The Will Smith Slap meme originated during the 94th Academy Awards on March 27, 2022. The moment occurred when Will Smith walked onto the stage and slapped comedian Chris Rock after Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head. The image of the slap quickly became a global sensation, symbolizing sudden, aggressive reactions to specific comments. It is frequently used in meme culture to represent one thing 'hitting' another unexpectedly, often labeled with text to show a forceful rejection or a harsh reality check.