At the Oscars, Will Smith struck Chris Rock in the face after the comedian made a joke about the actor’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
“Jada, can’t wait for GI Jane 2,” he said, in an alledged reference to her shaved hair style – which is a result of the hair loss condition, alopecia.
Smith walked on stage and hit Rock before returning to his seat whilst shouting: “Keep my wife’s name out of your [expletive] mouth.”
Will Smith did later apologise on stage, but not directly to Chris Rock.
“I want to apologise to the Academy. I want to apologise to my all my fellow nominees,” said a very tearful Smith
‘Art imitates life. I look like the crazy father, just like they said about Richard Williams. But love will make you do crazy things.”
Rock’s joke was a reference to Demi Moore’s performance as the title character in the 1997 film GI Jane, in which she wore a buzzcut.
In the immediate aftermath of the event, the comedian appeared surprised, but told the audience:
“That was the greatest night in the history of television.”
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which organises the Oscars, tweeted that it “does not condone violence of any form”.
