oscars slap

Orlando Brown Makes Bold Claim About Oscar Slap Response

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In 2023, people are still talking about the “Oscar Slap”. Over a year has passed since Will Smith slapped Chris Rock live on stage at the Oscars. However, that has not stopped everyone from sharing their opinion about the incident, responses to it, the deeper meaning of the slap. Every single angle that could be possibly conceived of has been covered. Last month, Marlon Wayans even announced he was producing a documentary on the slap.

Many celebrities have shared their thoughts on the incident. People like Serena Williams and Sheree Zampino have advocated for Smith’s apology. Chris Rock’s brother says Will Smith never reached out. With an incident that public, everyone is going to have something to say about it. However, while some views are considered insightful, others are seen as people inserting themselves into the situation.

“He Waited For The Right Check”

In a recent interview, Orlando Brown shared his thoughts on the slap, specifically Chris Rock’s response to it. “I don’t mind Chris milking it, but a’ight, you milked it,” Brown argued. When the interviewer responded by saying that Rock “waited a while” to respond, Brown dropped his biggest claim. “He was waiting for the right check.” Brown went on to explain that in his eyes, Rock should have simply reached out to Smith and had a conversation about the incident. He also took issue with Rock’s comments about Smith’s “selective outrage”, which he saw as unnecessary and again, milking the issue for profit.

However, Rock waiting for a paid opportunity to speak out was the main crux of Brown’s argument. Rock was reportedly paid $40 million to produce a Netflix stand-up title Selective Outrage. While it was widely expected that Rock would address the slap in the special, Netflix reportedly edited out jokes about Smith. However, some content remained and the special got its name from comments Rock made about Smith. Selective Outrage was Rock’s first major public comment about the incident and if reports are true, he was paid handsomely to make them. However, Brown’s comments show that we are far from done with talking about what occurred at the 2022 Oscars.

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Will Smith Smiles On First Post-Slap Set

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Will Smith – renowned actor, 90s music star, slapper. For over a year now, the only thing that people have talked about in regard to Smith is the 2022 Oscars incident. After one too many jokes about his wife Jada, Smith stormed the stage at the 2022 Oscars, slapping host Chris Rock. The moment immediately went viral, with Smith gaining both supporters and detractors. One of his biggest detractors was the Academy itself, who banned the actor from attending for the next decade. The slap heard around the world has since come to define Smith.

However, Smith has not completely retreated from Hollywood. Aside from the release of 2022’s Emancipation, he is back to working on yet another action blockbuster. Recent photos place him on set in Atlanta, in the heart of Georgia’s filmmaking scene. But the shoot isn’t for an emotional drama or historical piece. Instead, Smith is returning to one of his best-known characters for his latest role. And no, it’s the Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

Smith Spotted on “Bad Boys 4” Set

According to a report by TMZ, Smith was spotted in good spirits in Atlanta. While seen smiling, it’s hard to say if that was during a filming moment or not. Specifically, he was there as part of filming for Bad Boys 4. Smith will be reprising the role of Detective Mike Lowery. The production of Bad Boys 4, which was initially halted due to the Oscars incident, has been known for some time now. In February 2023, Questlove revealed Smith had had to drop out of a surprise appearance at the Grammys due to his filming commitments.

Little is known about Bad Boys 4. The last time Detectives Lowery and Burnett (Martin Lawrence) were seen was in 2020’s Bad Boys For Life. That installment of the long-running franchise holds a 76% critics rating and 96% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Bad Boys For Life screenwriter Chris Bremmer will reportedly pen the fourth film also. It’s good to see Smith, who has expressed remorse about the Oscars incident, getting back into the swing of filming. More details about Bad Boys 4 are likely to emerge later in 2023.

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Tony Rock Says Will Smith Lied, Never Reached Out To Brother Chris Rock

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If there is one thing Tony Rock will do, it’s defend his brother, Chris Rock. The pair not only share DNA but are both accomplished actors in the industry. They consistently tour and can be found performing standup from coast to coast, and each has decades of success. So, it came as no surprise that when Will Smith slapped Chris on the Academy Awards stage last year, Tony would be his champion defender.

