Comedians are reacting to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock for his Oscars joke about Jada Pinkett Smith, and many worry it could set a precedent for striking performers

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Palmer HaaschMar 30, 2022, 06:33 IST
Comedians are reacting to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock for his Oscars joke about Jada Pinkett Smith, and many worry it could set a precedent for striking performers

Will Smith, right, hits presenter Chris Rock on stage while presenting the award for best documentary feature at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

  • Will Smith hit Chris Rock at the Oscars after Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith.
  • Rock made a joke referencing Pinkett Smith's bald head after she's been open about having alopecia.
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Kathy Griffin expressed worry about the implications of Smith's actions for comedians.

Kathy Griffin expressed worry about the implications of Smith's actions for comedians.
Kathy Griffin at the 2020 Queerties in Los Angeles.Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images

Kathy Griffin said that she was worried about the precedent that Smith's actions may set in a tweet.

"Let me tell you something, it's a very bad practice to walk up on stage and physically assault a Comedian," Griffin wrote in a tweet on Sunday evening. "Now we all have to worry about who wants to be the next Will Smith in comedy clubs and theaters."

Jim Carrey called the Oscar audience "spineless" for giving Smith a standing ovation.

Jim Carrey called the Oscar audience "spineless" for giving Smith a standing ovation.
Jim Carrey.Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Jim Carrey said on CBS Mornings that he was "sickened" by the audience's standing ovation for Smith, and said that the actor should have been arrested.

"I wish him the best, I really do,' Carrey said. "I don't have anything against Will Smith. He's done great things. But that was not a good moment. It cast a pall over everybody's shining moment. A lot of people worked really hard to get to that place."

"And to have their moment in the sun, to get their award for the really hard work they did, it is no mean feat to go through all the stuff you have to go through when you are nominated for an Oscar," Carrey continued. "It's a gauntlet of devotion you have to do. It was such a selfish moment that cast a pall over the whole thing."

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Jeffrey Ross said that Chris Rock should "get a Nobel peace prize" for his conduct.

Jeffrey Ross said that Chris Rock should "get a Nobel peace prize" for his conduct.
Jeffrey Ross at the 2022 NFL Alumni Legends party.Paul Archuleta/Getty Images

Stand-up comedian Jeffrey Ross, who has alopecia, posted a statement in support of Rock's conduct during the incident on Instagram.

"I worship Chris Rock," Ross wrote. "I cried when I saw Smith attack him because I was watching my idol live out a comedians worst nightmare on live television."

"Rock should get a Nobel peace prize for keeping his hands down and not escalating the situation. Class act," he continued. "If Jada wasn't feeling the jokes, Smith should've put his arm around her and let Rock finish."

"Anyway I also have Alopecia," he wrote. "It sucks. But when people make jokes I laugh because that's life."

Hari Kondabolu said that the moment was "terrifying" to watch as a comedian.

Hari Kondabolu said that the moment was "terrifying" to watch as a comedian.
Hari Kondabolu at the March 2020 premiere of "Mira, Royal Detective."Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage

Stand-up comedian Hari Kondabolu, whose 2018 special "Warn Your Relatives" is available on Netflix, said on Twitter the moment made him fearful.

"As a comedian, watching Will Smith storm the stage & smack Chris Rock was terrifying," Kondabolu wrote. "I've certainly worried about an audience member attacking me before."

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Jimmy Kimmel praised the Oscar hosts after the incident.

Jimmy Kimmel praised the Oscar hosts after the incident.
Jimmy Kimmel.Photo by Media Access Awards Presented By Easterseals/Getty Images for Easterseals

Comedian and television host Jimmy Kimmel redirected focus to the evening's hosts on Twitter.

"I know the big story is the slap, but congratulations to @amyschumer @iamwandasykes & Regina Hall who were very funny," Kimmel wrote on Twitter. "I hope that isn't overshadowed by the unpleasantness."

Conan O'Brien lamented no longer having his own TV show to discuss the incident.

Conan O'Brien lamented no longer having his own TV show to discuss the incident.
Conan O'Brien.Vince Bucci/Invision/AP

Comedian and former "Tonight Show" host Conan O'Brien said on Twitter that he wanted to discuss the incident on late-night television.

