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Local funnyman Tumua Tuinei talks Oscars slap, hecklers and clean comedy

Comedian Tumua Tuinei poses in front of the audience after a show on Maui.
Tumua Tuinei
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Comedian Tumua Tuinei poses in front of the audience after a show on Maui.
Will Smith slaps actor and comedian Chris Rock onstage during the Oscars.
Robyn Beck
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AFP via Getty Images
Will Smith slaps actor and comedian Chris Rock onstage during the Oscars.

Several well-known comedians have shared their reactions on social media after actor Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on live television at Sunday night’s Oscars ceremony. Later that evening, Smith took the stage again to accept his award for best actor in "King Richard."

Veteran stand-up comic Kathy Griffin tweeted, “Now we all have to worry about who wants to be the next Will Smith in comedy clubs and theaters.” The Conversation was curious if comedians in Hawaiʻi share that concern. Local funnyman Tumua Tuinei talked with The Conversation ahead of his upcoming West Coast tour. He says it is not okay to physically hurt someone on stage.

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RUSSELL SUBIONO: What was your first reaction after you saw Will Smith slap Chris Rock?

TUMUA TUINEI: I thought it was fake at first, honestly, because I don't know, the slap looks pretty fake, I guess because it was the way the angle was, you know. But then when I seen the unedited version of Will Smith screaming and swearing, then I kind of knew it was real. And then when I figured out that it wasn't staged, and my second reaction was, I guess, shocked and kind of felt embarrassed for just both of them. Because I've never really seen that happen in terms of comedy and making a joke because, you know, comedy is comedy. And in my opinion, the joke wasn't even that bad, you know, but I can understand how Will Smith got offended. And it's okay to get offended at a joke. But in my opinion, it's not okay to physically hurt someone on stage, especially on a big stage like that, and a big platform, especially on live television. But I give Chris Rock props because he handled that very well, like a true showman, a true comedian. And he actually, I think, he made a joke right out of it right after. And I can't wait to see what other jokes he has coming up in his next special.

For someone as high profile as Will Smith to physically assault a veteran comedian like Chris Rock on live TV, do you think some people might take it as permission to get physical with a comedian that tells a joke they don't like?

I hope not. I hope from here on out people don't think it's okay to do that, you know, especially at shows. But I tell you what, though, like comedy clubs and theaters there's also great security. At my show, they get some big Samoan guys as security guards. I feel like even if any audience members tried or attempted to, like, get on stage, I think they would have been stopped easily if it was at a club or, or some comedy theater. But since it was Will Smith, you know, everyone's like, "Oh, it's just part of the act." So I feel like that's why he was easily let on stage. But if that happened in another comedy club or another comedy venue with security, I feel like they wouldn't let that happen.

Have you ever encountered a situation like that, where an audience member felt offended by a joke?

Not really, no. I mean I had some hecklers here and there, but a lot of it was just drunk people, just they wouldn't stop talking. But there's different ways to handle that. You know, as a comedian, we have a microphone, right? So that's power right there. When you have a microphone, you can talk over the audience and usually the rest of the audience is on your side because they want to enjoy the show. And they don't want someone ruining the show, you know, so there's certain ways to handle it. Or you just have to give that person some attention by talking to them and giving them some spotlight. But I never had any like really, really bad hecklers. And I never had anyone attack the stage. But I don't know maybe my next show I got to wear one football helmet on stage just to protect myself.

Do you find it challenging to frame your comedy in a way that doesn't hurt anyone's feelings?

Yes and no. For some comedians, I can see that. But personally, I'm a clean comedian. So the topics I talk about are pretty, you know, not like taboo subjects. I try to avoid religion and politics just because those two things can really separate a crowd. Depends on what you talk about on stage and depends what kind of comedian you are. For me, I'm a clean comic. So it's easy to just be neutral in anything that I do. And I do that on purpose just to make everyone happy. Because that's what I want people to do when they come to my show, it's just a time to escape reality and just enjoy the moment with each other and just laugh. But other comedians, I can see them getting a little hesitant about talking about these subjects they talked about before in the past. If you look at Chris Rock, one of his old specials, I think, "Bring the Pain" if you watch that special, that wouldn't be able to be aired today, because of all the things he talks about, you know. So it's just part of the game. It's part of adapting to the culture.

This interview aired on The Conversation on March 31, 2022. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.

Russell Subiono is the executive producer of The Conversation and host of HPR's This Is Our Hawaiʻi podcast. Born in Honolulu and raised on Hawaiʻi Island, he’s spent the last decade working in local film, television and radio. Contact him at talkback@hawaiipublicradio.org.
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