What just happened?
As Chris Rock presented the award for best documentary feature at the Oscars, the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith and her lack of hair. Rock said he couldn’t wait to see Smith star in “G.I. Jane 2,” referencing her shaved head.
Pinkett Smith said last year she went bald after daughter, Willow, encouraged her to do so. Pinkett Smith said she has had alopecia, which results in severe hair loss, since 2018.
At first, husband Will Smith seemed to laugh at the joke, but then got up and hit Rock in the face as he stood on the stage. Rock appeared to be in shock, and Smith sat back down and said, “keep my wife’s name out of your (expletive) mouth,” twice.
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The feed from ABC appeared to cut off for many viewers during the incident, but international broadcasts picked up the entire moment, with Rock saying, “Will Smith just smacked the (expletive) out of me.”
The moment seemed to stun not only those inside the Dolby Theatre, but also Twitter users all over the world:
Some Twitter users were also unsure if the incident was real at all. There were no confirmed reports of the slap and yelling being part of the bit, but people just couldn’t believe it had happened on live television.
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As people were still trying to figure out what happened, Smith won his first Oscar for best actor in “King Richard.” Smith didn’t directly speak about the incident during his acceptance speech, but he did say, “I hope the academy invites me back.”
Some people couldn’t believe Smith won an award, and what he said, not too long after the events unfolded.
Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5.
