for a distraction to Will vs. Chris should consider watching an incredible film that is 100% guaranteed never to be at the Oscars - “Boiling Point” on Netflix.

It stars Stephen Graham (Line of Duty etc) and aside from the incredible acting the thing that sets it apart from everything else “out” at the moment is that it was filmed in one take. All 90 minutes of it.

Hey, swings and roundabouts, something about dice.

Alea iacta est?

Does Will Smith speak Latin?

mattyfez
Free Member

@cougar

https://mobile.twitter.com/SupremeDreams_1/status/1508305911164592131?s=20&t=WuNFycmwDB4Aeq5mmOYR5w/blockquote >

You do know that’s a parody and not Chris rock 😂

 

That just cannot be right in any civilised society.

It’s okay then because the US is far from a civilised society. Joking aside I’m in the it was faked camp.

Rock has had a pop at the Pinkett-Smiths before, which might have been a factor...

Rock made fun of Pinkett Smith’s public avowal to boycott the show after another year of all-white acting nominees. He said: “Jada said she’s not coming. I was like, ‘Isn’t she on a TV show?’ Jada’s gonna boycott the Oscars? Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. I wasn’t invited!”

“Will was not nominated for ‘Concussion.’ I get it. You get mad. It’s not fair that Will was this good and didn’t get nominated. You’re right,” he said. “It’s also not fair that Will was paid $20 million for ‘Wild Wild West.’”

I'm sure the fact he's been called out by the more toxic male parts of the US media circus (e.g Barstool Sports) for being "cucked" by his wife didn't affect his decision making in anyway...

Joking aside I’m in the it was faked camp.

But to fake a slap? Surely if they were faking, they'd have faked a proper right hook to the chin?

johndoh
Free Member
Joking aside I’m in the it was faked camp.

But to fake a slap? Surely if they were faking, they’d have faked a proper right hook to the chin?

He slapped the shit out of me line doesn't work with a punch.

plus you can see he leans to it, and smith also walks away clearly smirking.

Boiling Point

Almost paid for Netflix for a month to watch that. Looks brilliant.

What really get’s me is seeing females suffering with Alopecia and for someone to make light of the situation is not on.

Equally WS getting up there and getting handy is not on either.

Much better if he’d just shouted at him from the stalls and demanded an apology!

Well, that sums the whole mess up perfectly for me.

As for "was it faked"... I'm hoping not, because if they chose to give out a "earned a good smacking" message, rather than Smith not controlling his anger, I think that would be even worse.

But to fake a slap? Surely if they were faking, they’d have faked a proper right hook to the chin?

My take is that, as above, there was existing beef between them. So he was primed for something anyway, and jumped up there not sure what he was gonna do.

He went for a semi-playful slap - not totally losing his cool and aware that he was being watched by millions. Then when Rock laughed it off he lost it more and dropped his F bombs.

But to fake a slap? Surely if they were faking, they’d have faked a proper right hook to the chin?

How many camera angles have been released vs how many cameras were filming at the event? I've only seen one angle, and that makes me suspicious, but then I'm not exactly following it closely enough to search out the footage or to care either way. 😀

Christ, still running.
I'm just amazed so many people think Will Smith is that good an actor 😂

@squirrelking:

"Thinking that you can call anyone that when it’s probably been explained for you umpteen times why it’s not on is just ignorant"

You're living in some left-leaning fantasy world. Watch the Stanhope video - and understand it. You might not like the word retard, but you have to understand where it comes from and why it is going to be used.

Remember the Spastic Society? People got called spakkers. It's not nice calling disabled people spakkers and it upset lots of people - but normally-abled people called their mates spakkers when they did something stupid so much that the Spastic Society changed their name to "Scope".

Now, it's not nice calling disabled people Scopers. But plenty of normally-abled people call their mates "scoper" when they do something stupid.

You may wish for the world to be nice and fluffy and for everyone to use nice and gentle approved language - but you're living in a fantasy land. The euphamism treadmill is a real thing - and if you want to insult someone for being stupid - like I wish to verbally insult anyone who's stupid enough to use their fists, rather than their minds, in a disagreement - then retard is as good a word as any.

In fact - it's probably a better word than most because it really does get people's heckles up - which is the intention of an insult.

I don't know why half of you hang out on the forum, all you do is get riled up and argue with other forumites. Surely it'd be more pleasurable to turn off the computer and do something else instead?

Like I said, I’m still trying to get over what someone said about my girlfriend years ago while she just rolled her eyes and forgot about it (despite being very self-concious about the thing she was insulted about).