The Rock brothers have separately worked with Smith. Tony starred in the 2000s series All of Us, executive produced by Will and his wife Jada. He knows the couple well and spoke about his brother’s plight with the Smiths while visiting Big Boy’s Neighborhood. There, Tony refuted rumors that Smith reached out to Chris to make amends. “That wasn’t true, that wasn’t true,” he said on the radio show. “I think like, two nights later, he said, ‘I reached out to Chris, and he didn’t want to talk.’ That wasn’t true.”

Tony Rock Still Isn’t Happy With His Former Friend

Smith has delivered several public apologies to Chris Rock, but the acknowledgment doesn’t seem to be enough. “He doesn’t owe me anything, I just thought we were better than that,” said Tony. “My phone number has never changed. So, I just thought I’d get a phone call one day like, ‘Ay, let’s just you and I just talk.’ It hasn’t happened, so I guess it’s not going to happen.”

This is a much more subtle reaction than Tony Rock’s previous responses. In prior interviews, he unleashed on the Smiths, especially Jada. Because the Oscars moment seemed to stem from Chris’s joke about her bald head, Tony followed suit. Much like Chris’s scathing takes in Selective Outrage, Tony has also referred to Jada as a “b*tch” and faulted her for the infamous moment. Additionally, last July, Tony suggested Smith became frustrated because Jada continued to emasculate him with mentions of her friendship with Tupac Shakur. Meanwhile, in a recent interview, Kevin Hart also addressed the rift between Chris and Will. He hopes that the controversy dies down and the pair reunite. Watch more from Tony Rock above.

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The Oscars Chose To Tone Down Their Will Smith Jokes

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Nearly one full year later, the Oscars have still not forgiven Will Smith for his stunt on stage. There is no better way to break the tension than by cracking a few jokes. To no one’s surprise, the controversy surrounding Will Smith’s altercation with Chris Rock continues to linger. It appears that the team at the Oscars has no intention of letting Will get away without at least a little bit of shade. But how far do they go with the jokes?

Many found the jokes at Will’s expense to be funny and light-hearted. But those who tuned into the ceremony are surprised to learn that the Oscars had a lot more jokes up their sleeves. Molly McNearny, an executive producer for the Oscars, revealed more insight. Originally, Jimmy Kimmel and his team were ready to really rag on Will. The original hosting was to be full of jabs that some might even deem as inappropriate for the show. However, they chose to pull back on the jokes at the last minute for a few reasons.

The Oscars Gracefully Poke Fun At Last Year’s Debacle

According to McNearny, they did not want to utilize drama to garner more views. “We didn’t want to make this year all about last year,” she stated in a Variety interview. Constantly bringing up last year’s news can get repetitive, so cutting the excess jokes was a wise decision. Along with trying to stay up to date, the removal of certain jokes also came down to respect. Chris Rock was ultimately the one that got assaulted on stage, not the audience. A few jokes here and there are harmless. But hyper-focusing on the incident can come off as disrespectful to both Chris and Will Smith.

“There were certainly some that went harder,” McNearny continues. “But we didn’t think that was our place to do that. That should be Chris Rock, not us.” However, Jimmy Kimmel and the Oscars team were not above poking some fun at how people reacted at the time. In one of his jokes, Jimmy teases the audience for doing absolutely nothing after Chris Rock got punched in the face. All jokes aside, the ceremony remained respectful and in good taste. But more importantly, it remained free of any violent altercations. Check back in to catch any updates about how Will and Chris react toward the 2023 show.

