‘Red Table Talk’ Premiere Opens With Message ‘Healing Will Be Shared at The Table When The Time Calls’

The much-anticipated Season 5 premiere of Red Table Talk opened with a title card that, among other things, signaled how Jada Pinkett Smith won’t be discussing the behavior of her husband Will Smith at the 94th Academy Awards anytime soon.

“Considering all that has happened in the last few weeks, the Smith family has been focused on deep healing,” the opening titles read. “Some of the discoveries around our healing will be shared at the table when the time calls. 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 Talks “Season Of Healing” In Brief Statement After Will Smith’s Oscars Slap

The show immediately cut to the Smith house and then to Pinkett Smith entering the room singing, “We are back at the table.” Her child Willow said, “This is going to be an exciting one,” with her mom replying, “It is.”

But it’s not what you think, everyone: The pre-taped show was going to feature guest Janelle Monáe, not a provocative discussion about the Oscars.

“Well, well, well,” Pinkett Smith said to Willow, who was joined at the table by her mother Adrienne “Gammy” Banfield Norris. “This was your special request.”

Willow Smith then introduced “free-ass mo-fo” Monáe.

“I’m so thankful and super honored to be here,” the Grammy-nominated singer and actor said. “As soon as you guys started the show, I was in. This is exactly what we need.”

Monáe talked about her big family, how she grew up as a “super conservative Baptist” and how she is non-binary. “I feel all my energy. 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.”

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Pinkett Smith has yet to directly address the Oscars and her husband slap of Chris Rock, who was onstage to present the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. After Rock cracked to Pinkett Smith, “G.I. Jane 2, can’t wait to see it,” Smith went on stage and slapped him. He then returned to his seat and shouted vulgarities at Rock. Most of the exchange was bleeped out for U.S. audiences, but viewer soverseas were able to hear the multiple expletives.

Moments later, Will Smith won the Best Actor Oscar for King Richard. Two days after the Oscars, Pinkett Smith posted on Instagram, “This is a season of healing, and I’m here for it.”

Will Smith later apologized and ended up resigning 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.

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