At the 2022 Oscars the unthinkable happened with Will Smith getting up on stage and slapping comedian and actor Chris Rock right across the face. Now months later, Smith has come out and apologized.
Will Smith hasn't been on YouTube long, but it seems he's already mastered the 'YouTube apology'. Seriously, he's got it down to a tee and does it better than many other YouTubers – I'm looking at you Sienna Mae and Laura Lee. But let's check out Will Smith's apology and whether it holds up.
For anyone who has lived under a rock the last few months here's the TLDR. It was the Oscars aka Hollywood's biggest night, and what overshadowed all the movies and films being celebrated? Will Smith getting up on stage and slapping the living sh*t out of comedian Chris Rock. Alright, it wasn't that dramatic, but that was one hard slap that resonated all over the planet.
Since then Will Smith has been banned from attending future Oscars events and the slap has been turned into one of the greatest memes of 2022. Now, months after the event Will Smith has come forth with an apology.
Will Smith Uses YouTube Channel to Apologize
On his YouTube channel, Will Smith apologized and went over the incident once more by answering frequently asked questions. Why didn't he apologize right away? Where has he been the last four months, and how has his own family reacted to the slapping incident?
Smith starts off by apologizing directly to Chris Rock, explaining that he's reached out to the comedian, but he has since refused contact, stating that he still needs some time, which Will Smith will give him, saying he would wait for the other to reach out.
Chris, I apologize to you. My behavior was unacceptable, and I'm here whenever you're ready to talk. I want to apologize to Chris' mother. I saw an interview that Chris' mother did and, you know, that was one of the things about that moment – I just didn't realise, I wasn't thinking, but how many people got hurt in that moment. So I want to apologize to Chris' mother. I want to apologize to Chris' family, specifically Tony Rock. You know, we had a great relationship, Tony Rock was my man, and this is probably irreperable.
Just to refresh your memory here is the slap:
As to why he didn't immediately come out and apologize during his award speech, Smith stated that he was in a haze and therefore not in the right state of mind to think of apologizing.
Smith Apologizes to Others At the Event
Not only did the actor apologize to Christ Rock, but also others at the event and those who also won awards. His actions overshadowed what the evening was about, to celebrate film and story telling. He specifically mentioned Questlove who won the Oscar right when the slap moment happened.
Smith states in his apology that 'I'm Sorry' isn't sufficient when it comes to making things right after stealing the spotlight from the whole event and casting a dark shadow on the world of film.
Did Jada Tell Him To Slap Chris Rock?
One question that had come up often on the internet was whether it was Will's wife Jada Pinkett Smith told her husband to go up there and slap the other actor. In the YouTube apology video Will Smith clarifies that she was not involved in the situation at all and that he made a choice and a decision to go up there.
So, there you have it guys, the era of the slap has ended with Will Smith apologizing to the academy, to the fans that looked up to him and to Chris Rock as well. How did you guys feel about this apology video? Oh, and if you haven't seen it yet, just watch the apology below.