Jimmy Kimmel jokes that he’ll “beat the crap out of” anyone who tries to recreate Will Smith’s Oscar slap as he prepares to introduce the ceremony
Jimmy Kimmel joked that he’d “beat the crap” if anyone tried to recreate Will Smith’s infamous 2022 Oscars slap as he prepares to host this year’s ceremony.
Smith, 54, shocked the world when he slapped Rock, 58, onstage after he made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, with Kimmel, 55, set to subtract importance to the incident a year later in a conversation with the hollywood reporter.
When asked how he would react if someone tried to hit him, he joked: “Well, I measure them, and if I’m bigger than them, I hit them on TV.” And if it’s The Rock, I run.
Kimmel also revealed that he will reference the slap heavily in his monologue, saying, “Because a lot has been said and there’s a lot of focus on it.” Obviously I don’t want to do the whole monologue about it, but it would be ridiculous not to mention it.
Commenting on the Academy’s decision to recruit a ‘crisis team’ to deal with any issues during the ceremony in the wake of the slap, Kimmel said: ‘Yeah, I feel like I should at least know what was discussed so I know what I should scared when I go on stage. But really, I suspect it mainly has to do with UFOs.”
Big moment: Jimmy Kimmel joked that he’d “beat the crap” if anyone tried to recreate Will Smith’s infamous 2022 Oscars slap as he prepares to host this year’s ceremony.
Slap: Smith, 54, sent shockwaves around the world when he slapped Rock, 58, onstage after he made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, with Kimmel, 55 years, willing to downplay the incident.
The slap came last year after Rock made a joke about Pinkett-Smith’s bald spot, caused by alopecia.
Rock had joked that Pinkett-Smith was rocking a ‘GI Jane’ look, prompting her husband to storm onto the stage and slap him, and he later repeated: ‘Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth!’
Smith “is still remorseful” for slapping Rock at the 2022 Oscars and has “unsuccessfully” tried to make amends with the comedian, a source said. People this week.
Rock recently broke up on Will and Jada’s relationship and addressed the slap in the face in the new Netflix show, Selective Outrage.
A source told the publication that Smith has “felt terrible for so long,” adding: “He has unsuccessfully tried to make amends with Chris the best way he could.”
‘But beyond that, family is important to him and [Smith] he leaned on them. Everything has helped him look inward and mature. He is better, but he is still sorry.
“Will listened to those who tried to help him and feels like he’s become a better person.”
Chris’ long-awaited public response to being slapped by Smith has received high praise, with some calling it the “greatest brutal takedown” ever.
An industry source told People that Rock “is at the top of the Netflix special.”
They added: “He said what he had to say and doesn’t give a shit about the reaction either way.” He is not worried.
Digs: The slap came last year after Rock made a joke about Pinkett-Smith’s bald spot, caused by alopecia.
‘People have been waiting [Rock’s] reaction for a year. For the most part, I think it was well received. People don’t expect sugarcoating from Chris Rock.
During his new Netflix standup special that premiered live on Saturday night, Rock responded verbally to Smith a year after the incident that saw Smith kicked out of the Academy.
In a nearly two-minute segment, Rock shot Smith’s decision to slap him onstage at the awards ceremony, making Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith the butt of his joke about her cheating on him.
The Oscars will air Sunday, March 12 on ABC.