Chris Rock defused rigidity backstage after being slapped by Will Smith on the Oscars, joked ‘I simply took a punch from Muhammad Ali’

Whereas many initially thought the incident was staged, Smith’s expletive-laden phrases moments later put an finish to any risk that it was scripted. Smith went on to win the Greatest Actor trophy later within the ceremony. Now, in an interview with Good Morning America, Will Packer has mentioned that Rock had a number of deliberate jokes that had been on the teleprompter, however he selected to not inform any of them and as a substitute improvised. “I knew he had an incredible lineup of jokes that we had him within the prompter. He didn’t inform one of many deliberate jokes, however you’ll be able to’t make it up. He was simply instantly freestyling. However I inform you, if there’s anyone that you simply don’t fear about going out in entrance of a stay viewers and riffing off the cuff, it’s Chris Rock. No one’s higher.”

He added that when he noticed Smith approaching the stage, he thought it was going to be a humorous second, and even after Smith had hit Rock, he was not involved and assumed it was a comedy bit. However his “coronary heart dropped” when he noticed Smith yelling from the viewers at Rock to maintain his “spouse’s title out of (his)  f***ing mouth!”

Packer recalled, “I simply keep in mind pondering, ‘Oh no, oh no. Not like this’. Chris was preserving his head when everybody else was dropping theirs. My coronary heart was simply in my abdomen due to every little thing about it and what it represented and what it regarded like and who was concerned. All of that. I’ve by no means felt so instantly devastated like I did in that second.”

Packer rushed backstage, the place he met Rock and requested him what had occurred and advised him that they’d do what he needed. “I mentioned: ‘Did he actually hit you?’ And he checked out me and he goes: ‘I simply took a punch from Muhammad Ali.’ It’s precisely what he mentioned, as solely Chris can, you already know. He was instantly in joke mode, however you possibly can inform that he was very a lot nonetheless in shock.” The Los Angeles Police Division arrived, and provided to arrest Smith, however reportedly Rock didn’t wish to press fees.

The explanation for Smith’s assault was a joke Rock had cracked moments earlier than in regards to the former’s spouse Jada Pinkett Smith. Within the joke, Rock mentioned whereas referring to Jada, “G.I. Jane 2. Can’t wait to see it.” 1997’s G.I. Jane, a warfare drama, had Demi Moore taking part in the function of the (fictional) first feminine Navy Seal who shaved her head. The joke was meant to make enjoyable of Jada’s lack of hair resulting from a situation known as alopecia.

Within the wake of the incident, the Academy has launched disciplinary proceedings in opposition to Smith, who introduced his resignation from the Academy membership.