A slap may not damage, but it can wound.
Ilias Kasidiaris is the latest offender to buzz the Web, after the deputy of the Greek Golden Dawn party—described as neo-Nazi extremists—slapped a female political rival three times on a live political talk show.
The triple offense follows a few high-profile stingers on American soil, setting off searches on Yahoo! for "barrett slap," "barrett slapped," "tom barrett," "will smith slap," "will smith slaps," "will smith slaps reporter," and "will smith slaps reporter video."
In the case of a celebrity versus paparazzi, it's often a question of defending privacy. In a political context, it can signal betrayal or a nation spiraling out of control. Even in an age of hair-pulling reality TV segments, cinematic violence, and trigger-happy headlines, a slap still has the power to shock.
A look at recent high-profile slaps: A female "supporter" hit Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett when he was down, conceding Wisconsin's gubernatorial race to Scott
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