Will Smith still owes the Black community an explanation for the infamous Chris Rock slap at the 2022 Academy Awards ceremony, according to Stephen A. Smith.
On Sunday (June 9), the famed sports commentator shared his thoughts on the incident via his YouTube channel amid news of Bad Boys: Ride or Die attaining blockbuster status at the box office over the weekend.
While he has supported the Philadelphia native since the ordeal two years back, he wants to see him “sit down and talk to the Black community” about the moment as he feels Rock “will never get over that, ever” and is “damaged” because of it.
“We know you wouldn’t have smacked Ricky Gervais, Bill Maher, Bill Burr or a host of others,” Smith said. “We know you wouldn’t have done that. No apology is necessary. I’m just saying a lot of folks ain’t get over that. A lot of folks find it hard to just go to the movies to watch you. I’m one of those people.”
Upon the internet discussing his comments, Stephen doubled down on what he said in a post shared on X (formerly Twitter).
“Yep. I said it,” he wrote. “But I have some additional thoughts — thinking about all that Will & Martin [Lawrence] have done for us all — especially after talking to my man Charlie Mack. I’ve got more to say on “The Stephen A. Smith Show/Podcast” tomorrow.”
Yep. I said it. But I have some additional thoughts — thinking about all that Will & Martin have done for us all — especially after talking to my man Charlie Mack. I’ve got more to say on “The Stephen A. Smith Show/Podcast” tomorrow. https://t.co/lLVeOCuYYv
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) June 10, 2024
Bad Boys: Ride Or Die is Will Smith’s first movie since the infamous Oscar slap.
According to Variety, the fourth installment of the Bad Boys franchise raked in $56 million in theaters across the United States and an additional $48.6 million across the world for an international grand total of $104.6 million.
The film now also holds the distinction of having the second-highest opening weekend of any film in Smith and Lawrence’s buddy cop franchise, following 2020’s Bad Boys for Life.
The outlet made note of the fact that this was Smith’s first acting role since the incident between him and Chris Rock in March 2022, indicating that industry experts thought the moment may have cost him a few fans, just as it had other opportunities.
However, the rapper-turned-actor nabbed his very first Oscar in the Best Actor in a Leading Role category for his portrayal of Richard Williams in King Richard on the night in question.
According to the New York Post, the Academy has a strict policy that prohibits any kind of violence, which could have led to the statuette and honor being stripped from him.
“It’s basically assault,” an insider said. “Everyone was just so shocked in the room, it was so uncomfortable. I think Will would not want to give his Oscar back, but who knows what will happen now.”
Before the Academy could decide on disciplinary action, however, Smith preemptively resigned from the organization and was allowed to retain his Oscar and even be considered for awards in the future, Variety reported at the time.
People are just sheep. Somehow they forgive Will because his movie made it to the box office. FOH. Will never apologized to Chris. And he parades in the media laughing out loud and joking like nothing happened. But the disgusting part is the people welcoming him cheerfully without any consideration for the embarrassment he caused at the Oscars. And y’all wonder why these celebrities feel untouchables and allow themselves to behave like pieces of shit in total impunity (hi Diddy).
Same thing can be said to almost anyone..why go out and support rappers who sold drugs to families that destroyed their lives and now they rap and glorify it in their songs..move on, who cares, let Will live
Not the same at all.
That’s bs. Stephen A thinks it can’t happen being an attack dog for whitey. It can happen clown. Watch your mouth before Antman fixes it for you lol. Chris Rock is a punk bitch.
Why? Does the “black community” (as if all black people are in one area, have the same mind set, etc) need an explanation? This the same type of dude that claims voter ID is racist because black people apparently don’t have the ability to go… obtain an ID. It’s all so tiresome.
Will & baldy can go suck one. Mad how one action can tell us more about a person than 20yrs on the screens can.
Explain why Chris Rock was hosting anyway, he ain’t been funny since ’99. And did Stephen explain why he called the league offices on Westbrook but not Jamal Murray?
He wasn’t hosting. He was presenting. So what else do you not know?
Gem lord lmao. I guarantee I’d slap you the same way and you wouldn’t do anything about it. Guaranteed.