Late-Night Hosts React To Will Smith “Hitch”-Slapping Chris Rock At the Oscars – Watch
deadline.comLate night show hosts have weighed in on the stunning moment when Will Smith smacked comedian and Oscar presenter Chris Rock across the face on national television over a joke about Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith.They seem to generally agree that Will Smith should have chosen a different way to express his anger, but remember, these are comedians, of course they made a joke out of the entire ordeal in their show opening monologues.
Jimmy Kimmel, host of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, is the only person among the late-night gang who has hosted the Oscars — which he did in 2017 and 2018 — so he has first-hand knowledge of what it’s like to lead one of the biggest shows on television.
He spoke about the experience and how the host first thought everything was staged. “I was watching like most people, and I said to my wife “they did a really good job with that punch – it looked so real,” he said. “And about three seconds later, we realized it was because it was real.”And that’s when his reaction went from excitement to concern.“In one stunning moment – the night went from “Oscars – So What?” To “Oscars So WHAAAAAAT?!”Many have compared last night’s slap to a boxing match, and Kimmel added some perspective on that idea. “It was so shocking.
The only thing I can really compare it to is when Mike Tyson bit Holyfield’s ears.” He also addressed the reaction inside Dolby Theatre.“And- by the way no one did anything,” he said.
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