It’s been over a year since the infamous Oscar slap incident between comedian Chris Rock and actor, Will Smith , but that’s how long it took for the former to break his silence.
The 58-year-old hosted a Netflix special, Selective Outrage where he ripped into Smith and expressed his feelings over their fallout.
Netflix ‘Did It Hurt?’
Rock is infamous for making out-of-pocket jokes which got him in trouble the first time with Smith. However, his latest special takes the cake because he held no prisoners.
What Happened?
Rock mocked Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith’s marriage, including the infamous entanglement situation with August Alsina. We’ll break down the entire segment and the history of bad blood between Rock and the Smiths.
Sit tight for a wild ride.
What Did Rock Say?
Rock started by saying the altercation between him and Smith wasn’t about the “tasteless” joke he made on stage but because Pinkett-Smith cheated on him.
Although Rock’s Oscars night joke didn’t reference the couple’s tense marriage, Smith allegedly had built up resentment from other comedians mocking his family.
The Entanglement With Alsina
In 2020, Pinkett-Smith, 51, interviewed her husband on Red Table Talk and admitted to having an entanglement with R&B singer, August Alsina, 30.
Alsina was a close friend of the couple’s son, Jaden.
Smith Is The Face Of Pain
The actress clarified that she and Smith were on a break during her entanglement with Alsina, so, it didn’t constitute cheating. However, Smith’s reaction to the news led to the internet clowning him and making him the standard meme for pain.
‘Selective Outrage’
During his comedy special, Rock referenced the infamous entanglement after clarifying that he’s not the victim in the situation. However, the older comedian and actor admitted he was still hurt from the slap.
No Entanglements
Rock then started with the verbal jabs saying,
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The crowd roared with laughter once he dropped the “entanglement” line.
The Smiths Exposed Themselves
Rock continued saying Pinkett-Smith embarrassed her husband by admitting to “cheating” on him publicly. He justified his jokes by saying the couple made their relationship public hence everyone on the internet had an opinion.
‘Everybody Gets Cheated On’
Rock continued saying,
Will’s Wife Hurt Him More
Rock didn’t understand the logic behind the Smiths exposing themselves publicly and believed Pinkett-Smith’s revelation hurt the actor more than his Oscars joke.
What Happened At The Oscars?
During the 2020 Oscars, Rock teased Pinkett-Smith about being bald not knowing she’s suffering from alopecia. Smith walked up to him and slapped him on stage before warning Rock to “Keep his wife’s name out of his mouth.”
The Aftermath
Smith won the Oscars for Best Actor award that night but received a 10-year ban from the Academy for his unruly conduct. The slap became running news for the next three months as colleagues dropped their 2 cents on the matter.
Attempts At Reconciliation
Rock claimed he reached out to Smith after the incident but got stonewalled. Meanwhile, Smith made a public apology video and wrote a speech via Instagram both of which he claimed Rock ignored.
Picking On The ‘Weaker’ Person
Rock said the actor picked on him because Smith could easily win a fight against him. He also acknowledged there’s an almost decade-old beef between himself and the couple saying it could’ve contributed to the angst at the Oscars.
What Happened In 2016?
Rock called out Pinkett-Smith for picking on him in 2016 when he got the Oscars hosting gig. The actress wanted black entertainers to boycott the Academy event for being excluded from the nominations.
Why The Boycott?
The Academy snubbed Smith’s performance in Concussion which upset his wife. Hence, the 2022 Award show was the family’s first time back at the prestigious event in six years.
Rock Reproaches Smith
Rock said Smith broke the black code of not fighting in front of white people. However, fans pointed out that his comedy special was asking to get slapped in front of “white” people.
Coping By Exacting Revenge Vicariously
Rock joked that he watched Emancipation to see Smith get whipped as a slave on-screen.
It’s Not Over
Fans believe Rock’s special opened a new can of worms as they anticipate Smith’s reply.