Chris Rock is still holding off on really opening up about the situation that occurred at the Academy Awards last month, but he hasn't stayed completely silent. At the comedian's first stand-up show after the Oscars, where King Richard star Will Smith smacked Rock for a joke told about Jada Pinkett Smith, Rock only noted that he was "still processing" what happened. At another show, as reported by Palm Springs Desert Sun, Rock had a little more to say about the situation.
For his part, Rock revealed one big reason why he hasn't said much publicly about the infamous Oscars slap. The comedian says he's waiting to "get paid" for his story, suggesting he's hoping to perhaps get a big-money offer from a network or media outlet first, clearly knowing how much everyone wants to hear from him. With that being said, Rock did say that he's now got his "hearing back," a reference to getting smacked on the head by that night's Best Lead Actor winner. As Rock reportedly said:
"I'm OK, I have a whole show [about other topics] and I'm not talking about that until I get paid. Life is good. I got my hearing back."
Rock then moved on to other material. He reportedly joked about such topics as Hillary Clinton's failed presidential runs, the Kardashian family, and Meghan Markle accusing the British royal family of racism. The comedian also joked about his personal life, ending his set with a quip about his divorce. While not a direct reference to the Oscars, Rock also touched on how these days people feel "afraid of offending anyone for any reason."
Will Smith Was Banned from the Academy for 10 Years for Smacking Chris Rock
There was widespread controversy over Will Smith smacking Chris Rock, and the Academy has announced the punishment for Smith. The actor has been banned from the Academy and all of its associated events for the next ten years. In a statement announcing the action, the Academy also noted their failure to properly address the situation that night and praised Rock for how he handled it by moving on with the show, despite the circumstances.
“The Board has decided, for a period of 10 years from April 8, 2022, Mr. Smith shall not be permitted to attend any Academy events or programs, in person or virtually, including but not limited to the Academy Awards," the statement read. "The 94th Oscars were meant to be a celebration of the many individuals in our community who did incredible work this past year; however, those moments were overshadowed by the unacceptable and harmful behavior we saw Mr. Smith exhibit on stage."
It continued, "During our telecast, we did not adequately address the situation in the room. For this, we are sorry. This was an opportunity for us to set an example for our guests, viewers and our Academy family around the world, and we fell short — unprepared for the unprecedented."