Oscars cohost Wanda Sykes says she's 'still traumatized' by Will Smith slapping Chris Rock: 'I can't talk about it'

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Oscars cohost Wanda Sykes says she's 'still traumatized' by Will Smith slapping Chris Rock: 'I can't talk about it'
Wanda Sykes at the 2022 Oscars, which she cohosted with Amy Schumer and Regina Hall.Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images
  • Sykes said she's still "traumatized" by Will Smith's slap at the Oscars, according to People.
  • "I couldn't believe he was still sitting there, like an asshole," Sykes said at a stand-up performance.
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Wanda Sykes gave her thoughts on Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at this year's Oscars while she was on her comedy-tour stop in Orlando, Florida on Thursday night, according to People.

"I'm still traumatized," Sykes told the audience, who had a front-row seat to the incident as she was a cohost of the Oscars alongside Amy Schumer and Regina Hall. "I can't talk about it. I get emotional."

However, Sykes then went on to give her take on what she witnessed.

"I couldn't believe he was still sitting there, like an asshole," Sykes said of Smith, who went back to his seat after striking Rock and remained at the ceremony until winning best actor.

She continued: "Shouldn't you be sitting there with a lawyer or LAPD, motherfucker?"

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Oscars cohost Wanda Sykes says she's 'still traumatized' by Will Smith slapping Chris Rock: 'I can't talk about it'
Will Smith hits Chris Rock as Rock spoke on stage during the 94th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 27, 2022.Brian Snyder/Reuters
Smith slapped Rock after the comedian joked that Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, should star in "G.I. Jane 2," a reference to the 1997 movie starring Demi Moore, who had a shaved head in the film.

Pinkett Smith has previously spoken about having alopecia, a condition that causes hair loss.

"I hope he gets his shit together," Sykes added of Smith. "Until then, fuck him."

The day following the Academy Awards, Smith issued an apology on his Instagram account, calling his actions "unacceptable and inexcusable."

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which holds the Oscars, later banned the actor from all Academy events for the next decade.

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