'I'm Still Processing’: Chris Rock Comments on Getting Slapped by Will Smith at Oscars
© AP Photo / Chris PizzelloWill Smith, right, hits presenter Chris Rock on stage while presenting the award for best documentary feature at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
© AP Photo / Chris Pizzello
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Comedian Chris Rock made headlines after getting slapped by actor Will Smith for mocking his wife, actress Jada Pinkett Smith while presenting the Oscars at the 94th Academy Awards. This sparked off a massive social media uproar as netizens slammed Smith's behaviour and the Academy also called for a probe of the incident.
Comedian Chris Rock has broken his silence about being slapped at the Oscars by Will Smith, saying he is "still processing what happened".
After that incident, Rock took to the stage for his stand-up comedy show that sold out Boston's Wilbur Theatre in the U.S.
Rock started off by asking his audience, "How was your weekend?", to which the crowd burst into laughter to cut the tension around the whole incident.
From the start of the show, the comedian made it clear that he did not plan to address what happened at the Oscars at length.
“I don't have a bunch of shit to say about that, so if you came here to hear that, I’m not ... I had like a whole show I wrote before this weekend,” Rock said in the video clip that has gone viral on social media.
Rock, however, briefly addressed the slap incident without mentioning Smith's name and said, "I'm still kind of processing what happened, so at some point, I'll talk about that s**t. (sic)"
“Other than the weird thing, life is pretty good,” he said at one point mid-way through his act.
Rock reportedly broke down in tears and said, "It'll be serious. It'll be funny, but right now I'm going to tell some jokes. Let me be all misty and s**t."
#ChrisRock finally breaks his silence and says he's still processing #WillSmith Oscars slap 👀 pic.twitter.com/al59FEoqsD
— No Jumper (@nojumper) March 31, 2022
Rock received an overwhelming response from the crowd who extended their support to him and gave him a standing ovation for taking everything in a sporting spirit and didn't lose his cool over the incident.
During the 94th Academy Awards on Sunday, Oscar presenter Chris Rock took a dig at Jada Pinkett Smith over her hair loss, referencing the 1997 movie 'G.I. Jane', in which actress Demi Moore appears with a shaved head.
He said that Jada Smith was starring in 'G.I. Jane 2' because of her bald head, incensing the Fresh Prince.
Jada Smith had to shave her head last year due to her medical condition, called alopecia areata, which causes acute hair loss.
This didn't go down well with Jada's husband Will Smith, who lost his temper and went onstage and slapped Rock.
The comedian, in response to this, told the crowd, "Oh wow, Will Smith just smacked the s--- out of me."
Smith returned to his seat and shouted, "Keep my wife`s name out of your fu**ing mouth!"
This sparked off a massive social media uproar as netizens slammed Smith's behaviour and the Academy also called for a probe of this incident to take strict action against him.
Uncensored Will Smith smacks Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars (FULL VIDEO in HD) #WillSmith #Oscars #AcademyAwards pic.twitter.com/Vsf5SNvKiH
— Ryley (@ryleywilko01) March 28, 2022
After facing a lot of criticism, Smith issued an apology to Rock and the Academy, and said, "Jokes at my expense are 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 apologise 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," Smith said.
© Photo : Instagram/willsmithScreenshot of Will Smith's Instagram Post, apologising for slapping Oscar host, comedian Chris Rock
Screenshot of Will Smith's Instagram Post, apologising for slapping Oscar host, comedian Chris Rock
© Photo : Instagram/willsmith