"Just saw the Will Smith slap," O'Brien wrote on Twitter. "Anyone have a late night show I can borrow just for tomorrow?"

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Emily Heller referenced the NBC miniseries "The Slap" in a tweet.

Emily Heller referenced the NBC miniseries "The Slap" in a tweet.
Comedian Emily Heller at the 2018 Emmy Awards.Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

Comedian Emily Heller tweeted about the incident, referencing the 2015 NBC miniseries "The Slap," which follows the aftermath of a birthday party in which an adult slaps someone else's child.

"It's very stressful to watch someone get sincerely punched in the face it turns out," she wrote in one tweet.

"If those cowards hadn't canceled NBC's The Slap, maybe we'd know how to process this a bit better," she joked in a subsequent tweet.

The Lucas Bros joked about posting Will Smith jokes in "solidarity with Chris Rock."

The Lucas Bros joked about posting Will Smith jokes in "solidarity with Chris Rock."
The Lucas Bros. at the 2021 Academy Awards.Matt Petit/A.M.P.A.S. via Getty Images

Comedy duo The Lucas Bros tweeted on their joint account several hours after the Oscars that "every comedian should post a Will Smith joke in solidarity with Chris Rock. I'm not. But every other comedian should."

"Chris Rock is a comedy ICON who has told jokes at everyone's expense for three plus decades," the duo wrote in a later tweet. "He's earned our respect. If he can get slapped (and humiliated) on national TV for telling a fairly mild joke, anyone can."

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Scottish comedian Frankie Boyle also joked about the moment.

Scottish comedian Frankie Boyle also joked about the moment.
Comedian Frankie Boyle performing at Wembley Arena in 2013.Dave J Hogan/Getty Images

Scottish comedian Frankie Boyle tweeted about the incident on Monday, seemingly making a joke about it setting a dangerous precedent.

"Worried that this will normalise hitting comedians onstage, rather than putting us out of our misery with a 38 calibre handgun, ideally before we have to do the show," Boyle tweeted.

David Spade expressed disbelief that the incident occurred over "a GI Jane joke."

David Spade expressed disbelief that the incident occurred over "a GI Jane joke."
David Spade at the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party.Arturo Holmes/FilmMagic

Comedian David Spade tweeted twice about the incident, commenting on the joke that started it.

"A GI Jane joke???" the actor tweeted on Sunday.

He later responded to a reply on his original tweet that asked why he described the joke as a "GI Jane joke" instead of a "joke about a woman with alopecia." Pinkett Smith has spoken openly in the past about having alopecia, an autoimmune hair loss disorder.

"Because comedians don't have a medical chart for everyone in the audience," Spade replied.

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Rob Schneider said on Twitter that "there's never an excuse for violence."

Rob Schneider said on Twitter that "there's never an excuse for violence."
Rob Schneider performing at the "Comedy in Your Car's" drive-in event in August 2020.Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Comedian and actor Rob Schneider condemned the violence in a tweet several hours after the ceremony.

"There's never an excuse for violence," Schneider wrote on Twitter. "Ever. Ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever."

Rosie O'Donnell called the incident 'so upsetting - on every level.'

Rosie O'Donnell called the incident 'so upsetting - on every level.'
Rosie O'Donnell.Bruce Glikas/WireImage/Getty

Comedian and actor Rosie O'Donnell condemned Smith's actions and praised Rock's conduct.

"So upsetting - on every level - bravo to Chris Rock - for not eviscerating will smith - which he could do any day of the week - he walked away - bravo from a sad display of toxic masculinity from a narcissistic madman," O'Donnell wrote in a tweet several hours after the ceremony.

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Whitney Cummings tweeted that "when people take jokes literally, society is just over."

Whitney Cummings tweeted that "when people take jokes literally, society is just over."
Whitney Cummings at the July 2021 premiere of "How It Ends."Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images

Stand-up comedian Whitney Cummings commented on the incident on Twitter.

"I mean, it's amazing that twitter attacking comedians for making jokes here about last night don't see that they're doing the same shit Will did last night," Cummings wrote on Twitter on Monday. "When people take jokes literally, society is just over."

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