The internet exploded on March 27th, 2022 after actor Will Smith, who recently appeared in “King Richard” went onstage to slap comedian Chris Rock during the 94th Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars. Memes aplenty were made and the topic was trending on Twitter. Yet, among all the memes, much of what happened has been obscured or falsified. 

The incident began during Chris Rock’s comedy segment of the Oscars. During the segment, he made a joke about Will Smith’s wife, Jada Pickett Smith. In the joke, he commented on Jada’s shaved head, stating that he was looking forward to seeing her in “GI Jane 2.” The movie features a woman undergoing US Navy SEAL training, and the main character shaves her head. This was seen as offensive to many, as Pickett Smith shaved her head as a result of a condition called alopecia, which causes hair loss.

According to CBS News, Will Smith initially appeared to laugh at the joke. However, he would cease his laughing after seeing how the joke impacted his wife, and then proceeded to head up on stage, where he would slap Rock. The Guardian’s uncensored video then shows Chris Rock making a joke about the slap, after which, Smith told Rock to stop talking about his wife in an expletive laden sentence.

Later on, Smith would receive his Oscar for best actor, where he apologized to the Academy for the incident. The next day, Variety reports that he made an apology directed to Rock for his actions.

The Academy has since made a statement condemning the incident. On March 30th, the Hollywood Reporter stated that the Academy was beginning disciplinary proceedings against Smith, but it is unknown which form it will take.