New Netflix Special Reveals Chris Rock's Reaction To Infamous Will Smith Oscars Slap

Chris Rock has talked about the infamous Oscars slap he received from Will Smith. During a January set in Charleston, South Carolina, Rock discussed the incident that dominated talk of the evening, reported in Wall Street Journal.

Chris Rock is in preparation for his upcoming Netflix special in Charleston, South Carolina. The new special is titled Selective Outrage.

Rock answered the question that many had been wondering about during his set: Did it hurt when Smith slapped him? "Hell yeah, it hurt," the comedian said, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Rock also referenced the respective roles he and Smith played in their movies. "He played Muhammad Ali! I played Pookie!" Rock said, according to The US Sun.

The comedian didn't stop there, adding that there's even a difference between the two in animated movies. "Even in animated movies, I'm a zebra, he's a f***ing shark," Rock said during his set.

Rock also referenced one of Smith's rap tracks during his set, telling the audience, "I got hit so hard I heard Summertime ringing in my ears."

Fans of Chris Rock will be able to catch his new Netflix special when it airs live on March 4.

The special will take place in Baltimore's Hippodrome Theatre, which has been described as one of the most beautiful theaters in America. Rock will perform a memorable performance for those in attendance and those watching at home.

The Oscars exchange between Smith and Rock occurred after the comedian joked about Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head.

During the 2016 Oscars, tensions rose between Will Smith and Chris Rock when the latter joked about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

Rock quipped, “Jada, I love you, G.I. Jane 2, can't wait to see it!”

The remark was about the 1997 movie G.I. Jane, which starred Demi Moore with a shaved head.

However, Pinkett Smith has been diagnosed with alopecia, which causes hair loss.

Following Rock's joke, Smith walked onstage and smacked him.

He returned to his seat and shouted at him twice, “Keep my wife's name out of your f***ing mouth!” to a stunned audience.

Later in the evening, after winning the Best Actor Oscar for his role as tennis patriarch, Richard Williams, in King Richard, Smith apologized to the Academy and other nominees but did not refer to Rock.

Will Smith apologized on multiple occasions over the incident and resigned from the academy.

In July, he apologized over the incident in an online clip. Smith said his spouse “had nothing to do with” his attack on Rock. “I chose on my own from my own experiences, from my history with Chris,” he said.

“I want to say sorry to my kids and my family for the heat that I've brought on all of us. 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.”

As a result of the incident, Smith resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences before being issued a 10-year ban from the Oscars.

In response to the Smith and Rock incident, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences established a crisis team ahead of this year's March 12 ceremony. Academy CEO Bill Kramer stated that the institution had organized a group to handle emergencies at the annual event. The team will be prepared for anything that may happen at the Oscars.

“Because of last year, we've opened our minds to the many things that can happen at the Oscars,” said the Academy CEO Bill Kramer

Kramer said the crisis team is focused on handling emergencies at the annual event.

"We've run many scenarios. So, we hope that we will be prepared for anything that we may not anticipate right now but that we're planning for just in case it does happen," Kramer said.

Jimmy Kimmel returned as host for the 2023 Oscars ceremony. The Academy CEO stated that having a veteran entertainer like Kimmel at the show's helm adds another layer of protection.

The Academy hopes that Kimmel's experience will help ensure a successful event.

“That's why you want someone like Jimmy on stage who is used to dealing with live TV: Things don't always go as planned,” Kramer said. “So you have a host in place who can really pivot and manage those moments... because of last year, we've opened our minds to the many things that can happen at the Oscars.”

Kramer also acknowledged that Academy officials "could have moved more quickly" in their reactions to the incident involving Smith and Rock, both on the evening of the show and in the aftermath. The CEO stated that the incident was a moment to bring people together.

“This is really our response after the show, and how we spoke about it, and how we talked to Will and Chris, and our hosts and our members,” he said. “It was a moment to really bring people together.”