While the 2022 Academy Awards happened months ago, one particular moment from the telecast continues to make waves. You guessed it: I’m talking about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock on national television. The discourse and fallout from the slap has continued for quite some time, and is affecting the social media number of both celebs. Rock is currently touring with his stand-up act, which occasionally includes a brief reference to the Oscars brouhaha. Chris Rock reportedly made another Will Smith joke during a recent comedy show, and cancel culture was involved.
The discourse surrounding Will Smith slapping Chris Rock hasn’t slowed down much in the months since the Academy Awards aired. While some of Smith’s projects were put on hold as a result, Rock has been touring with his current stand-up set. According to ET, Rock seemingly made an offhand reference to the slap last weekend while performing at Madison Square Garden. An anonymous source contacted the outlet, and explained the new joke that made it into the comic’s recent show. They explained,
Chris made a joke about Will during a bit about cancel culture, joking that 'anyone who says words hurt has never been punched in the face.’
Well, there you have it. It looks like Chris Rock is familiar with that old adage: sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me. And since Rock has been hit in the face live on national television, he knows all too well that actual fists hurt. This includes the physical pain that came to his face, as well as the humiliation of being hit by Will Smith in such a public manner. As for Smith, he’s facing the wrath of cancer culture.
This joke by Chris Rock is only the latest example of the 57 year-old actor making an offhand reference to being slapped by Will Smith at the Academy Awards. While The Slap isn’t actually in his current set, once in a while he’ll crack a joke about the infamous kerfuffle. On the upside: Rock’s ticket sales have been great and he’s getting more followers on social media as well.
While Chris Rock has been keeping busy with his tour, the future of Will Smith’s acting career feels a bit more unsure. Smith has largely stepped away from the spotlight in the months since he slapped Rock on national television. A few of Smith’s upcoming projects were put on hold, and it’s unclear if/when he’ll regain A-lister status. For his part, the King Richard actor is seemingly trying to find some clarity, recently going on a meditation retreat.
As far as the public knows, Chris Rock and Will Smith haven’t actually been in contact since the slap. While Smith resigned from the film academy and issued an apology on Instagram, there’s been no reports of the two celebs actually being in contact. We’ll just have to wait and see if that changes in the future. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
