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"CODA" has won best picture at the 94th Academy Awards but it's not what people are talking about after the ceremony.

The center of attention is the physical altercation between Will Smith and Chris Rock that took place after the comedian made a joke about Will's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

When the actor returned to his seat, he threw a tirade of f words at Rock who was visibly stunned by the exchange, but managed to keep it professional and continued on with his presentation.

The incident baffled the audience and viewers alike, and many are trying to figure out if it was part of the show or not.

Watch the exact moment Will Smith went on stage to smack Chris Rock for making a joke about his wife

Image credits: REUTERS

After the awards show ended, the Academy of Motion Pictures issued a statement on Twitter

Image credits: TheAcademy

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Jaguarundi
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

During Ketanji Brown Jackson's Supreme Court confirmation hearing, her husband, Dr. Patrick Graves Jackson, gave her his full support and quietly comforted her. Like a good man should. They both demonstrated grace under pressure during this harrowing process.

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Reportedly, the conflict was not staged nor was it part of the show. It occurred after Rock pointed out Jada Pinkett Smith in the crowd and said, "Jada, I love ya. G.I. Jane 2, can't wait to see it," referring to her bald head.

At first, Will Smith appeared to be laughing but Jada, who was diagnosed with alopecia in 2018 and has been vocal about her struggles about not being able to grow her hair, rolled her eyes at the joke and Will then walked up to Rock on stage and smacked him.

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Sum Guy
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or, that's how you've been conditioned to react when someone is making fun of you in a public setting, no matter if you agree with it or not... but when he saw his wife, his actual feeling came out

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Hawkmoon
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you watch the start of the video, initial reaction of Smith was laughing, while his wife was clearly not. Ressorting to violence just after laughing, worse walking quietly to your target and then out of nowhere punching him, is not "the heat of the moment"

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Scagsy
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If anyone did that in any decent theatre they would be forcefully ejected on to the street. Unless it was staged. The audience numbers have been falling for some time. Surely, Hollywood would not be so cynical. Or would they?

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About 40 minutes later, Smith won the Academy Award for best actor for his performance in King Richard, the father of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams. He referenced the moment while accepting it.

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"Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family," Smith said.

"I've been called on in my life to love people and to protect people, and to be a river to my people. I know to do what we do, you got to be able to take abuse. And have people talk crazy about you. People disrespect you and smile like it's OK."

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RaroaRaroa
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Security should have been called to escort him out. They would have in a less privileged environment.

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Péter Rózsahegyi
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The guy who makes a joke on somebody's illness is not a comedian but an insensitive jerk.

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Lucifer
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For everbody complaining "Chris Rock shouldn't have joked about an illness" are forgetting that stand up comedians have joked about Obesity (when it is diagnosed as a disease), mental illness, cancer, disablities and many more. Having said that, Rock shouldn't have told that joke but that doesn't mean Will Smith gets to smack him.

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Miss Kat O
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes comedians make jokes about medical conditions, but they don't usually direct it a someone literally sat in the front row of the audience...

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Luther von Wolfen
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You can pretty much do anything you want and get away with it if you got Will Smith money.

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Joanie
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Let's say one of the presenters walked offstage, into the audience and smacked a nominee. All hell would break loose and that presenter would have likely been escorted out of the building by security. That's what should have happened to Mr. Smith.

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RaroaRaroa
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There will be consequences. His reputation took a big hit. But no lasting consequences, or the criminal record it would get almost anyone else.

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usuario qualquer
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Letting a jerk verbally abuse people sends to the world that making cruel comments is ok. The academy shouldn't allow such type of "comedy" in first place, than the whole thing wouldn't have happened.

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Jeff Bunn
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Will Smith was definitely wrong!! So was Chris Rock, but Smith was much more wrong!! How would it look if every time some comedian told a joke that a customer didn’t like, the customer beats the comedian up??

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Baleygr
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not only comedians. It shows people that physical violence is ok as a reaction to a distasteful comment.

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Susan Egan
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But what? He is not part of a team. I think it's getting way too much air time. In some ways I'm surprised that this is the first time someone has slapped a comedian. It is was a "joke" like many comedians do but do they have to be at someone's expense?

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backatya
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually it's saying you can assault anyone and get away with it

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xolitaire
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wether or not jokes about ill or disabled people are a taboo is not that easily answered. This has been a point of debate for a long time and at least in Germany it came to a head when a German comedian made jokes about disabled people as part of his routine a few years ago. The jokes were not mean per se, but he didn't pull any punches and made them similar to the jokes he made about non-disabled people. When the audience hesitated and didn't laugh at first, he told them that he got a lot of fan mail from people with disabilites who deliberately asked him to include these kinds of jokes in his routine because no one else did something like this and they felt excluded. Things like these always have 2 sides.

