Kenny Rock, brother of comedian Chris Rock, says the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences should revoke Will Smith‘s Oscar for the now-infamous slap.
“It eats at me watching it over and over again because you’ve seen a loved one being attacked and there’s nothing you can do about it,” Kenny Rock said in an interview with the LA Times. “Every time I’m watching the videos, it’s like a rendition that just keeps going over and over in my head. My brother was no threat to him and you just had no respect for him at that moment. You just belittled him in front of millions of people that watch the show.”
Kenny Rock continued to say that not only should Smith have been escorted from the ceremony, but that the actor should have had his Academy Award for Best Actor revoked. “He should have been escorted out of there,” Rock said. “I hold them accountable for that. He could have went up there and did anything you wanted to my brother. It could have been much worse than what he did.”
While presenting at the Oscars, Chris Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, wherein he said, “Jada, I love you– G.I Jane 2, can’t wait to see it.” Pinkett Smith has spoken publically about her struggles with alopecia and Smith, in response to the joke, shocked the audience — and Rock — by walking on stage and slapping the comedian across the face. Smith was later awarded the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in King Richard.
In the days following the ceremony, Smith issued a formal apology for the slap, which he called “unacceptable and inexcusable,” and apologized to Rock directly. The Academy went on to launch a formal review in response to the slap, saying in a statement that it “condemns the actions of Mr. Smith” at the ceremony. After an enormous amount of backlash, Smith has officially resigned from the Academy.
“I betrayed the trust of the Academy,” Smith said in his statement. “I deprived other nominees and winners of their opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated for their extraordinary work. I am heartbroken.” He continued, “Change takes time and I am committed to doing the work to ensure that I never again allow violence to overtake reason.”
Rock addressed the slap during a recent sold-out stand-up show in Boston during his ongoing Ego Death World Tour. “I’m still kind of processing what happened,” the comedian told the audience. “So, at some point, I’ll talk about that sh-t. And it will be serious and funny.” Many of Hollywood’s elite have come to Rock’s defense, including Star Wars actor Mark Hamill, comedian Kathy Griffin, actor Sophia Bush, director Judd Apatow, Jim Carrey and Adam Sandler.
Source: LA Times
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