Oscars 2022: Will Smith Slapping Chris Rock Left Everybody Confused Watching Academy Awards

Brenda Alexander

03/28/2022 11:44 am EDT

People at home watching the Academy Awards are trying to figure out whether the slap Will Smith gave Chris Rock for a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith was real or fake. The shocking incident occurred during the live 2022 Oscars when Smith slapped Rock after he made a joke about the Set It Off star. Rock was on stage to present an award and while doing so he joked about Pinkett Smith's bald head. Pinkett Smith has been rocking a baldie for several months. The Red Table Talk host revealed her alopecia diagnosis in 2018. Since then, she's been embracing her new look with confidence and candor. But the King Richard star didn't like the joke, leading to him going on stage and slapping Rock before walking back to his seat.

When Smith sat back down, he screamed at Rock, "KEEP MY WIFE'S NAME OUT OF YOUR F—ING MOUTH." Rock continued to present the award. But per many, he was visibly shaken by the incident. As Smith was screaming at Rock, the audience was completely silent. Social media has been reacting.

Great composure

If it were anyone else, many wonder how it would have turned out. Kudos are being given out to Smith.

Payback

Many wonder if Rock will retaliate. Social media users are waiting patiently to see.

Who was the real target

Another Twitter user says Smith is upset with the wrong person. They also say he took the joke wrong.

Be mad at Jada

Several social media users say Smith's anger is misdirected. In 2020, Pinkett confessed that she had a brief relationship with singer August Alsina during an episode of her Facebook Watch show with Smith by her side.

The slap that went viral

May the memes begin? Social media users are already making video and photo jokes out of the moment.

A criminal case?

One Twitter user says the slap was assault. They are questioning why there was no security on standby.

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