The fallout from the Oscars brawl between Chris Rock and Will Smith in 2022 is still being felt in the entertainment industry. Since the occurrence, other celebrities have chimed in on the matter, with some denouncing Smith’s aggressive conduct and others slamming Rock for mocking Jada Pinkett Smith’s long-term illness.
Although Smith has since issued a public statement apologizing to the Oscars and the comedian, Rock has yet to apologize for his remarks regarding Smith’s wife. Wanda Sykes, the Oscars’ co-host, has now disclosed that, despite Rock’s silence on the matter, he actually apologized to after the ordeal at an Oscar after-party
Chris Rock Apologized To Wanda Sykes
On a recent edition of The “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” Sykes discussed how the situation unfolded from her viewpoint as one of the award ceremony hosts. The 58-year-old explained that she learned of the argument backstage and immediately felt horrible for Chris.
Following the Oscar ceremony, the two reunited at an after-party, where Chris apologized for the incident, as he had disrupted the flow of the hosting activities.
Sykes said to Ellen, “I hope he doesn’t mind me saying this, but I saw Chris at [Guy Oseary’s after party], and as soon as I walked up to him, the first thing he said is, ‘I’m so sorry.’ I was like, ‘Why are you apologizing?
‘He was like, ‘It was supposed to be your night. You and Amy, and Regina were doing such a great job. I’m so sorry this is now gonna be about this.'”
Wanda Sykes Called The Altercation ‘Sickening’
Smith took the stage moments after the confrontation to accept his best actor Oscar for his work in the biographical sports drama film “King Richard.” However, as significant as Smith’s victory was, his prior incident seemed to overshadow it.
While speaking with DeGeneres, Sykes appeared to confirm that Smith’s violent stunt smeared his triumph and also questioned why the actor was permitted to stay and accept his prize.
“It was sickening. It was absolutely— I physically felt ill, and I’m still a little traumatized by it,” said Sykes, describing the altercation. “And for them to let [Will] stay in that room and enjoy the rest of the show and accept his award, I was like, ‘How gross is this?’ This sends the wrong message. If you assault somebody, you get escorted out of the building, and that’s it. But for them to let him continue, I thought it was gross.”
Amy Schumer Weighed In On The Incident
Meanwhile, Schumer, who co-hosted the Oscars with Sykes, expressed her feelings about the incident on Instagram, saying she was still “shocked and terrified.”
She said, “I love my friend @chrisrock and believe he handled it like a pro. Stayed up there and gave an Oscar to his friend @questlove, and the whole thing was so disturbing.”
“I’m still in shock and stunned and sad. I’m proud of myself and my cohosts. But yeah. Waiting for this sickening feeling to go away from what we all witnessed,” Schumer added.
The actress concluded the write-up by joking with fans that the best way to get over the incident was to stream her Hulu comedy “Life and Beth.”
Chis Rock To Start His Comedy Tour After The Oscars
After the Oscars, Rock will embark on his “Ego Death World Tour,” prompting internet speculation about how he would handle the latest incident with Smith. While it’s unclear how Rock will open his first tour in five years, some rumors have suggested that ticket prices will continue to rise until the performance is sold out.
It’s reasonable to infer that Rock’s supporters believe he’ll address the Oscars issue during his tour, which explains the surge in ticket sales. However, the comedian may choose the high road and refuse to revive it due to the issue’s contentious nature.
The tour will cover 38 spots, starting on April 2, 2022, in Atlantic City, NJ, and will run through November 17, 2022, in Los Angeles, CA.
