Here’s what the stars have to say about Will Smith Slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars.
Photo Credit: LA Times
Will Smith slapping Chris Rock on Sunday night gets a divided response from their peers and fans.
At the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, comedian Chris Rock took to the stage to present the Oscar for Best Documentary. While presenting, Rock cracked jokes at his fellow peers in the audience. However, one joke directed at Jada Pinkett’s hair resulted in one of the most shocking scenes in Oscar’s history.
“Jada, I love ya. G.I. Jane 2, can’t wait to see ya,” Rock joked. Will initially laughed at the joke until he turned and saw his wife’s upset face. Will then stormed the stage and slapped Rock across the face.
Jada has been publicly open about living with the autoimmune disorder alopecia, which causes major hair loss.
Photo Credit: Twitter
Audience Reactions
The audience, much like viewers at home, were left in utter shock. The room fell silent as the audience tried to decipher whether they had watched a planned bit or one of their peers genuinely assault another.
Photo Credit: Mashable
Lupita Nyong’o
Lupita Nyong’o, who was seated behind the couple, had an expression of utter shock as Will shouted at Rock, “Keep my wife’s name out your f—ing mouth!”
Photo Credit:Twitter
Denzel Washington
During the commercial break, Denzel Washington and Tyler Perry took Will aside for a kind of pep talk. During his acceptance speech, Will shared of glimpse of what Washington said, “At your highest moment, that’s when the devil comes to you.”
Photo Credit: Elle
Nicole Kidman
A photo of Oscar nominee Nicole Kidman gasping went viral on account that people thought it was her reaction to the altercation. However, HuffPost clarified that the photo was taken earlier in the evening. Footage taken during the time of the assault shows Kidman wearing her husband Keith’s jacket.
Post-Oscar’s Reactions
Since the altercation, many major stars have weighed in on the events that transpired.
Whoopi Goldberg
On Monday’s episode of The View, Whoopi Goldberg reacted to Will’s outburst by saying “I think he overacted.”
“I get it,” added Goldberg. “Not everybody acts the way we like them to under pressure. Some people just snap. He snapped.”
Goldberg also commented on Rock’s reaction or better yet lack of reaction. “I think it’s remarkable and wonderful that Chris Rock did not take it to that other place it could have gone.”
Judd Apatow
In a since-deleted Tweet, writer and directed Judd Apatow, said, “He could have killed him.” The 40-Year-Old Virgin director added: “That’s pure out of control rage and violence. They’ve heard a million jokes about them in the last three decades. They are not freshman in the world of Hollywood and comedy. He lost his mind.”
Apatow was dragged on Twitter for being “overdramatic”.
Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj also Tweeted about the situation but had a very different outlook.
“You just got to witness in real time what happens in a man’s soul when he looks over to the woman he loves & sees her holding back tears from a “little joke” at her expense. This is what any & every real man feels in that instant. While y’all seeing the joke he’s seeing her pain.”
The Grammy award-winning rapper went on the sympathize with Jada’s hairless struggle and its effect on Will in a series of Tweets.
“The husband gets a front row seat to his wife’s pain… he’s the 1 consoling her… drying her tears behind closed doors when those cameras go off. Social media has made ppl feel that these “husbands” won’t ever run into them in real life.”
Kathy Griffin
Additionally, Comedian Kathy Griffin weighed in on Twitter voicing her concern for the safety of comedians.
“Let me tell you something, it’s a very bad practice to walk up on stage and physically assault a Comedian. Now we all have to worry about who wants to be the next Will Smith in comedy clubs and theaters.”