Chris Rock Says He’ll Address Will Smith’s Oscars Slap

Chris Rock isn’t eager to discuss the Will Smith slap incident at the 2022 Oscars. Smith stepped casually onto the Academy Prize stage as Rock was about to deliver the Best Documentary award, slapping Rock with an open palm after Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith’s, bald head.

Since then, the Academy’s Board of Governors has barred Smith from attending the event for the next ten years. He will preserve his Best Actor Oscar for his part in King Richard, and he can still be nominated in the next ten years. Smith has also expressed regret and says he accepts the punishment. 

He also indicated that he will be resigning from the Academy ahead of the decision. Rock, on the other hand, has stated that he will remain silent until the money is received.

Chris Rock Says He Won’t Speak About Will Smith’s Slap Until He’s “Paid.”

According to TMZ, on Friday, April 9, Rock told a live audience that he would not discuss the Oscars unless he was paid financially. It’s safe to presume he’s referring to a paid interview or perhaps a paid comedy special. According to TMZ, the information came from a piece in the Palm Springs Desert Sun, which covered Rock’s set in Indio, California, as well as his ongoing national comedy tour amid the scandal.

According to reports, Rock stated “I’m OK, I have a whole show, and I’m not talking about that until I get paid. Life is good. I got my hearing back.” 

Will Smith Apologized

Smith apologized during his award speech, but he exempted Rock. “I wanna apologize to the Academy, I wanna apologize to all my fellow nominees,” he said. “This is a beautiful moment. And I’m not crying for winning an award—it’s not about winning an award for me.”

He then issued an official apology, stating that Rock’s joke was a “trigger” because his wife suffers from a medical ailment that causes her to lose her hair. Smith admits to being a work in progress and expresses regret for his acts. “There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness,” he added. Rock reportedly declined to press criminal charges against Smith. 

What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments section.

Jada Pinkett Smith has spoken out two days after her husband, Will Smith, assaulted Chris Rock onstage at the 94th Academy Awards.

The actress wrote a message to her Instagram followers that stated, “This is a season for healing and I’m here for it.”

Will Smith’s Apology

Jada’s remark follows Will’s, 53, apology on Monday, in which he said, “Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally.”

“I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris,” the King Richard actor stated. “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.” 

“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,” Smith came to a conclusion.

The incident happened on Sunday night after the 57-year-old comedian made a joke about Jada’s hair, stating, ” “I adore you, Jada. I’m looking forward to seeing G.I. Jane 2.”

The Oscars Academy Statement

Demi Moore’s shaved head in the film G.I. Jane is referenced in the remark. Jada recently revealed that her bald head is the consequence of years of suffering from alopecia. The joke clearly did not amuse the actress, who rolled her eyes from her seat.

Will stepped onstage seconds later and approached Rock, striking him in front of the audience and millions of viewers at home. “Keep my wife’s name out of your f—-ing mouth,” Will yelled at a surprised Rock as he returned to his table, then sat with Jada at his table for the remainder of the night.

Will later apologized to the Academy and his fellow nominees for not mentioning Rock when he won Best Actor later in the program. He spoke about acting out of love and protection in his impassioned address, stating, “Love makes you do insane things.”

Since the incident, Rock has remained silent and has declined to seek charges. Will, Jada, and their family attended an after-party on Sunday night to celebrate his Oscar triumph, dancing and posing with the statuette.

In a statement released Monday afternoon, the Academy said, “Mr. Smith’s conduct at last night’s show were condemned by the Academy. In compliance with our Bylaws, Standards of Conduct, and California law, we have begun a formal investigation into the occurrence and will consider further action and repercussions.”

What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments.