Offering his thoughts on the matter. After Will Smith made headlines for slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars, the comedian has found his own way to address the drama.
During the 94th annual Academy Awards, Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith‘s shaved head when he suggested she should be cast in G.I. Jane 2. After Pinkett Smith, who has alopecia, rolled her eyes at the comment, her husband approached the stage and slapped the Saturday Night Live alum.
“Will Smith just smacked the s—t out of me,” Rock said in uncensored footage that later circulated online. As he returned to his seat, the King Richard star yelled back at the South Carolina native to “keep my wife’s name out your f—king mouth.”
At the time, a source exclusively told Us Weekly that Rock and Smith did not interact privately after the incident. “Chris is focusing on his tour,” the insider said in late March. “He’s moving on and is looking forward to his upcoming gigs.”
During a comedy show that same month, Rock confirmed that he hasn’t heard from Smith. “I haven’t talked to anyone despite what you may have heard,” the Grown Ups actor told the audience, according to multiple outlets.
The Hitch actor, for his part, issued a public apology for his “unacceptable and inexcusable” actions one day after the awards show. “I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness,” he wrote via Instagram.
Smith added: “I would also like to apologize to The Academy, the producers of the show, all the attendees and everyone watching around the world. I would like to apologize to the Williams Family and my King Richard Family. I deeply regret that my behavior has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us.”
Pinkett Smith, for her part, seemingly responded to the drama when she shared an Instagram quote, which read, “This is a season for healing and I’m here for it.”
Amid the controversy, Smith announced his decision to resign from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. “My actions at the 94th Academy Awards presentation were shocking, painful, and inexcusable,” he said in a statement in April, according to Variety. “The list of those I have hurt is long and includes Chris, his family, many of my dear friends and loved ones, all those in attendance, and global audiences at home. I betrayed the trust of the Academy.”
The organization conducted their own investigation into the altercation which concluded with them banning Smith from all Oscars events for 10 years as punishment.
“The 94th Oscars were meant to be a celebration of the many individuals in our community who did incredible work this past year; however, those moments were overshadowed by the unacceptable and harmful behavior we saw Mr. Smith exhibit on stage,” Academy President David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson stated in a letter after the board’s meeting. “During our telecast, we did not adequately address the situation in the room. For this, we are sorry. This was an opportunity for us to set an example for our guests, viewers and our Academy family around the world, and we fell short — unprepared for the unprecedented.”
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alum reacted to the news, telling Page Six, “I accept and respect the Academy’s decision.”
Scroll down for every reference Rock has made about the Oscars slap:
During an August 28 set in Phoenix, Arizona, Rock reportedly said he refused an offer to host the 2023 Oscars. He joked that returning to the Academy Awards would be akin to going back to a crime scene and referenced the murder trial of O.J. Simpson while explaining his reasoning. Rock claimed that going back to the Oscars would be similar to asking the late Nicole Brown Simpson “to go back to the restaurant” where she left her eyeglasses before her death in 1994. Broadimage/Shutterstock
Days after the incident, Rock reacted emotionally after he received support at his comedy show in Boston, Massachusetts. “Y’all are getting me misty-eyed and s–t,” he told the crowd amid applause on March 30, an eyewitness exclusively told Us. Chris Pizzello/AP/Shutterstock
Amid a performance at the Wilbur Theatre in Boston on March 31, Rock reportedly shut down a fan's attempt at heckling. According to multiple outlets, Rock repeatedly said no when an audience member yelled, "F--k Will Smith." Frank Micelotta/FX/Picturegroup/Shutterstock
According to a source, Rock sarcastically said that "he's had an interesting week" during an appearance in Atlantic City, New Jersey on April 2. “Everyone laughed because they knew what he was referring to, of course," the insider shared with Us, noting that the performer said he was “still processing” recent events. “He made a joke about how Atlantic City is too close to Philly for him to get into it. The general vibe of the comment was that Atlantic City could be hostile territory because it's so close to Philly. It was said in a casual joking way and everyone laughed.” Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
On April 10, Rock reflected on his state of mind following the drama. “Life is good. I got my hearing back," he joked at a comedy show in Palm Springs, California, according to the Desert Sun newspaper. “I'm OK, I have a whole show and I'm not talking about that until I get paid." Larry Marano/Shutterstock
After Dave Chappelle was attacked on stage at a May 2022 festival, Rock later tried to lighten the mood by asking the crowd, "Was that Will Smith?" Shutterstock (3)
"I'm OK, if anybody was wondering. Got most of my hearing back," Rock said during a stand-up set in May 2022 at London's Royal Albert Hall. "Don't expect me to talk about the bulls--t. I'll talk about it at some point — on Netflix. Your tickets were expensive, but not that expensive." Scott Kirkland/FX/Picturegroup/Shutterstock; Image Press Agency/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
"Anyone who says words hurt has never been punched in the face," Rock joked during a stand-up performance in Holmdel, New Jersey, on July 24, an eyewitness told Us exclusively. "I'm not a victim, mother--ker," he later added. "Yeah, that sh-t hurt, motherf--ker. But I shook that sh-t off and went to work the next day ... I don't go to the hospital for a papercut." MediaPunch/Shutterstock
During a surprise appearance at a New York comedy club, Rock addressed the situation after the audience brought the topic up. "He got on stage and said, ‘Lower your expectations. I’m not going to address that s–t,'” an eyewitness told Page Six about the April 6 show, noting that the crowd "was going wild" for the comedian. Paul Bergen/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
In September 2022, Rock allegedly described Smith as “just as ugly as the rest of us” while on stage during his U.K. tour with Dave Chappelle. Per the Daily Mail, after being asked by Chappelle if “that s—t hurt,” the Top Five actor responded, “Goddamn right … the mother f—ker hit me over a bulls—t joke, the nicest joke I ever told.” He allegedly added, “Will did the impression of a perfect person for 30 years, and he ripped his mask off. … Whatever the consequences are … I hope he doesn’t put his mask back on again and lets his real face breathe. I see myself in both men.” Shutterstock (2)
0 Comments