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Will Smith “Unsuccessfully” Tried To Make Amends With Chris Rock: Report

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It’s award season, and people are anticipating the Oscars following last year’s controversy involving Will Smith and Chris Rock. Rock’s Netflix special, Selective Outrage, was recently released to amplify the interest. As expected, Rock unleashed on Smith and his wife, Jada Pinkett, who was at the center of the violent Academy Awards outburst last year. As far as the public knows, Smith and Rock have yet to chat about their falling out. PEOPLE claims to have spoken with a source with inside knowledge about how Smith is navigating this time.

The person told the outlet that Smith felt terrible about what occurred. “He’s tried unsuccessfully to make amends in the best way he could with Chris,” the source claims. “But beyond that, family is important to him and [Smith] leaned on them. It all has helped him look inside and mature. He is better but still remorseful. Will listened to those who tried to help him and feels that he has become a better person.”

Chris Rock Ethers The Smiths

Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith and Chris Rock during 1999 MTV Music Awards Party at Lincoln Center in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc)

In Selective Outrage, Rock didn’t hold back. “Y’all know what happened to me, getting smacked by Suge Smith. It still hurts. I got ‘Summertime’ ringing in my ears,” he said. “But I’m not a victim, baby. You’ll never see me on Oprah or Gayle crying. You will never see it. Never gonna happen. … No, I took that hit like Pacquiao.”

He then went on to take verbal shots at Jada by mentioning her “entanglement” controversy with August Alsina. “His wife was f*cking her son’s friend,” he said. “Now, I normally would not talk about this sh*t, but for some reason, these n*ggas put this sh*t on the internet. I have no idea why two talented people would do something that f*cking low down. We’ve all been cheated on, everybody in here’s been cheated on. None of us has ever been interviewed by the person that cheated on us on television.” He further stated, ” She hurt him way more than he hurt me. … Everybody called him a b*tch, and who’s he hit? Me! A n*gga he knows he can beat. That is some b*tch ass sh*t.”

Testing Out Jokes

Ahead of its release, there were rumors that he tested Smith-centered material during his stand-up shows. There was a report that Rock was said to have joked that he only watched Emancipation, a film about an enslaved man, to see Smith get whipped. Check out a clip of Chris Rock’s Selective Outrage above.

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Will Smith Slap Reportedly Forced The Oscars To Create A Crisis Team

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Bill Kramer took over as CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences last July. However, since then, he has spent a lot of time managing serious issues. In the past two years, the Oscars ratings are lower than they’ve ever been in the history of the award show. Now, while re-engaging viewers, Kramer has to contend with one of the biggest television scandals of last year. It’s been almost a year since Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at last year’s Oscars. However, the Academy is still dealing with the repercussions. Kramer says that there’s now a “crisis team” in place to handle unwanted surprises during the ceremony.

In an interview with Time Magazine, the outlet asked Kramer what measures are being put in place this year to prepare for potential surprised. For one, they have Jimmy Kimmel hosting the Oscars, who is used to dealing with live TV, where things don’t always go as planned. According to Kramer, a host who can navigate unexpected moments is crucial to the show’s success. Kramer went on to say, “But we have a whole crisis team, something we’ve never had before, and many plans in place. We’ve run many scenarios. So it is our hope that we will be prepared for anything that we may not anticipate right now but that we’re planning for just in case it does happen.”

The Oscars 2022

Will Smith appears to slap Chris Rock onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

The “crisis team” has reportedly been running possible scenarios and solutions to what could occur during the show. When asked about what those scenarios look like, Kramer explained how the crisis team will come together for various issues. “Because of last year, we’ve opened our minds to the many things that can happen at the Oscars,” Kramer said. “But these crisis plans—the crisis communication teams and structures we have in place—allow us to say this is the group that we have to gather very quickly. This is how we all come together. This is the spokesperson. This will be the statement. He also said that, depending on the crisis itself, they “already have frameworks in place that we can modify.”

Time also mentioned how the President of the Academy recently said their response to the Will Smith slap was inadequate. Then, the interviewer asked what an accurate response would have looked like. According to Kramer, people are absolutely looking at that as the award show comes closer. He hopes they can move swiftly and compassionately to engage with members and nominees in a transparent way. He says, “Let’s hope something like this never happens again—but we could have moved more quickly. And I’m not just talking about the night of the show. This is really our response after the show, and how we spoke about it, and how we talked to Will and Chris, and our hosts and our members.”

