Months after slapping Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars, Will Smith broke his silence on the televised incident via an apology video. In the clip, Smith formally apologized for what transpired while also addressing the “irreparable” damage done to his relationship with Rock’s brother, Tony. After the video was posted, Chris appeared to respond via a stand-up act done a few weeks ago but didn’t address the apology directly. However, at a recent event, the comic addressed it in a blunt manner.
Chris Rock appeared alongside Dave Chappelle at the O2 Arena in London this weekend, where the two reflected on their past experiences. Rock didn’t spend too much time talking about his on-stage encounter with the King Richard star, according to Deadline. So when it came to the latter’s viral apology video, Rock kept things short – and an f-bomb was involved:
Fuck your hostage video.
Needless to say, the actor did not mince words on the matter. These comments seem to fall in line with sentiments that the Spiral star shared during a comedy show in Atlanta last month. The comedian declared that “everybody is trying to be a fucking victim” and that as a result, “nobody will hear the real victims.” In that same set, he also mentioned getting “smacked by Suge Smith.”
Chris Rock further discussed the physical pain of the slap during his London show on Saturday. The star asserted that “that shit hurt” and that in the moment, Will Smith “played Ali.” It’s also said that Rock once again referred to the Oscar winner as Suge Smith. Rock and Dave Chappelle have been candid about the slap during their ongoing comedy tour. During another show last week, Rock claimed that Smith “hit [me] over a bullshit joke” and referred to said joke, which revolved around Jada Pinkett Smith, as “the nicest joke [he] ever told.” Chappelle added that Smith “did an impression of a perfect man for 30 years” before questioning how Smith would carry himself moving forward.
Over the past few weeks, Will Smith has begun to step back into the public eye. A recent outing with Jada Pinkett Smith seemed to mark the end of his self-imposed exile. On social media, Smith shared a self-deprecating post in which he referenced his desire to post on Instagram on a regular basis again. He followed that up with a post that showed him and his son attempting to catch a big spider.
Meanwhile, Chris Rock has toured steadily and continues to line up gigs. The star even revealed that the Academy reached out to him about attending 2023’s Oscars ceremony. The comic joked about the notion, comparing it to “[asking Nicole Brown Simpson] to go back to the restaurant.” Brown Simpson’s sister was among those to take issue with the remark.
His work aside, it doesn’t seem like Chris Rock has any plans to actually speak with Will Smith about what happened, despite the latter’s desire to meet up. It’s hard to say if the two might one day formally patch things up. But until such a thing actually happens, it’s likely that Rock will continue to share his brutally honest takes on the slap with audiences at his shows.
