Chris Rock Responds to Will Smith’s Slap in Standup Show

Will Smith (R) hit Chris Rock as Rock spoke on stage during the 94th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Calif., on March 27, 2022. Brian Snyder/Reuters

Comedian Chris Rock issued his first public statement after Will Smith appeared to slap him during Sunday night’s Academy Awards show.

“I don’t have a bunch of [expletive] about what happened, so if you came to hear that, I have a whole show I wrote before this weekend. I’m still kind of processing what happened. So, at some point I’ll talk about that [expletive]. And it will be serious and funny,” Rock told an audience in Boston, according to reporters at the scene.