Chris Rock’s backstage joke following Will Smith’s slap at the Oscars

According to backstage sources, Chris Rock continued to joke around even after taking Will Smith’s slap at the Oscars.

Chris Rock reportedly continued to make jokes backstage after Will Smith slapped him. The likely flustered Chris Rock tried to play it cool to the people backstage by making a joke about Will Smith’s academy nominated role of Muhammad Ali in Ali.

The Vanity Fair backstage insider reported there experience in witnessing the event as such:

“When Chris Rock walked back to the wings of the stage with the winners, his cheek was red, but he tried to play it off to the gobsmacked crew and fellow presenters by making a joke about one of Will Smith’s other Oscar-nominated roles,” they wrote.

“One witness said he remarked loudly, ‘That’s the only time you get hit by Muhammad Ali and it doesn’t leave a scratch.’”

While Will Smith’s original apology, which was given as he accepted his Oscar win for his role as Richard Williams in King Richard, omitted any mention of Chris Rock, the actor has since issued an apology directly to Rock.

The three-time Oscar-nominated actor issued this apology to everyone involved in the incident including Chris Rock, the Academy, and the Williams family.

“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.

I would also like to apologize to the Academy, the producers of the show, all the attendees and everyone watching around the world. I would like to apologize to the Williams Family and my King Richard Family.

I deeply regret that my behavior has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us.”

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