Chris Rock Addresses Will Smith Oscars Slap During Live Netflix Comedy Special: 'I'm Not a Victim' (original) (raw)

Chris Rock joked about that controversial Will Smith Oscars moment nearly one year later in his new comedy special.

On Saturday night, the comedian performed Netflix's first-ever live broadcast, a comedy special titled Chris Rock: Selective Outrage, from the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore.

At one point in the show, Rock, 58, addressed the incident when Smith, 54, hit him onstage at last year's Academy Awards ceremony on March 27, 2022, after making a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head while presenting an award that night.

"Anyone who says words hurt has never been punched in the face," he said early in the set, saying he'll try not to "trigger" anyone.

Then, later Rock joked about Snoop Dogg doing commercials, assuring, "I love Snoop, I'm not dissing Snoop," before adding a reference to Smith without naming him, "The last thing I need is another mad rapper, right?" as the crowd applauded. He then added, "No, back to the show," continuing by doing a bit about Meghan Markle.

Kirill Bichutsky/Netflix

Near the end of the show, Rock addressed the Oscars more in depth, saying he's "not a victim, baby; you'll never see me on Oprah or Gayle, crying. You will never see it. Never gonna happen." He joked that he got "smacked by Suge Smith."

"I got smacked at the f---ing Oscars by this m----f---er. And people are like, 'Did it hurt?' It still hurts!" said Rock. He also pointed out Smith's size difference compared to himself. Rock also went on to skewer Smith over the headline-making "entanglement" drama he had with wife Jada, and the Red Table Talk episode they did together.

Over the course of the wide-ranging special, Rock also name-checked celebrities like Serena Williams, Elon Musk, the Kardashians, Blac Chyna, Beyoncé, Dave Chappelle, Doja Cat and O.J. Simpson.

Though Rock hasn't spoken out about the incident in interviews or on social media since the Oscars, he did reference it several times while on his comedy tour in the months directly after the incident.

Smith, who went on to win Best Actor that same night, has since apologized for the outburst and resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which also banned him from attending its events for 10 years.

Chris Rock and Will Smith at the Oscars on March 27, 2022. Robyn Beck/getty

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Jada, 51, addressed the Oscars moment during an episode of her Red Table Talk show back in June, saying that her "deepest hope is that these two intelligent, capable men have an opportunity to heal, talk this out and reconcile."

"With the state of the world today, we need 'em both, and we all actually need one another more than ever," the actress added at the time. "Until then, Will and I are continuing to do what we have done for the last 28 years, and that's [to] keep figuring out this thing called life together."

RELATED VIDEO: Will Smith Apologizes to Chris Rock in New Video: 'I'm Here Whenever You're Ready to Talk'

Then, in July, Smith shared a video apology on his social media, shedding more light on that night and explaining that he has tried to reach out to Rock. (Smith also spoke about the Oscars while on his press tour for Emancipation in November, including an emotional interview with Trevor Noah on The Daily Show.)

He said in his video, "I've reached out to Chris and the message that came back is that he's not ready to talk, and when he is he will reach out. So I will say to you, Chris, I apologize to you. My behavior was unacceptable, and I'm here whenever you're ready to talk."

Smith explained at the time that he is "trying to be remorseful without being ashamed of myself," adding: "I'm human. I made a mistake and I'm trying not to think of myself as a piece of s---."

Chris Rock: Selective Outrage will also be available for streaming on Netflix following the live event.