Over two years ago, those watching the 94th Academy Awards witnessed Will Smith slap Chris Rock live on stage after the comedian made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. The star – who was awarded Best Actor that same evening – later apologized and received a 10-year ban from the Academy as punishment. In the immediate aftermath of “the slap,” various celebrities – some who were present at the event and some who were not – commented on the situation. It’s seemed that, more recently, the situation hasn’t been as widely discussed, though comedian Rob Schneider just dropped some thoughts. And he didn’t mince words, tearing into Smith's character and his actions at the show.
What Did Rob Schneider Say About Will Smith?
Rob Schneider has proven to be one of the more outspoken voices within the world of stand-up comedy. He recently appeared on an episode of The Kyle & Jackie O Show, where talk eventually turned to Will Smith and the Oscars incident from 2022. Schneider described the Men in Black star as a “liar,” a “fraud” and a “twat” among other things. And when co-host Jackie O interjected and discussed her positive experience with Smith, the Deuce Bigalow star doubled down on his point of view:
Will Smith is a twat. Will Smith has been hiding the fact of who he really is, and it was exposed that night. He’s really an asshole. But I wasn’t allowed to say anything at that time, because we were part of the committee that was supposed to punish him. … He’s a liar, complete utter fraud. Will is a douchebag.
The stand-up comedy veteran went on to chastise the Academy for their handling of the particular night. While making his argument, he made mention of what he believes to be a double standard. You can check out the rest of his comments in the TikTok video below:
@kyleandjackieo ♬ original sound - Kyle & Jackie O
During the full conversation, Rob Schneider also mentioned Chris Rock, calling him “legendary” and “the best comedian of our generation.” Schneider and Rock notably worked together on Saturday Night Live during the ‘90s and would go on to star alongside each other in 2010’s Grown Ups. Schneider isn’t the only comedian to have addressed the Oscars slap, as many of his peers have done the same since it happened.
How Have Other Comedy Veterans Responded To The Slap?
After the altercation, various comedians shared their takes on what went down during the telecast. One such performer was Wanda Sykes, who co-hosted that edition of the Oscars. Sykes said she was “traumatized” by the event and, while sharing her take, she expressed sadness for Chris Rock and wondered why Will Smith wasn’t escorted from the premises. Another star to weigh in was Jim Carrey, who was “sickened” not only by the act itself but by the fact that people applauded Smith when he accepted his Oscar. When Steve Harvey weighed in, he said the slap was a “punk” move and that he “lost a lot of respect for [Smith].”
Other notable comics were a bit gentler when providing their take on the matter. Marlon Wayans, who is a friend of both of the actors involved in the situation, revealed that he advised the King Richard star to consider therapy. Wayans also spoke to the “pressure” that the Hancock star has had to deal with due to his high celebrity status. Another shared friend of the Fresh Prince star and Head of State lead, Kevin Hart, also discussed the slap. He believed, at the time, that his buddy was truly “apologetic” and opined that people “make mistakes” and should have the chance to move forward.
As for Chris Rock himself, he’s since dropped jokes about the situation during multiple stand-up appearances. However, he explored the topic in depth during his 2023 Netflix special, Selective Outrage. During the show, he recalled getting slapped by “Shug Smith” and took aim at Jada Pinkett as well. Rock specifically called out the actress’ “entanglements” with singer August Alsina.
These past couple of years have seen media pundits weigh in on the durability of Will Smith’s career moving forward. It would seem that the star has been able to ease his way back into a sense of normalcy and, just recently, he marked the release of box office hit Bad Boys: Ride or Die, which is adding to its cume. Still, as Smith sees success, it’s surely possible that others could, like Rob Schneider, continue to share honest thoughts on the slap.
