Academy Awards-winner Will Smith polarised opinion on social media in what was termed by his assault victim, Chris Rock, “the greatest moment in television history”.
Will Smith issues public apology to Chris Rock
The virtual world was in a frenzy on Monday when, during a monologue by the iconic comedian Rock, Smith casually strolled up on stage and delivered an intense smack to the 57-year-old’s face.
A day after the incident, Smith, who took home big honours at the 94th Oscars went on social media to issue a public apology to Rock.
“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. 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 apologise 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. I am a work in progress,” Smith wrote.
What did Chris Rock say to Jada Pinkett-Smith?
This was the result of a casual joke made by Rock to Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith, when he said “Jada, I love you. G.I. Jane 2, can’t wait to see you.”
Clearly, Jada did not find this funny since, not too long ago, the veteran actress had opened up about her struggles with alopecia.
The entire ordeal was captured on video, and you can watch it below:
The Full Uncensored video of Will Smith’s altercation with Chris Rock at the #Oscars pic.twitter.com/cGQ3plSEiz
— Movies (@moreoffilms) March 28, 2022
Why did Will Smith smack Chris Rock in the face?
Things quickly escalated into a frenzy at the Dolby Theatre, as Smith was quickly ushered to the side by Denzel Washington and Tyler Perry.
Smith later resurfaced to accept his award wins for Best Actor and Best Picture, and at the time, he had only issued an apology to the Academy and his fellow colleagues for the grotesque display of violence, claiming that he was called on “to love people and to protect people and to be a river to my people.”
Smith indirectly noted the reason behind his assault on Chris Rock as a retaliation to the abuse actors endure in the entertainment business.
“I know we do what we do and you gotta be able to take abuse and have people talk crazy about you. In this business, people abuse you and you gotta smile and pretend like that’s ok,” he said, barely able to contain his emotions.
Is Chris Rock pressing charges against Will Smith?
Following the incident, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) issued a statement, noting the assault that was broadcast on national TV, and confirmed that Rock, at this juncture, has refused to cooperate, let alone press charges.
“If the involved party desires a police report at a later date, LAPD will be available to complete an investigative report,” the police statement read.
What did Chris Rock say after the incident?
As things stand, the iconic comedian has not uttered a single word after he was humiliated by Smith. Here are some of the reactions to the incident from celebrities like Stephen A. Smith, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, and more.
There’s no excuse for that, Will Smith. pic.twitter.com/v8u8PtQRMX
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) March 28, 2022
P Diddy “ We”ll settle this like family at the after party” beef between Will Smith and Chris Rock #Oscars pic.twitter.com/4s8BsAAonJ
— B🌎 (@abc123xyz_me) March 28, 2022
Diddy salutes Chris Rock for having a good chin and taking the slap from Will Smith pic.twitter.com/ZjDVhLF7A9
— XXL Magazine (@XXL) March 28, 2022
Will Smith owes Chris Rock a huge apology. There is no excuse for what he did. He’s lucky Chris is not filing assault charges. The excuses he made tonight were bullshit.
— Rob Reiner (@robreiner) March 28, 2022
Will Smith on the verge of losing Oscar win
Smith’s retrospective actions may be futile, and by the looks of it, he may be on the verge of losing his award wins due to his own lack of emotional restraint.
In his acceptance speech, Smith thanked Washington for the wise words he imparted on him about losing one’s footing at the height of success.
“What I loved was, Denzel [Washington] said to me a few moments ago, he said, ‘At your highest moment, be careful, that’s when the devil comes for you’,” Smith recalled.
Seems like these words may ring true since, after the incident, the Academy released a statement confirming it has launched a formal review of the assault.
“The Academy condemns the actions of Mr. Smith at last night’s show. We have officially started a formal review around the incident and will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our Bylaws, Standards of Conduct and California law,” the statement read.
