They say no pain, no gain – and is seems Chris Rock stands to earn a veritable fortune after being slapped in the face by Will Smith at the 2022 Oscars.
The 57-year-old comedian was given a sharp smack to the face by 53-year-old actor Will while presenting the Best Documentary award at last weekend’s event after he made an ill-judged joke about 50-year-old alopecia sufferer Jada Pinkett-Smith’s bald head.
And while Hollywood has been divided over whether Will – who received a Best Actor gong and a rapturous standing ovation just minutes after his violent outburst – did the right thing, it could be Chris who ultimately gets the last laugh.
Reports have suggested talk show queen Oprah Winfrey and rival talk show host and Hollywood villain Ellen DeGeneres are battling to secure a chat with Chris following the global headline grabbing incident.
And Chris could even bag himself as much as £2 million as ticket sales to his current tour have skyrocketed and interview offers are being lined up.
A source told The Sun: “Chris has handled the situation with Will with such grace and poise – and it is paying dividends.
“Hollywood just can’t get enough of him and while people are turning away from Will in droves, they’re queuing up to see Chris.
“His comedy tour is now sold out for months in advance and he has added more dates on thanks to the increase in demand.
“Chris has chosen to hold his tongue for now and it’s not surprising, as there are big money negotiations going on behind the scenes for his first chat.
“Oprah and Ellen have both shown interest in securing the first sit down interview with Chris about the slap and the aftermath.”
The source goes on to suggest that Chris is biding his time in order to get the best deal before he gives his side of events.
The Academy Awards audience and viewers at home were shocked last Sunday when Will stormed the awards stage to slap Chris square in the face after he joked that Jada, who shaved her head after her hair started falling out, would make a fine “G.I. Jane”.
The shocked audience were stunned further when Will returned to his seat and aggressively screamed “Keep my wife’s name out your f***ing mouth” repeatedly at Chris.
The incident has lead to calls for Will to be stripped of his Best Actor Oscar which he won for playing Richard Williams in the biopic King Richard.
Will eventually apologised for his outburst, writing online: “Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable.
“I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.”
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