And here I am, a poorly adjusted man-boy who, if I’m honest with myself, didn’t want to hit this guy because he hurt my GF’s feelings. I wanted to hit the guy because I felt my manhood was challenged.

We need less people defending their partner’s honour to cover for their own perceived shortcomings, not more.

(Obviously doesn't apply 100% to the WS/CR situation with a global audience, etc, more thinking about some posters on here who seem happy to resort to fisticuffs based on a meaningless verbal slight from a rando!)

The 2021 Oscars drew 9.23 million viewers, a 51% drop from the 18.69 million who tuned into the program in 2020.
Creating a fake controversy might get people to tune in?
Perhaps what the audience wants is more woke lecturing and virtue signalling from people who get paid millions to pretend to be someone else?

Remember the Spastic Society? People got called spakkers. It’s not nice calling disabled people spakkers and it upset lots of people – but normally-abled people called their mates spakkers when they did something stupid so much that the Spastic Society changed their name to “Scope”.

Now, it’s not nice calling disabled people Scopers. But plenty of normally-abled people call their mates “scoper” when they do something stupid.

Which is why, if you directed either of those terms at MrsMC on the wrong day, you'd risk ending up on your arse.

First reaction in a pub being 2 feet from the guy whos just called your lass fat is different to having to walk around multiple celebrity laden tables, avoid the (presumable) security, skirt the cameramen, not trip over the cabling, actually get up on stage and then do your ‘immediate reaction’ though.

Alternatively, your first reaction might have turned into your second or third by the time you'd made that journey, you've now committed to a high-profile 'something' so... then what do you do?

Rock made fun of Pinkett Smith’s public avowal to boycott the show after another year of all-white acting nominees. He said: “Jada said she’s not coming. I was like, ‘Isn’t she on a TV show?’ Jada’s gonna boycott the Oscars? Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. I wasn’t invited!”

“Will was not nominated for ‘Concussion.’ I get it. You get mad. It’s not fair that Will was this good and didn’t get nominated. You’re right,” he said. “It’s also not fair that Will was paid $20 million for ‘Wild Wild West.’”

Not seeing a problem with any of that.

Maybe what our 'edgy' comedians need is a Best Man Speech filter. It's OK to tell that embarrassing tale about when the groom got pissed and ate an entire raw onion as a dare; less OK to regale the time they walked in on him balls deep in the bride's sister.

In fact – it’s probably a better word than most because it really does get people’s heckles up – which is the intention of an insult.

That likely speaks more about the insulter than the insultee.

@chevychase

You're not persuading me that I was wrong. The fact you think it's okay to punch down for a laugh tells me everything I need to know.

As Cougar said, away tae **** and when you get there **** off. Now that WAS funny.

How do we know he actually hit him?

The fresh prints.

Igmc.

So will was sat near the front. Handy. Chris barely flinched. Handy. Wills had acting training (apparently) and knows how to stage a punch / slap.

Everyone's talking about it. Great publicity. He was laughing seconds before. Oh and no security stepped in?

Fake as fk. Keep ya wig on, Will. You ain't getting an Oscar for that.

Still, takes the attention off the Flu bug we were once worried about. And the threat of nuclear war.

Now this is a story, all about how some washed up actor lost his sh1t some how. Now I'd like to take a minute just sit right here, while Chris Rock takes the pi55 about ya wife's no hair.

Just saw the clip of Smith slapping/punching whatever Rock ...

If we were to view Smith in purely idealistic world then he is wrong for getting physical regardless. Yes, Rock was making bad joke of the wife but the moment Smith got physical he no longer hold the moral high ground.

However, that does not mean Smith's action is wrong because in his mind, he might have drawn the red line between the "joke" acceptable to him or wife without other people knowing. Good thing is that Rock did not retaliate and in fact the situation has given Rock the moral high ground.

As for those with partner(s), my view is either to tell each other how to react to an unwanted event or comment without pushing one partner forward to confront the situation. Tell each other (partner(s)) to walk away and to pretend not to hear it no matter how distasteful. Try not to push one partner forward to confront the situation because one day the partner (general reference) might be pushed into a situation where s/he might be beaten to a pulp.

As some of you have suggested sometimes physical action is called for but sometimes not.

Now let's look at the situation again and apply to the current world we live in ...

Did Rock provoke Smith with his comment of his wife?
Did Smith apply a "pre-emptive strike" after the red line verbal "provocation" from Rock?
Is smith right in his physical response?
Should Rock have considered their past "feuds" before that comment/"joke"?

