Chris Rock to Address Oscars Slap at Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theater for Live Netflix Special

One yr after Will Smith shocked a stay viewers and hundreds of thousands watching the Oscars on tv when he slapped Chris Rock, the comic on the receiving finish of the assault is addressing the incident for Netflix audiences.

On Saturday, Netflix will debut “Chris Rock: Selective Outrage,” a stay comedy particular from Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theater. 

“The factor folks wanna know … did it harm? Hell yeah, it harm,” Rock reportedly will say through the particular, which airs at 10 p.m. EST.  “[Smith] performed Muhammad Ali! I performed Pookie [in ‘New Jack City’]. Even in animated films, I’m a zebra, he’s a [bleeping] shark. I acquired hit so laborious, I heard ‘Summertime’ ringing in my ears.” 

In one other line, Rock talked about how a lot greater Smith is than him. 

“Will Smith is an enormous dude. I’m not,” Rock mentioned. “Will Smith is shirtless in his films. In the event you see me in a film getting open coronary heart surgical procedure, I’m gonna have a sweater on.” 

The Academy Awards banned Smith for 10 years following the incident, and whereas Rock has principally maintained his silence, Smith has publicly apologized. 

The “Contemporary Prince of Bel-Air” legend mentioned he “fogged out” through the notorious March 27, 2022, Oscars. 

“It’s all fuzzy,” Smith mentioned in an Instagram video posted final summer season. “I’ve reached out to Chris and the message that got here again is that he’s not prepared to speak. And when he’s, he’ll attain out.” 

Whereas Rock introduced the Oscar for greatest documentary on the 2022 Academy Awards ceremony, Smith took exception to the comic’s feedback about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head.  

Pinkett Smith had revealed she has alopecia. After some uncomfortable laughter, Smith emerged from his seat, approached Rock through the stay telecast, and slapped the star.  

“Preserve my spouse’s title out of your [bleeping] mouth,” Smith yelled out at Rock.  

The one time Rock addressed the incident was throughout a standup efficiency, which he solely briefly talked about the Oscars. 

“Anybody who says phrases harm has by no means been punched within the face,” Rock mentioned throughout a standup a day earlier than Smith’s Instagram video surfaced. 

“I’m not a sufferer. Yeah, that s— harm,” Rock remarked. “However I shook that s— off and went to work the subsequent day. I don’t go to the hospital for a paper lower.” 

In Smith’s new video, he additionally apologized to Rock’s mom and brother Tony Rock. “That was one of many issues in regards to the second. I simply didn’t understand,” Smith recounted. 

“I used to be fascinated about how many individuals acquired harm in that second. I wish to apologize to Chris’ mom,” he continued. “I wish to apologize to Chris’ household, particularly Tony Rock. We had a terrific relationship. You understand, Tony Rock was my man, and that is most likely irreparable.” 

Smith additionally refused to put any blame on his spouse. “I made a alternative alone, from my very own experiences from my historical past with Chris,” Smith acknowledged.  

“Jada had nothing to do [with it].”  

He additionally famous how his actions detracted from his greatest actor win and different nominees and winners.  

“It actually breaks my coronary heart to have stolen and tarnished your second,” Smith asserted. “Sorry isn’t actually enough. However I promise you, I’m deeply devoted and dedicated to placing gentle and love and pleasure into the world.” 

John Jurgensen of the Wall Road Journal mentioned Rock, by saving his ammunition for Netflix, has arrange a uncommon factor: a stand-up particular with a well timed hook.  

The way it lands may decide whether or not he can reframe the incident that, straight away, revised the story of his four-decade profession. 

Making ready for the particular could have additionally served one other function for Rock himself, Jurgenson mentioned in quoting fellow stand-up George Wallace.  

“You ain’t by no means going to neglect that anyone slapped the [mess] out of you. However laughter is therapeutic for the soul, and that’s what he’s getting up there…and in the long term, he’s additionally getting paid for it,” mentioned Wallace, who has a bit about how the slap turned him in opposition to all Smiths (Granny Smiths, locksmiths, blacksmiths, Smith Brothers Cough Drops and whatnot).