Hollywood Turns on Will Smith After Chris Rock Slap: 'The Excuses He Made Were Bulls**t'

Alana MastrangeloMarch 28, 2022

Hollywood turned on actor Will Smith after he slapped Oscars presenter Chris Rock over a joke the comedian made about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

Rock had made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair loss — which she has recently opened up about as a result of her struggle with alopecia — stating, “Jada, I love ya. G.I. Jane 2, can’t wait to see ya.”

The audience reacted with laughter, but then suddenly, Smith got up, marched onto the stage, and smacked Rock, leaving viewers stunned as the actor walked back to his seat, where then twice proclaimed, “Keep my wife’s name out your fucking mouth.”

***LANGUAGE WARNING***:

Full video/audio of Will Smith vs. Chris Rock. (NSFW language obviously.) #Oscars pic.twitter.com/k7pX27lI3J

— Adam Silverstein (@SilversteinAdam) March 28, 2022

Later, when Smith took the stage again — this time, to give his acceptance speech after winning Best Actor for his performance as Venus and Serena Williams’ father Richard Williams in King Richard — the actor took a moment to “apologize to the Academy,” and to “all my fellow nominees.”

Not everyone in Hollywood, however, was pleased with Smith, who did not mention Rock in his in his apology.

“Will Smith owes Chris Rock a huge apology,” actor Rob Reiner reacted. “There is no excuse for what he did. He’s lucky Chris is not filing assault charges. The excuses he made tonight were bullshit.”

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

A GI Jane joke???

— David Spade (@DavidSpade) March 28, 2022

Actress Lea Thompson noted that she doesn’t “love how people hide behind god and religion when they know they screwed up,” likely referring to the part of Smith’s acceptance speech when she mentioned God, and how he is being “called on” to “love people, and to protect people.”

I love, actually don’t love how people hide behind god and religion when they know they screwed up. And isn’t he a Scientologist? I guess that’s back to level 4 for him. #oscars

— Lea Thompson (@LeaKThompson) March 28, 2022

“I want to be a vessel for love,” Smith added in his acceptance speech, to which comedian Mike Birbiglia reacted by tweeting, “People have a funny way of trying to be a vessel of love.”

People have a funny way of trying to be a vessel of love.

— Mike Birbiglia (@birbigs) March 28, 2022

Stunned the Oscars let a guy speak for over five minutes after he punched someone in the face. WTF

— Eric McCormack (@EricMcCormack) March 28, 2022

Violence isn’t ok. Assault is never the answer. Also? This is the 2nd time that Chris has made fun of Jada on the #Oscars stage, & tonight he went after her alopecia. Punching down at someone’s auto-immune disease is wrong. Doing so on purpose is cruel. They both need a breather.

— Sophia Bush (@SophiaBush) March 28, 2022

Shameless star Shanola Hampton proclaimed, “There is NEVER a justification for VIOLENCE! Never, ever, ever!!”

There is NEVER a justification for VIOLENCE! Never, ever, ever!!

— Shanola Hampton (@shanolahampton) March 28, 2022

There’s never an excuse for violence.
Ever.
Ever
Ever
Ever
Ever
Ever
Ever
Ever
Ever
Ever

— Rob Schneider (@RobSchneider) March 28, 2022

Assault is terrifying. And just about everyone at that theater acting like nothing happened is terrifying. What a terrible show.

— Judah Friedlander (@JudahWorldChamp) March 28, 2022

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.

— Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) March 28, 2022

Actress Mia Farrow commented, “It was just a joke. Jokes are what Chris Rock does. Always has been edgy. This was a mild joke from him. and I love GI Jane.”

“What I saw was one of Hollywood’s most powerful movie stars stalk onto a stage to strike a comedian,” she added. “Anyone who is ok with that has probably never been hit by a powerful man.”

What i saw was one of Hollywood’s most powerful movie stars,stalk onto a stage to strike a comedian for an unfortunate joke about his (gorgeous) wife’s shaved head. Anyone who is ok with that has probably never been hit by a powerful man. As we advise our kids, “use your words”

— Mia Farrow (@MiaFarrow) March 28, 2022

Meanwhile, Rosie O’Donnell referred to the moment as a display of “toxic masculinity.”

so upsetting – on every level – bravo to Chris Rock – for not eviscerating will smith – which he could do any day of the week – he walked away – bravo from a sad display of toxic masculinity from a narcissistic madman #Oscars2022 #chrisROCK

— ROSIE (@Rosie) March 28, 2022

Chris/ will beef was disturbing as Fuck! Should have escorted him out! But to let him win his award after he assaulted a fellow artist is unacceptable! Call him up work out! You are a respected artist be a vessel of luv. Lead with positivity in these difficult times! pic.twitter.com/lwSIv4m6Z3

— John Leguizamo (@JohnLeguizamo) March 28, 2022

I like Oscar winners who don’t slap comedians across the face over a joke.

— Richard Marx (@richardmarx) March 28, 2022

What’s sad for me is that Ukraine, climate disaster, voting rights, women’s rights, poverty, discrimination- all will take a back seat in our national conscience and dialogue to a man who felt assault was the proper response to insensitive words.

— jason alexander (@IJasonAlexander) March 28, 2022

Stand-up comics are very adept at handling hecklers.
Violent physical assault… not so much.#UgliestOscarMoment_Ever pic.twitter.com/enUimEoLV6

— Mark Hamill (@MarkHamill) March 28, 2022