All this debate about two luvvies having a spat at a crass event like the oscars. Who gives a sh*t?

All this debate about two luvvies having a spat at a crass event like the oscars. Who gives a sh*t?

I wish that's the case and the world would be a more peaceful place to live in.

If only we could not give a moment to all the comments / provocation etc ...

I think we need a super slomo to see if it was a real or staged slap…

Right so I’m going with fake after seeing one! Although quality is terrible…

I think the fact that even the LAPD have now issued a statement regarding them asking if they wanted charges raised says it was real, or the worlds worst staging where they forgot to tell everyone they were doing it!

As before though, i think Will Smith is having some inner issues, this whole weird marriage thing has been bubbling away for a long time, think Shannon Sharpe nailed it with some of his comments on it, this slap just appears to be a weird event that's come after a lot of weird events for Smith.

All this debate about two luvvies having a spat at a crass event like the oscars. Who gives a sh*t?

And yet here you are, taking time out of your day to comment on a thread you're not interested in to say how many shits you don't give.

Makes you think, or something.

Seven pages.... Wow.

I'm pretty sure I'm repeating myself, but it does pose an interesting moral /ethical debate.

What he described isn't normal human interaction though. It's someone being pretty nasty. Thinking that you can be as offensive as you want to be and not be culpable in part to an escalation to violence is naive imo.

So, CODA won the Best Picture Oscar. Anyone seen it?

Woteva. Enjoy arguing about it :joy:

All this debate about two luvvies having a spat at a crass event like the oscars. Who gives a sh*t?

And yet here you are, taking time out of your day to comment on a thread you’re not interested in to say how many shits you don’t give.

Makes you think, or something.

This has been all over the media today... headline news, social media etc. You can't escape it.

The interest for me is not the actual subject matter and incident which, to me, is so trivial and unimportant as to not warrant perhaps more than a one liner at the bottom of the news, but the interest others seem to find in it... the debate, should he have, should he not have, the rights, the wrongs.  I find it quite amazing but that's just my opinion. Obviously, others have a different view.

At least I *never* get punchy @Morecashthandash. So maybe yes.

Anyway. In other news. Some people on this forum are too much like this guy

🙂

I find it quite amazing but that’s just my opinion. Obviously, others have a different view.

Actually this non-event is very important in the current climate.

That's why I have posted the following questions to see what answers I / we get. Try provide a short answer to each question. Yes or No answer should be sufficient.

1. Did Rock provoke Smith with his comment of his wife?
2. Did Smith apply a “pre-emptive strike” after the red line verbal “provocation” from Rock?
3. Is smith right in his physical response?
4. Should Rock have considered their past “feuds” before that comment/”joke”?

Y’see. Jokes <> real life. Stop taking them to be so.

No, mate. Jokes are real life. You don't get to be as shitty as you like just for a cheap laugh, and we don't just have to sit here and take it. What you do in the name of humour can have serious negative effects. You don't have the moral right to get a chuckle by seriously upsetting someone else. You just don't.

Some of you have expressed it better than I did 🤣

You don’t get to be as shitty as you like just for a cheap laugh

Sure you do. You just don't then get to look surprised when you get a slap for your efforts. 😁

Jokes are real life at the point where it's at someone else's cost. Don't punch down.

It appeared to me that he was laughing at the joke himself until he saw she was giving him that “ and this is why I **** over men” look.
If it was staged, it was very poorly done. When WS was shouting about taking his wife’s name out of his mouth, Rock could have come back with a witty retort.
Trouble is this is meant to be an award ceremony not a comedy show.
I get the Ricky Gervais thing at the Golden Globes. It had basically become a roast and that was the reason people watched as much as for the awards. The Oscars is meant to be a more grown up civilised affair
I was cringing watching Rebel Wilson reading out poorly scripted jokes at the BAFTAs, very embarrassing and just didn’t work.

Sums this thread up perfectly.

I've seen a headline saying they are launching a 'review'. I wonder if that means a security review? And there'll be a fence protecting the stage from the audience.. ?

It does indeed sum up the punchy ones @relapsed_mandalorian 🙂

I haven't read the comments. My first opinion in watching the video was that it was staged. The more I watch it, the more I believe it was staged. Rock appears to lean into the 'slap' moments before Smithy launched it and Rock didn't even move his feet when alleged slap landed on his face

Not staged edward, Chris thought Will was going to say something to him.

