The Academy Awards have reportedly enlisted the help of a crisis team to prevent a situation similar to Will Smith's slap from happening again this year.
Arguably the most viral incident of last year, Smith, 54, stormed the stage at the Oscars after comedian Chris Rock performed a monologue that included a quip about Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith, and how her shaven head resembled Demi Moore's Navy SEAL character in G.I. Jane.
While many found the joke funny - especially as Smith was filmed initially laughing at the joke - he eventually grew livid after Pinkett Smith's straight-faced reaction, marching onto the stage and smacking Rock across the face, before walking back over to his chair. He also screamed at Rock from the audience to "keep my wife's name out your f**king mouth," and was subsequently banned from the ceremony for 10 years.
This is the moment Smith slapped Rock:Later in the evening, the I Am Legend actor went on to win an award for Best Actor with his portrayal of Venus and Serena Williams' father Richard Williams in the 2021 biographical sports drama King Richard.
Now, the Oscars are determined not to let something similar happen this year - endeavoring to be one step ahead with a so-called "crisis team," just in case.
According to TMZ, a representative stated: "We have a whole crisis team, something we've never had before, and many plans in place.
"We've run many scenarios. So it is our hope that we will be prepared for anything that we may not anticipate right now but that we’re planning for just in case it does happen."
It's hoped that the team would quickly assemble and decide on whether to take further action should something happen at this year's event, which is set to take place on March 13.
Speaking of Smith, he eventually apologized for his reaction to Rock's joke in a YouTube video, where he stated: "It's all fuzzy [...] I've reached out to Chris and the message that came back is that he's not ready to talk and when he is, he will reach out so I will say to you Chris, I apologize to you. My behavior was unacceptable and I'm here whenever you're ready to talk."
He then added that he wanted to apologize to Rock's mother, saying: "One of the things about that moment, I just didn't realize, I wasn't thinking, but how many people got hurt in that moment." Smith also said in the video that his friendship with Rock's brother Tony is "probably irreparable."
Hours after Smith's apology was posted, Rock responded while performing a stand-up comedy routine in Atlanta. He didn't mention the apology directly, but referenced it when discussing victims, saying: "Everybody is trying to be a f**king victim. If everybody claims to be a victim, then nobody will hear the real victims. Even me getting smacked by Suge Smith … I went to work the next day, I got kids."
Suge is in reference to Suge Knight, the co-founder of Death Row Records, who is currently in prison serving a 28-year sentence for voluntary manslaughter stemming from a fatal 2015 hit-and-run. He was instrumental in the commercial success of gangsta rap during the 1990s, and is reportedly a prime suspect in the drive-by shooting of the Notorious B.I.G., per Complex.
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