Oscars' In-Theater Audience Had Surprising Reaction To Will Smith Slap
The audience at the 2022 Oscars had a surprising reaction to the Will Smith slap on live TV. In what has become the most-talked-about moment in recent Oscars history, actor Will Smith took to the stage while actor/comedian Chris Rock was presenting and slapped him for what Smith felt was an offensive joke about Smith's wife, actress Jada Pinkett-Smith. Smith immediately returned to his seat, yelling at Rock from there, while Rock continued with the award presentation. Shortly thereafter, Smith won Best Actor for his performance in King Richard and gave an emotional speech that stirred a standing ovation from the audience.
Many were surprised that Smith was allowed to remain in the audience after the violent altercation, which saw the actor being consoled by his peers in the audience in-between commercial breaks, with Tyler Perry, Denzel Washington, and Bradley Cooper seen talking closely with Smith and putting their hands and arms on him in a comforting manner. After the show, Smith was seen partying with his peers while posing for pictures. The 2022 Oscars were produced by Will Packer (Ride Along), rather than a dedicated Oscars live TV producer, and many were left wondering why more action wasn't taken during the show, be it from the producer or on-site security.
Related: Will Smith Slaps Chris Rock At Oscars: Biggest Questions & What Next?
The Town podcast with Matthew Belloni addressed that very issue and attempted to explain why more wasn't done in the moment, which has a lot to do with how the in-theater audience reacted. Belloni polled some experienced live TV producers and got one response that was surprising and insightful. With so much going on at one time, from logistics to celebrities to families and the
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