Chris Rock has responded to Will Smith’s apology video for slapping him at the Oscars, calling it a “hostage” apology.
The comedian, 57, broke his silence on the video after he was slapped by the actor at the ceremony back in March, as he appeared onstage at his gig at the O2 arena in London.
Smith posted a YouTube video in July of him apologising to Rock after he went onstage and slapped him, following a ‘joke’ he made about his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith’s shaved head, due to her having the hair-loss condition alopecia.
According to Deadline, Rock responded for the first time publicly to Smith’s video as he said: “F*** your hostage video.”
The comedian then nicknamed Smith “Suge Smith”, in reference to the notoriously intimidating and allegedly violent Death Row Records executive Suge Knight, who is currently in prison.
At the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, Rock said Smith imitated “a perfect man for 30 years” until that moment during the Oscars, revealing he was “just as ugly as the rest of us”.
The Guardian reported that fellow comedian Dave Chappelle asked Rock about the slap: “Did that s*** hurt?”
Rock responded: “Goddam right… the motherfucker hit me over a bull**** joke – the nicest joke I ever told.”
This marks the first time Rock has discussed the Oscars slap at length since March.
In his apology video, Smith confessed to losing his cool and said to Rock: “So, I will say to you, Chris, I apologise to you,” he said. “My behaviour was unacceptable and I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.
“There is no part of me that thinks that was the right way to behave in that moment. There’s no part of me that thinks that is the optimal way to handle a feeling of disrespect or insult.”
Smith went on to win Best Actor for his role in King Richard on Oscars night, though he was later banned from the awards show for 10 years.
Following the ceremony, Rock has steadily appeared in comedy shows around the US and now internationally.
Last month, it was reported that the Oscars had reached out to the comic to host next year’s show, to which he declined.