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No you can't have my name
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2 years ago

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LuckyNumbers
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You mean like murdering people over a Mohammed cartoon? Yeah sounds about right. #Rockisanasshole #Smithshouldbeinjail

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Vicky Z
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's 2022! Comedians should find better ways to make comedy! Jokes about illnesses,races, stereotypes belong to the far past!!!! I hope! But violence shouldn't be the answer of course

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LuckyNumbers
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Freedom of speech should always be more important than protecting feelings.

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Kristine - Constitchutional
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think it's just as important to teach kids that people's conditions are not "joke" material.

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Vivienne-Marie Hintzen
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If I, as a white person, make a joke about people of colour it marks me a racist Only people of colour can do that Has Chris the same illnes as will Smith's wife ? And even than there's the difference between insulting a group of people and an individual Chris Rock was just a jerk Will Smith smacking him was not a solution and immature But Chris Rock should be called out for being such an jackass

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Dillon Sizemore
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Pretty sure this is the exact definition of the rights of the royal jester if he's funny and makes jokes they get paid if not it's off with the head

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Alanna Elric
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And if Chris Rock had faced consequence the first time he had made fun of Smith's wife, this wouldn't have happened to begin with. Assault is wrong, but I'm all for telling comedians they can't "tell jokes" that are verbal abuse and get away with it.

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RadiatorAnkleSpider
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think the whole culture of award show hosts is vile and toxic. They are paid to stand up there and roast unsuspecting celebrities…

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"I wanna apologize to the academy, I wanna apologize to all my fellow nominees," Smith said with tears in his eyes during his Oscar speech.

He did not, however, mention Rock's name in his apology.

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Alanna Elric
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Tasteless joke" You can condemn Will Smith's actions without downplaying how inappropriate and cruel the joke was.

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DennyS (denzoren)
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I mean, Harvey Weinstien (i honestly don't care how his name is spelt) used to sit and get thanked constantly while being an absolute scum of a human....so not so strange from Hollywood's elitist.

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The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement that they are aware of the incident and that Rock had declined to file a police report.

"If the involved party desires a police report at a later date, LAPD will be available to complete an investigative report," the police explained.

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nurit Cohen
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't make jokes about it or Will Smith might take offense and hit you

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Sum Guy
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And Chris rock owes Jada an apology for making fun of her sickness. That's why Chris isn't filling any charges, he knows he f****d up

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Marco Hub-Dub
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We need a discourse on what is appropriate in comedy jokes. Rock has been going after her and all the Smiths incessantly. Making fun of Shumer for stealing jokes is edgy comedy. Making fun of an auto-immune disease or any body/health issue may eventually require a slap upside the head. Especially when more appropriate requests to stop have fallen on deaf ears. Will shouldn’t have done it to us viewers and the Oscars, but probably should have given the weasel a wake up call earlier on his harassment campaign. And what happened to CR? He used to be funny on his early stand up days. Now he’s a commercial actor or product shucker & tells weak sauce jokes. He’s worse than the comedians booked to perform on Disney cruises.

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Later, Smith said actor Denzel Washington pulled him aside after the incident, telling him, "At your highest moment, be careful, that's when the devil comes for you."

Meanwhile, Smith's son Jaden tweeted, "And That's How We Do It."

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Shelli LotusFlower
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I mean, this horrible event did show the world that Nicole Kidman’s face can move.

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#20

😅
#memes #willsmith #oscars #chrisrock #funnymemes #jokes #comedy #sarcasm

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Kimi Tomminello
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

🤣 yup, that's all I've seen this morning. These exact 2 pictures.

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DUN DUN (she/her)
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can see his entire life, career flashing before his eyes in this meme

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Vicky Z
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I know that the votes were already there but he shouldn't be awarded yesterday! They should give it to the second runner up! We shouldn't approve those behaviours and the production of the awards should have better reflexes in these situations

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Kimi Tomminello
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This- nobody cares anymore. Rich actors congratulating other rich actors for being rich actors is not something a lot of people enjoy anymore.

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CJ Kelly
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think he handled it pretty freaking well. Besides not apologizing to Jada for being out of line...

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Rijkærd
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

JayZ be like...I got 99 problems but a slap from Will Smith aint one of them...

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Pattycakes 77
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

After seeing that slap I can't help but keep replaying that Dave Chappelle skit with Charlie Murphy and Rick James in my head.

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