Chris Rock.Photo: Neilson Barnard/Getty
Chris Rock’s mother is speaking out after the incident involving her son andWill Smithat the94th Academy Awards.
“You reacted to your wife giving you the side-eye, and you went and made her day because she was mulled over laughing when it happened,” Rose told WIS' Billie Jean Shaw.
Chris Rock.Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty
Rose shared that she initially thought the incident was staged while watching it unfolded during the broadcast from her home but realized it was real when Smith, 53 started using “obscenities.”
“When he slapped Chris, he slapped all of us. He really slapped me,” she said. “Because when you hurt my child, you hurt me.”
“No one heard his speech. No one was able to just be in the moment because everyone was sitting there like, ‘What just happened?’ " she continued, sharing that her son was “happy” to present the award toQuestloveduring the ceremony.
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At his first public appearance days afterthe Oscars, Chrisaddressed the situation at a comedy show, saying, “I’m still processing what happened.” He told fans in the audience he would probably talk about what happened at some point in a more serious setting.
Smith has since resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which hoststhe Oscars. The Academy alsobanned the actor from attending its eventsfor the next ten years, and Academy President David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson apologized to Rock in a letter: “We want to express our deep gratitude to Mr. Rock for maintaining his composure under extraordinary circumstances.”
They added, “During our telecast, we did not adequately address the situation in the room. For this, we are sorry. This was an opportunity for us to set an example for our guests, viewers and our Academy family around the world, and we fell short — unprepared for the unprecedented.”
“This action we are taking today in response toWill Smith’s behavior is a step toward a larger goal of protecting the safety of our performers and guests, and restoring trust in the Academy. We also hope this can begin a time of healing and restoration for all involved and impacted.”
Earlier this month, Chris' brother Kenny told theLos Angeles Timesthat Chriswas not aware of Pinkett Smith’s alopeciawhen he cracked the joke about her starring in aG.I. Janesequel, a reference toDemi Moore’s shaved head in the film. “The joke was funny. It wasn’t hilarious funny, but I know that if he knew that she had alopecia … he wouldn’t make a joke about that. But he didn’t know,” said Kenny.
source: people.com