It wasn't even that much of an insult, to me GI Jane brings the image of strong woman both mentally and physically. Jada rocks the bald look I would have assumed it was by choice. Alan Davies was on Breakfast this morning suggesting in the moment Chris may have seen it compliment in a 'you are tough' sort of way. Maybe the suggestion that she isn't the accepted image feminism is what triggered Will, maybe he has other issues with Chris / his wife - a more powerful statement would have been a walk out then speak out (especially as he won!) then to assault someone.

@chevychase - your post was reported, but it wasn't by me, my response and one of the others has been removed.

I think it has spoilt the argument, the way you tried to make your point was clumsy at best, but the mods have decided.

And it’d be your fault. Because you’ve failed to grasp the basics of normal human interaction

When you're arguing against the tide of opinion on here, is there a point at which you realise, perhaps, you've failed to grasp the basics of normal human interaction? Just curious.

Needs a face to face meeting between three of them to clear the air...
Will apologises to Chris for slapping him
Chris apologizes to Jada for the "joke"
Jada slaps Chris and apologizes for the slap

Then everything is golden. 😉

Hmm, maybe Jada then slaps Will for initially laughing at the "joke"

We need a re-release modern video of...

My first opinion in watching the video was that it was staged.

1. Did Rock provoke Smith with his comment of his wife?
2. Did Smith apply a “pre-emptive strike” after the red line verbal “provocation” from Rock?
3. Is smith right in his physical response?
4. Should Rock have considered their past “feuds” before that comment/”joke”?

That, on page ****ing 8 - all the evidence needed that this discussion is going absolutely nowhere.

Big Willy has apologised.

Wonder if CR will also do so.

all the evidence needed that this discussion is going absolutely nowhere

No, it just suggests that one poster in particular doesn't take on board anything that anyone else has already contributed to the thread.

Big Willy has apologised.

Wonder if CR will also do so.

If it's the usual hollywood ending CR will say sorry, they'll have an embrace in the near future and a charity will make a few quid out of them, maybe an alopecia one.

Will's only doing the apology as the poll on who was more in the wrong is definitely not in his favour, he's been on damage limitation since the slap.

kelvin

all the evidence needed that this discussion is going absolutely nowhere

No, it just suggests that one poster in particular doesn’t take on board anything that anyone else has already contributed to the thread.

Majority on this thread has suggested that it is a "legitimate" action taken by Smith to defend his wife when she was "insulted" by the "joke". Whether Rock knowingly or unknowingly knows the condition of Smith's wife is irrelevant here as Smith used force to settle the matter, albeit a slap.

Majority on this thread has suggested that it is a “legitimate” action taken by Smith

I’d prefer to see the actual figures 😉

offence is taken, not given

This is simply not true.

It may have theraputic purpose in a self-help context by encouraging the person seeking help to not let themselves be bothered by others being mean; but it also enables arseholes to be as shitty as they like without feeling bad about it.

one poster in particular

Excuse me while I have a ROFL moment 😂

I still think its staged. Rock has his hands by his back when Smith confronts him - thats not a normal reaction to a confrontation. Smithy slaps Rocky, but Rockys body doesnt move one inch, like you would expect it to if a hand landed into his with force. Smithy then walks off with a smirk on his face. Then Smith legitimises it by getting angry and shouty. I just don't believe it isn't staged.

Pfizer are one of the major sponsors of the Oscars

Pfizer have a new alopecia drug currently going through FDA approval

I'm not one for conspiracy theories but in America far worse has happened

I still think its staged

Same here. Rock doesn't react like someone who has just been slapped - he doesn't touch his face, doesn't run his tongue around inside his mouth to check for damage. He doesn't flush or get flustered, or move like anyone I've ever seen being slapped. Oh, and listen for the sound effect on the coverage - it's a thud, not a slap. Typical Hollywood, they can't even use the correct effect.

@Molgrips - you're 100% wrong. Offence is absolutely taken. If it was the other way around we could define a list of what always offends people - but we cannot. We can only define a list of what people are likely to take offence at - and that changes over time.

For instance - seeing a white person call a black man a **** is likely to offend most white people in the UK today. But in the 80's? A significantly larger portion of the population wouldn't bat an eyelid. In the 50's?...and even today there'd be a small proportion of the population who'd go "yep, he's a **** all right, wish they'd all get in a hole and die".

Offence is taken. 100%. It's so long established a maxim that it's almost beyond the pale that so many of the population don't grasp this basic concept. Because if you don't understand the basics - you can't sensibly contribute to discourse.

@Superficial:
"When you’re arguing against the tide of opinion on here, is there a point at which you realise, perhaps, you’ve failed to grasp the basics of normal human interaction? Just curious."

