Wanda Sykes called out Will Smith for slapping Chris Rock at the Academy Awards on Sunday while visiting with Ellen Degeneres for a segment to be aired on Thursday, April 7.
Skyes, who co-hosted Hollywood’s biggest night alongside Regina Hall and Amy Schumer, revealed she didn’t see the altercation happen live.
“I just felt so awful for my friend Chris,” she says in a video teaser for the episode below. “It was sickening. I physically felt ill and I’m still a little traumatized by it. And for them to let him stay in that room and enjoy the rest of the show and accept his award—I was like, ‘How gross is this?’ This is just the wrong message. You assault somebody, you get escorted out of the building and that’s it. For them to let him continue, I thought it was gross.”
Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith were sitting in the front row at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood when Rock made a joke about Pinkett Smith’s hair. The actress and Red Table Talk host has openly discussed her decision to keep her hair short as a result of having alopecia. Unconfirmed reports suggest Rock was unaware of the diagnosis.
Rock jokingly suggested Pinkett Smith should star in the G.I. Jane sequel. The original film, released in 1997, featured Demi Moore with a buzzcut.
Though Smith initially seemed to have laughed at the quip—it is unknown if the moment was edited for live TV—he went up to Rock who was center stage and slapped him. He returned to his seat and yelled at Rock to, “keep his wife’s name out of his f***ing mouth.”
Smith was allowed to stay for the remainder of the show and later won the Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Richard Williams in King Richard. He continued celebrating at an after party where he was spotted singing along to his hit song “Getting Jiggy With It,” statuette in hand.
Rock declined to file charges with the LAPD and Smith was not arrested.
Smith has since apologized via Instagram. The Academy is reviewing the situation before deciding what actions should be taken which could take weeks.
Watch a clip from Sykes appearance on Ellen below.
.@iamWandaSykes was here today and shared some thoughts about #Oscar night. pic.twitter.com/i5tj8sYbIB
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) March 30, 2022