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Academy President Calls Will Smith Slap “Unacceptable,” Response Was “Inadequate”

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We’re quickly approaching this year’s Oscars ceremony and unsurprisingly, Will Smith is a hot topic. On year ago, the acclaimed actor became irate with Chris Rock in th middle of the show’s airing. He was seen taking to the Oscars stage and slapping Rock before returning to his seat. Smith was able to finish out the show in the audience and even took home the award for Best Actor. It was a bittersweet moment as his accomplishment was applauded while simultaneously facing ridicule.

The controversy that unfolded afterward was the biggest fallout of Smith’s career. Rock still hasn’t directly addressed the incident, and it’s rumored that won’t happen until his next Netflix special airs. Recently, The Academy hosted its 2023 Oscars Nominees Luncheon, and during the event, its president Janet Yang spoke about last year’s controvery.

US actor Will Smith accepts the award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for “King Richard” onstage during the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 27, 2022. (Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP) (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)
Read More: Vivica Fox Cries Over Will Smith Oscars Slap, Says Jada Has Taken “No Accountability”

Hollywood’s elite was in attendance to celebrate the March ceremony. “I’m sure you all remember we experienced an unprecedented event at the Oscars,” said Yang. “What happened onstage was fully unacceptable and the response from our organization was inadequate. We learned from this that the Academy must be fully transparent and accountable in our actions, and particularly in times of crisis you must act swiftly, compassionately and decisively for ourselves and for our industry. You should and can expect no less form us going forward.”

Immediately following the slapping incident, Smith released a statement apologizing for his behavior. His future with The Academy hung in the balance until they revealed the actor’s punishment. Not only would his membership be revoked, but he was banned from attending the Oscars for 10 years. It was a blow to Smith, who has been hailed for his unblemished Hollywood record until that time.

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 27: Will Smith appears to slap Chris Rock onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
Read More: Will Smith Opens Up About Oscar’s Slap: “Hurt People Hurt People”

“The 94th Oscars were meant to be a celebration of the many individuals in our community who did incredible work this past year,” The Academy previously said in a statement last year. “However, those moments were overshadowed by the unacceptable and harmful behavior we saw Mr. Smith exhibit on stage. 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.”

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Martin Lawrence Says Chris Rock Didn’t Deserve To Be Slapped By Will Smith

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The world has been revisiting Will Smith and Chris Rock’s infamous Oscars slap thanks to the former’s new film. Smith is in the thick of heavily promoting his movie Emancipation, and during the press run, he addressed slapping Rock on the Academy Awards stage. Throughout the year, several of Smith’s peers have stepped forward with their takes on the incident, including Martin Lawrence, who had more to say.

Smith and Lawrence have been good friends for decades, even starring in their blockbuster Bad Boys franchise. Lawrence also knows Rock, and during a recent interview, he shared his thoughts on the situation. “Well, it hurt me to see that happen,” said Lawrence. “Because I know both of them. Both of them are my brothers.”

Read More: Martin Lawrence Suggests Will Smith Oscars Slap Won’t Keep Another “Bad Boys” From Happening

He continued, “And when it happened, I text both of them after it happened, just to see how they were doing and everything. But, it was just an unfortunate situation.“

“You know, Will wasn’t in the right space that night and Chris Rock didn’t deserve that. So, it’s such an unfortunate situation,” he added. “It’s like seeing your brothers fightin’ and you don’t want to see your brothers fightin’. Chris Rock didn’t deserve that at all.”

TOPSHOT – US actor Will Smith (R) slaps US actor Chris Rock onstage during the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 27, 2022. (Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP) (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)
Read More: Will Smith Says “Emancipation” Has Helped Him Overcome Oscars Slap

Earlier this year, there were rumors that Bad Boys 4 could be on the horizon, but it was suggested that the Oscars moment curved production hopes. However, in a cover feature for Ebony, the Lawrence refuted claims that the film wouldn’t happen.

