Howard Stern wasted little time on his radio show Monday before tearing into Will Smith and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences over Smith slapping Chris Rock live on TV during the Oscars.
Smith walked onstage Sunday evening after a joke from Rock about SMiths wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, and slapped the comic full-force, followed by Smith yelling profanities from the audience. Smith was not removed from the event. In fact, he went on to be cheered after winning the best actor Oscar for King Richard.
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Stern and Robin Quivers called the entire situation unacceptable and grotesque.
“What you saw on TV was a guy with real issues,” said Stern of Smith. “That’s crazy, that’s crazy when you can’t contain yourself.”
Quivers called the assault a “blind-sided attack,” noting Rock had no idea the hit was coming. Both Stern and Quivers blasted the Academy for not immediately ejecting Smith from the event.
“You don’t provide security?” a bewildered Stern asked. “You don’t have someone come up there? Chris Rock was just trying to make people laugh at the fucking ceremony, which was so long and boring.”
Stern also suggested that had a larger, more menacing star — specifically Jason Momoa or Dwayne Johnson — made the exact same joke, Smith would have remained seated, “like a bitch.”
Comic Nikki Glaser called into the show and said she was also shocked, adding she was worried about what Smith’s actions signal to others who don’t like a joke at a club and attack a comic over it. Glaser also blasted the total inaction from anyone in the room.
“People say, ‘How did Weinstein get away with that for so long? How did that happen?’ and it’s like, we just witnessed it! Everyone saw an assault take place. Everyone in the room with their own eyes. And then if you would have tuned in 20 minutes later, you would have never known that happened.”
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