The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ‘strongly considered’ kicking Will Smith out of the Oscars ceremony after he slapped Chris Rock onstage, and revealed on Monday that it has launched a formal review into the incident.
The fallout from Smith’s onstage assault continued Monday, as Hollywood and the public continued to wrestle with a moment that stunned the Dolby Theatre crowd and viewers at home, and may have passed all others in Academy Awards infamy.
Shortly after the incident, Will Packer, a producer for the 2022 Oscars, tweeted ‘Welp…I said it wouldn’t be boring #Oscars.’ Packer’s tweet came under fire when one Twitter user accused him of ‘making jokes about an assault.’
‘Black people have a defiant spirit of laughter when it comes to dealing with pain because there has been so much of it,’ Packer, who is black, responded in a tweet.’I don’t feel the need to elucidate that for you.’
He added, ‘But I also don’t mind being transparent and say that this was a very painful moment for me. On many levels.’
Sunday’s ceremony reached an estimated 15.36 million viewers, according to preliminary Nielsen company numbers released on Monday by ABC.That’s a 56 percent jump in viewers, but it is still the show’s second-lowest rating after 2021’s dismal viewership.
‘CODA’ won best picture in Sunday’s ceremony, but all of the winners and losers were overshadowed by Smith’s attack on Rock.
Will Smith slapped Chris Rock onstage at the Oscars Sunday after the comedian made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith.The Academy revealed on Monday that it has launched a formal review into the incident
Rock covers his jaw after being slapped in the face but went on to announce the winner for best documentary after a very awkward pause
The actor, 53, shocked viewers when he stormed on stage and smacked the comedian, 57, after he jokingly said Jada’s shaved haircut made her look like G.I.Jane. Within the hour, he accepted the Oscar for best actor
- The Academy on Monday launched a formal review into Will Smith’s slap of Chris Rock at Sunday’s Oscars ceremony; he could face some type of disciplinary action or sanction
- Insiders told Vanity Fair that it is unlikely that Smith will be stripped of his Best Actor Oscar for his role in King Richard
- Smith faced fierce backlash on Monday morning, with Today show host Craig Melvin slamming him for aiding ‘this long-held perception that men of color can’t control their rage and anger’
- On The View, the co-hosts also slammed Smith for his ‘immature’ and ‘criminal’ behavior, but Whoopi Goldberg broke ranks to defend him, saying ‘sometimes you behave badly’
- Rock has declined to press charges against Smith for the slap. The Los Angeles Police Department said: ‘The individual involved has declined to file a police report.
If the involved party desires a police report at a later date, LAPD will be available to complete an investigative report’;
- Oscars directors scrambled to turn off the sound because broadcast was delayed in the US.
But Smith’s attack and meltdown was seen in full by many international viewers;
- Smith was calmed down by Bradley Cooper after he assaulted Rock. Denzel Washington was also seen speaking to him. The actor later revealed Washington, who appeared tearful himself, had told him: ‘At your highest moment, be careful.
That’s when the devil comes for you’;
- It marred a night where Jessica Chastain finally won her first Best Actress trophy and CODA made history as the first ever streaming film to earn Best Picture;