Meanwhile, Rock hasn’t sat down for an interview to share his side of the Oscars slap story. Instead, the comedian was said to have cracked jokes about the moment during his live shows. It is unclear if he will speak more on the event in the future.

Will Smith To Talk “Emancipation” & Oscars On “Red Table Talk”

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It has arguably been one of the most challenging years for Will Smith. The Fresh Prince icon had an almost unblemished record in the entertainment industry—a feat that isn’t easy to accomplish. He is an acclaimed actor with a reputation for being family-friendly, but his Academy Award moment shifted perspectives. Smith infamously slapped Chris Rock earlier this year on the Oscars stage, and he has been speaking freely about the incident in recent weeks.

As Smith promotes his latest film Emancipation, he has been addressing the controversy after months of silence. Now, he joins his family once again on Red Table Talk to detail his transformation for Emancipation and the moment that changed his career forever.

Photo Credit: Jordan Fisher
Read More: Will Smith Says “Emancipation” Has Helped Him Overcome Oscars Slap

A press release for Wednesday’s (December 14) episode calls the Red Table Talk conversation “deeply intimate and revealing.” This will be the first time several of the Smith family will come together for this personal discussion. The actor reportedly admits that, for the first time in his expansive career, he almost “went too far” and nearly “lost himself.”

“Will shares the biggest revelations of his life, a horrific moment he experienced while filming and a co-star who refused to speak to him,” the press release added.

In a promotional photo of the episode, it’s easy to note that Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, was omitted. He posed will all of his children: Trey, Willow, and Jaden.

(Photo by Amy Sussman/WireImage)
Read More: Will Smith Says He “Understands” People Not Being Ready For His New Film Due To Oscars Slap

The Academy Awards moment between Smith and Rock sparked after the comedian joked about Jada’s bald head. While she didn’t say anything in the broadcast clip, the actress was vilified by the public and several of her peers. The move to not have her participate in the Red Table Talk conversation could be for Smith to detail his feelings without Jada once again unnecessarily taking the blame.

Will Smith’s appearance on Red Table Talk will premiere tomorrow, Dec. 14, on Facebook Watch.

Will Smith Says “Emancipation” Has Helped Him Overcome Oscars Slap

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Will Smith says that playing Peter in his new film Emancipation helped him get through the months after his infamous Oscars slap. While promoting the film, Smith explained that the role has helped him with overcoming adversity.

“It’s like when you can locate and center yourself in your divine purpose, you can withstand anything and everything,” he said, according to ABC News

HOLLYWOOD, CA – FEBRUARY 24: Actor Will Smith attends the Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Focus” premiere at TCL Chinese Theatre on February 24, 2015 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

The film follows an escaped slave inspired by “Whipped Peter,” who evades slave hunters in search of freedom.

He continued: “Peter has absolutely helped me through these last few months, just reestablishing within myself in what my purpose is in this world.”

“This movie was so grueling. Literally across the board, everybody had to devote a hefty amount of suffering to what you see on that screen,” Smith said. “So my greatest wish, and I guess I can talk about my greatest fear, is that my team would be penalized for my actions. I’m out with this film that I love and strictly want my people to get their flowers.”

Antoine Fuqua, who directed Emancipation, says that Smith slapping Chris Rock was just a “mistake.”

“For me, it’s a mistake,” Fuqua said. “Hopefully everybody can get back on track and God bless everyone. But we’re talking about 400 years of brutality.”

Notably, Smith is still eligible for nominations and awards at the Oscars, despite his 10-year ban from the Academy. He cannot, however, accept them at the ceremony.

Smith has also said he’s gotten to feeling “purified and transformed” since the incident.

Emancipation arrives on Apple TV+, Friday. Check out the trailer for the film below.

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