Chris Rock responds to Will Smith’s Slap

Chris Rock responds to Will Smith’s Slap

During his recent Netflix special “Selective Outrage,” American comedian Chris Rock addressed the blow he received from actor Will Smith at the Oscars last year, commenting extensively on the incident for the first time.

Rock revealed that the punch still hurts and that he often hears Will Smith’s hit song “Summer time” ringing in his ears. The joke that led to the altercation involved a quip about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, who suffers from alopecia. Smith punched Rock in response to the joke, but Rock did not retaliate, citing his parents’ teachings to avoid fighting in front of others.

Rock also acknowledged that the joke was sensitive due to Jada Pinkett Smith’s admission of infidelity during a public interview. While Will Smith has apologized publicly for his actions, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has barred him from attending the Oscars for the next decade and other Academy events.