'Let it go': Will Smith 'hurt' by Chris Rock's no-holds-barred Netflix special
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Will Smith is apparently hurt and embarrassed by Chris Rock's "cathartic" decision to vent about being assaulted by the actor in his new Netflix special. The duo dominated the news cycle for all the wrong reasons after Smith marched on the Oscars stage and slapped Rock across the face for poking fun at his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith's bald head.
Smith, 54, was subsequently handed a 10-year ban from the awards ceremony. Rock, 58, who was hosting the prestigious event in 2022, addressed the incident in his new stand-up special, 'Chris Rock: Selective Outrage'. Filming the show at the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore -- which is also Pinkett-Smith's hometown -- the comedian hurled a series of scathing jokes aimed at the married couple, including a jab inspired by Pinkett-Smith's extramarital affair with singer August Alsina.
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Will Smith wants Chris Rock to 'let it go'
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, sources said Smith has been hurt and embarrassed by the Netflix special and wants Rock to "let it go." The outlet reported that Smith hadn't watched the show himself but was instead informed of its contents by those who had. Rock accused the Academy Award winner of having "selective outrage" during the finale of the show, even bringing up Pinkett-Smith's self-professed infidelity. A source close to the comedian, however, told the Daily Mail that it could have been avoided with a simple "I am sorry" from the 'King Richard' star. "Chris never got a one-on-one private apology from Will, only the public one which really meant nothing," the insider stated. It's worth noting that Smith has only addressed the situation twice, once on Instagram the day after the incident and then in a video apology months later.
Getting it all out
The source close to Rock insisted that his decision to revisit the scandal in his Netflix special wasn't born out of revenge, but rather an outlet for the comedian to "get it all out" and "be done with it." The insider added, "Chris wanted to get this out once and for all and be done with it. This was very cathartic to him." Rock certainly did not mince his words when it came to rehashing the incident on stage, adding insult to injury by bringing up Pinkett-Smith's admitted affair with her son Jaden's close pal, musician August Alsini, in 2020. The comedian shocked audiences when he said that Smith's anger was misdirected, considering "his wife was f***ing her son's friend." What's more? The comedy special aired just one week before the 2023 Oscars are scheduled to take place on March 12 -- an event Smith has been barred from attending for the next decade.
'I'm not a victim, baby'
"Anybody that says words hurt has never been punched in the face," Rock said during his Saturday night special. "But I'm not a victim, baby. You'll never see me on Oprah or Gayle crying." He further quipped, "Everybody called him a b***h, and who's he hitting? Me. You all know what happened to me, getting smacked by Suge Smith. It still hurts. I got 'Summertime' ringing in my ears." The veteran comedian also explained why he didn't hit the actor back, saying, "You know what my parents taught me? Don't fight in front of white people."