Smith told Letterman detailed how he used comedy to cope.
When watching Will Smith’s episode of My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, a disclaimer appears. It tells viewers that this interview between Smith and David Letterman occurred prior to the infamous Academy Awards slap involving Chris Rock, making the content even more compelling for Netflix streamers. The conversation is poignant as Smith revisits the traumas of his childhood, including witnessing his father beat his mother at just nine years old.
“And I didn’t do anything,” he said. “And that just left a traumatic impression of myself as a coward.”
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“There’s a person that you want to be and a person you want to be viewed as, and then there’s who you really are.” Smith turned to comedy as a way to cope with the chaos. “Ultimately ‘Will Smith’ became a symbol of joy and fun, and when I showed up, I wanted people to be happy, because I found that when my household was that way, I felt safe.”
That “joy and fun” reputation has followed him throughout his career and Smith seemingly recognizes that he isn’t allowed to stray from that. However, he was excited about what was to come.
“Life is so exciting to me right now because I can reach people differently than I’ve ever been able to reach people, largely because of my pain. I’m really ready to dive into my art in a way that I think will be hopefully fulfilling for me and helpful for the human family.”