Jimmy Kimmel jokes he’ll beat anyone who tries to emulate Will Smith’s Oscars punch — as he gears up for the host ceremony
Jimmy Kimmel joked that he’ll “beat the s***” if anyone tries to recreate Will Smith’s infamous 2022 Oscars slap — as he prepares to host this year’s ceremony.
Smith, 54, sent shockwaves around the world when he punched 58-year-old Rock on stage after making a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head. The Hollywood Reporter.
When asked how he would react if someone tried to hit him, he joked, “Well, I measure them up, and if I’m taller than them, I’ll beat them up on television.” And if it’s The Rock, I run.”
Kimmel also revealed that he will reference the blow heavily in his monologue, saying, “Because so much has been said and so much attention has been paid to it.” Of course I don’t want to make the whole monologue about that, but it would be ridiculous not to mention it.’
Commenting on The Academy’s decision to call in a “crisis team” to deal with any issues at the post-clap ceremony, Kimmel said, “Yeah, I feel like I should at least know what it has been discussed, so I know what I should do. fear when I walk on stage. But really, I suspect it mostly has to do with UFOs.”
Big moment: Jimmy Kimmel joked he’ll ‘beat the s***’ if anyone tries to recreate Will Smith’s infamous 2022 Oscars smash — as he prepares to host this year’s ceremony
Slack: Smith, 54, sent shockwaves around the world when he slammed Rock, 58, onstage after making a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head – with Kimmel, 55, keen to take the incident lightly to make
The blow came last year after Rock made a joke about Pinkett-Smith’s bald head caused by alopecia.
Rock had joked that Pinkett-Smith rocked a “G.I. Jane” look, leading her husband to storm the stage and slap him, then repeat: “Keep my wife’s name out of your mouth!”
Smith “still regrets” punching Rock at the 2022 Oscars and has tried “unsuccessfully” to make amends with the comedian, a source told me. People this week.
Rock recently tore up Will and Jada’s relationship and spoke about the hit on the new Netflix show, Selective Outrage.
A source told the publication that Smith has “felt awful for so long,” adding, “He’s been trying in vain to make it up to Chris as best he can.
“But beyond that, family is important to him and (Smith) leaned on them. It’s all helped him look inward and grow up. He is better, but still regrets.
“Will listened to those who tried to help him and feels he’s become a better person.”
Chris’s much-anticipated public reaction to Smith’s punch has been met with much praise – with some calling it the “best brutal takedown” in history.
An industry source told People that Rock “scores high because of the Netflix special.”
They added: ‘He said what he had to say and doesn’t care about the reaction anyway. He’s not worried.
Digs: The slap came last year after Rock made a joke about Pinkett-Smith’s bald head caused by alopecia
“People have been waiting a year for[Rock’s]response. For the most part, I think it was well received. People don’t expect sugarcoating from Chris Rock.”
During his new Netflix stand-up special that premiered live Saturday night, Rock verbally hit back at Smith a year after the incident that saw Smith expelled from the Academy.
In a nearly two-minute segment, Rock fired at Smith’s decision to punch him onstage at the awards show, making Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith the butt of his joke about her infidelity.
The Oscars will air Sunday, March 12 on ABC.
