The 95th edition of the Academy Awards took place last night and with everything that went on last year, the spectre of Will Smith’s infamous slap was alway going to loom large over the event.
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Host Jimmy Kimmel tried to dispel the elephant in the room almost immediately by making a joke about the slap, saying that anyone who assaulted him would be awarded the Oscar for Best Actor and be able to deliver a 19 minute speech about the matter, but sadly it fell pretty flat and pretty much everyone hated it. Here’s a few of the best reactions:
We want you to have fun, feel safe and, most importantly, we want me feel safe.
So, we have strict policies in pace. If anyone in this theater commits an act of violence at any point during the show, you will be awarded the Oscar for best actor and permitted to give a 19-minute long speech.
But seriously, the academy has a crisis team in place. If anything unpredictable or violent happens during the show, sit there and do absolutely nothing. Maybe even give the assailant a hug.
Hopefully it goes off this time without a hitch, or at least without Hitch. Please put your hands together and then keep them to yourself.
Jimmy Kimmel before making another Will smith slap joke #oscars pic.twitter.com/n3VqvX1ED2
— BLACK LIVES MATTER (@willowhalliwell) March 13, 2023
“guys remember when will smith slapped chris rock???? remember??? it was last year!!! remember??? hopefully that doesn’t happen again!!!remember???” -jimmy kimmel #Oscars pic.twitter.com/AqAXmfm87I
— Mr. Snide (@tlb250) March 13, 2023
I want will smith to slap jimmy kimmel next
— super duper jah (@duhjour) March 13, 2023
Hmm the choice of Jimmy Kimmel making a 5th joke about Will Smith slapping or watching noted very good show The Last Of Us
— Matt G (@_DrunkCanuck) March 13, 2023
can will smith slap jimmy kimmel
— rory (@sanrio1uver) March 13, 2023
me hearing jimmy kimmel make these will smith jokes pic.twitter.com/2gyqvjyIWc
— law-abiding citizen (@riddhipatel1025) March 13, 2023
@jimmykimmel IS TRYING TO BE RELEVANT!!
EPIC FAIL
YOU AIN’T NO @greggutfeldhttps://t.co/Cooj1Ch9eM
— ernaldo.bonitto.clarke🇺🇸 (@ernaldobonitto1) March 13, 2023
FUCK this oscars ceremony. cutting the mic and playing the music over indian women who barely gave a minute speech AFTER robbing stephanie hsu AND angela bassett for white mediocrity all while cherry on top, jimmy kimmel calling will smith an assailant. everyone behind it sucks.
— kristen (not stewart) says its not camp, its ugly! (@lordesbbqribs) March 13, 2023
Meh I dunno, I kinda feel like it would be weirder if Kimmel hadn’t mentioned it and didn’t try to make a few jokes about it? It’s going to be one of the most talked about incidents in Oscars history so you sort of have to talk about it a bit right? People need to calm down and get over it. Have a laugh even if it is a bit cringey – what exactly are you expecting by tuning into the Oscars here? Kinda weird that everyone hated it so much.
For more of the same, check out Hugh Grant giving the most awkward interview possible on the red carpet last night. He just didn’t give a fxck.