Chris Rock described Will Smith as “just as ugly as the rest of us.”
The comedian – who is currently on tour in the UK with Dave Chappelle – made the comment during a sold-out show at Liverpool’s M&S Arena when Chappelle asked him about the infamous Oscars hit.
“Didn’t that hurt?” Chappelle asked boldly, according to the Daily Mail.
“Damn… the motherfucker hit me over a bulls-t joke, the funniest joke I’ve ever told,” Rock replied.
“Will made the impression of a perfect person for 30 years, and he ripped off his mask and showed us he was just as ugly as the rest of us,” he continued. “Whatever the consequences…I hope he doesn’t put his mask back on and let his real face breathe. I see myself in both men.”
The “SNL” alum referenced the unforgettable incident at the 2022 Academy Awards in March when Smith, who won Best Actor for “King Richard” later that night, slapped Rock for making a joke about not having her. by his wife Jada Pinkett Smith. .
Pinkett Smith, who suffers from alopecia, rolled her eyes when she heard Rock call her “GI Jane.” This prompted Smith to storm the stage, hitting Rock and yelling profanity once he was seated.
The “Independence Day” star apologized a day after the Academy Awards.
“I was out of line and I was wrong,” he wrote in a post shared on social media. “I am ashamed 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.”
In July, the actor, who was criticized for not apologizing directly to Rock, addressed his fellow actor in a video.
“I’ve reached out to Chris and the message that came back is that he’s not ready to talk yet, but if he is, he’ll get in touch,” Smith said in a video posted to YouTube. “I’ll tell you, Chris, I apologize. My behavior was unacceptable and I’m here whenever you want to talk.”
He also apologized to Rock’s mother and brother Tony Rock.
“That was one of the things at the time that I didn’t realize,” he continued. “I didn’t think about how many people were injured at the time. I want to apologize to Chris’s mother, Chris’ family, especially his brother Tony Rock.
“I know it was confusing. I know it was shocking, but I promise you that I am deeply committed to bringing light, love and joy into the world,” he concluded.
The blow resulted in Smith’s resignation from the Academy and a 10-year ban on all events from the organization.