It’s been three days since slapgate became a career-defining moment for Chris Rock and a scandal that Will Smith’s career may never live down. With Rock finally breaking his silence days after Smith stormed onstage and smacked him in front of Hollywood glitterati, and a televised global audience, we sift through the headlines to tell you who said what in the aftermath of the Oscars slap.
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Chris Rock speaks out: The comedian broke his silence on Smith slapping him at the Oscars ceremony during a stand-up show in Boston on Wednesday, the trade publication Variety reported. When Rock took to the stage of the sold-out show, he started by asking the audience, “How was your weekend?” His opener brought a wave of laughter. But he then said he did not have any jokes about the slap because he was “still kind of processing what happened,” according to Variety. “At some point I’ll talk about that... and it will be serious and funny,” he added. Attendees of the ceremony Sunday watched agape as Smith hit Rock, who had cracked a joke about his actress wife’s closely cropped hairstyle. Pinkett Smith has alopecia, a condition that causes her to lose hair. Rock managed to keep the gala on track, but the atmosphere at the event had shifted unmistakably.
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Smith refused to leave ceremony: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed Wednesday that Smith refused to leave the Oscars ceremony after attacking Rock, as it began disciplinary action against the mega star. Moments after the shocking episode, he was handed the best actor award to a standing ovation. “While we would like to clarify that Mr Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, we also recognize we could have handled the situation differently,” a statement said.
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Disciplinary action against Smith: The Academy, the body that hands out the Oscars, said it had begun disciplinary proceedings against Smith over the globally televised assault, which marred Hollywood’s most important evening. “The Board of Governors today initiated disciplinary proceedings against Mr Will Smith for violations of the Academy’s Standards of Conduct, including inappropriate physical contact, abusive or threatening behavior, and compromising the integrity of the Academy,” the statement said. “Mr Smith is being provided at least 15 days’ notice of a vote regarding his violations and sanctions, and the opportunity to be heard beforehand by means of a written response. “At the next board meeting on April 18, the Academy may take any disciplinary action, which may include suspension, expulsion, or other sanctions permitted by the Bylaws and Standards of Conduct.”
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Oscars co-host Amy Schumer triggered by incident: Academy Awards co-host Amy Schumer posted a shocked reaction to the incident on her Instagram, writing: “I think we can all agree that the best way to unpack what happened is to stream my series @lifeandbethhulu and see me on tour this fall.” However, she got quickly serious to add: “But for real. Still triggered and traumatized. I love my friend @chrisrock and believe he handled it like a pro. Stayed up there and gave an Oscar to his friend @questlove and the whole thing was so disturbing. So much pain in @willsmith anyway I’m still in shock and stunned and sad. I’m proud of myself and my co-hosts. But yeah. Waiting for this sickening feeling to go away from what we all witnessed.” Schumer co-hosted the 94th Academy Awards with Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes.
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Oscars co-host Wanda Sykes speaks out: Oscars’ co-host, one of three women whose turn at the helm of the show has been widely praised, revealed Wednesday she felt physically sick after the attack and thought Smith should have been ejected. “It was sickening. It was absolutely — I physically felt ill, and I’m still a little traumatized by it,” she told talk show host Ellen DeGeneres. “And for them to let [Smith] stay in that room and enjoy the rest of the show and accept his award, I was like, ‘How gross is this?’ This sends the wrong message. If you assault somebody, you get escorted out the building and that’s it. But for them to let him continue, I thought it was gross,” she said. She also told DeGeneres that she had spoken to Rock after the show. “The first thing he said is, ‘I’m so sorry.’ I was like, ‘Why are you apologising?’ He was like, ‘It was supposed to be your night. You and Amy [Schumer] and Regina [Hall] were doing such a great job. I’m so sorry this is now gonna be about this,’” Sykes said Rock told her.
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Jada Pinkett Smith broke her silence: Pinkett Smith broke her silence in the #Slapgate controversy at the Oscars, making her first public statement since Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the event when he cracked a joke at her expense on Tuesday. Taking to her Instagram, Pinkett Smith also spoke about ‘healing’ in a one-line statement that read: “This is a season for healing and I’m here for it.”
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Legal ramifications against Smith: Smith’s slap seen ‘round the world at the Oscars was clearly a crime, legal experts say, but the chances of prosecution are slim and even if convicted he’d likely face little more than a slap of his own — on the wrist. The Los Angeles Police Department has said it was aware of the incident but was not investigating because Rock declined to file a police report. While police could technically open an investigation based on the Academy Awards broadcast, they wouldn’t do so without Rock’s participation, said defence lawyer Alan Jackson, a former Los Angeles County prosecutor who oversaw high-profile cases. The Los Angeles city attorney’s office, which prosecutes misdemeanor crimes, declined to comment, but said it couldn’t bring charges without a police referral.
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Will Smith’s mother and sister speak out: In an interview with 6ABC, Smith’s mother Carolyn Smith also admitted she was surprised by the incident. “He is a very even, people person. That’s the first time I’ve ever seen him go off. First time in his lifetime... I’ve never seen him do that,” said Carolyn Smith. But the family also said that moment doesn’t define him and that the actor puts his family first, that he’s loving and the one who keeps the family together. Will Smith’s younger sister Ellen Smith says she’s watched her brother constantly excel under pressure and under the spotlight of Hollywood. “I’ve had conversations with him, and it like really kind of broke my heart listening to the things he’s said he had to go through to get to where he is,” she said.
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Jim Carrey speaks out: Hollywood actor Jim Carrey also spoke about the slapping incident during an appearance on Gayle King’s CBS Mornings shows. “I was sickened. I was sickened by the standing ovation, felt like Hollywood is just spineless en masse,” referring to the moment Will Smith went to the stage to receive the Best Actor award for his role in ‘King Richard’ and was given a standing ovation even though he slapped Chris Rock on stage minutes earlier. Carrey added, “And it just — it really felt like, ‘Oh, this is a really clear indication that we’re not the cool club anymore.” He added that had he been in Rock’s position, he would have “sued” Smith. “I’d have announced this morning that I was suing Will for $200 million because that video was going to be there forever.”
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Willow Smith weighs in: Will Smith’s daughter shared a telling quote via her Instagram Story on Tuesday, March 29, two days after the awards show altercation. “You know who’s going through a lot right now? Literally everyone. Just be kind,” the message read.
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Will Smith apologises: A day after the incident occurred and much after pictures of him singing and dancing at the Vanity Fair Oscars After Party went viral on social media, Smith took to his social media to apologise to Rock and the Academy for his behaviour. In his apology, Smith called his behaviour “unacceptable and inexcusable”, while admitting that he “reacted emotionally” over a joke about his wife’s medical condition that Rock cracked on stage; Pinkett Smith suffer from alopecia that is an autoimmune condition which can lead to abnormal hair loss. Smith also addressed Rock directly in his statement, saying: “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.”
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