Popularity is no arbiter of correctness. Anti-gay attitudes were prevalent in the UK not that long ago - and popularly supported. The removal of abortion rights in some states in the US is gaining momentum because of the popularity amongst those populations. X-Factor is (was?) popular - yet it never produced any music that was any good - and it seems physical violence is popular around here.

Doesn't make it right. It just shows that humans (all of us) are morons.

No offence meant mate, but god you're boring.

I promised myself I wouldn't comment further on this thread but I'm starting to think it might be a bit staged, it has a definite whiff of a Jeremy Kyle , Jerry springer vibe to it.

you’re 100% wrong. Offence is absolutely taken.

So when Alex Jones was torturing the families of murdered children with his ignorant claims of tragedy actors etc, the pain that caused was all their fault?

"So when Alex Jones was torturing the families of murdered children with his ignorant claims of tragedy actors etc, the pain that caused was all their fault?"

Blimey, the One Show has changed a bit since last time I watched.

I'm not sure suggesting that Chris Rock and Jada kiss and make up will solve anything.
Although i guess angry sex can be fun

ignorant claims of tragedy actors etc, the pain that caused was all their fault?

It may not be anyone’s (intended) fault. ie you used the word ‘ignorant’ rather than ‘malicious’. It is IME perfectly possible for offence to be both given and taken, and with or without ‘fault’.

Taking offence/feeling offended/feeling pain doesn’t/shouldn’t automatically imply ‘fault’.

IMO it doesn’t pay to confuse the issue with automatic assumption of guilt/fault of any party. It always takes at least two to dance this dance, yet getting hurt dancing doesn’t automatically mean someone is guilty of intentionally treading on feet, or that feet are guilty of being too big, or of being too delicate etc.

I know this distinction can maybe come over as pussyfooting around (especially when it’s a plain case of someone clearly uttering or doing something to cause someone/some group maximum psychological and/or character damage).

Yet imagine for one moment an assumption of ‘guilt’/‘fault’ when finding oneself in the dock and/or faced with dismissal/public shaming/(life-altering punishments go here) for a cultural gaffe, badly-judged quip? Or, worse still - for an innocent utterance that was taken the wrong way? I well remember the jungle drums thread on here.

Worth pointing out, if it hasn't been done so already, that the Smith family live their entire life in public, though choice. Jada has posted on Instagram about her alopecia, she is open about it and, in her own words, laughs about it. Does this make it fair game for comedy? Possibly.

I just can't understand how Will Smith could react like that and then be allowed to sit back down in his chair. He should have been thrown out of the building like anyone else would have done.

No-one has come out of this well, Smith has come out of it the worst.

I just can’t understand how Will Smith could react like that and then be allowed to sit back down in his chair. He should have been thrown out of the building like anyone else would have done.

Because it was a "work" in wrestling speak!

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WorkedShoot

offence is taken, not given

This is simply not true.

Offence is something that one takes. But this does not negate the notion that someone can wilfully cause it.

Over on Facebook I have a friend who is a talented photographer. Someone commented on one of his photos recently, ending with "you little P*** bastard." My friend took offence - largely because he's Indian not ****stani - but are we really going to argue that he was in the wrong for being offended? That the poster was totally innocent?

I think some of you need to post here.

https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/the-mass-of-men-live-lives-of-quiet-desperation/

Will Smith should have surrendered, and accepted that he's now the property of Chris Rock. It would be a bummer for his wife and kids, but it would have prevented the violence. And anyway he shouldn't have been courting NATO all this time. It's America's fault really.

@Cougar

but are we really going to argue that he was in the wrong for being offended? That the poster was totally innocent?

But isn't that just (on the whole) a strawman argument (or 2)?

Popularity is no arbiter of correctness.

It is when you're talking about the norms of social interactions (which you were). It's not ideal, it's complicated, it's messy. But it's reality.

I think this is why this case has captured people's imagination. It's showing that maybe you can't talk in absolutes, free-speech-good / physical-violence-bad. There's enough of a grey area that a significant proportion of people believe that perhaps the worst speech is maybe worse than the lightest physical assault.

As a recipient, given the choice I'd take a light slap over being tortured by an insult that cuts to the core of my insecurities and repeats in my brain on an hourly basis for months.

I think this is why this case has captured people’s imagination

OTOH I think the ‘why?’ = ‘because celebrity’. If it was Gary down the Kings Arms last week smacking Darren in the chops for having made an overly-familiar quip about Mrs Gaz’s vitiligo then I doubt very much that the world’s imagination would be captured*

*viral videos discounted.