Hours after Will Smith’s video apology, Chris Rock went on stage at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta and called Will Smith Suge Smith during his latest gig.
Chris Rock refused to accept Will Smith’s apology for slapping him at the Oscars of 2022. In a new show, Chris referred to Will Smith as Suge Smith, hours after Will apologised on-camera.
“Everybody is trying to be a f—ing victim,” Rock quoted as saying by People. He said further, “If everybody claims to be a victim, then nobody will hear the real victims. Even me getting smacked by Suge Smith … I went to work the next day, I got kids.” (Rock’s reference of Smith as “Suge Smith” appeared to be a play on the name of currently jailed Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight.) “Anyone who says words hurt has never been punched in the face,” Chris added during the show.
He apologized for his response, which was not well-meant, and was based on the hair loss his wife experiences as a result of her condition known as alopecia. Jada, who rolled her eyes at Chris’ joke, was asked if Chris had urged her to charge onto the stage, which at the time was one of the biggest Hollywood stories. Chris replied that Jada had nothing to do with it.
Will said that he spoke to Chris but Chris was reluctant to talk. “So I will say to you, Chris, I apologize to you. My behavior was unacceptable. And I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk,” he also apologised to Chris’ mother, his family and his brother Tony Rock, who is very dear to him.
Will, who later resigned from the Academy and was banned from attending their ceremonies for the next 10 years, said in his statement, “I would like to publicly apologise 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.”
