While the memes have slowed down and the jokes have faded away, the repercussions of “the slap” from this year’s Oscars are still echoing on. We know Will Smith has been suspended from the Academy Awards and banned from appearing at the ceremony for ten years (after already pre-emptively leaving the Academy prior to that announcement). Chris Rock, of course, has been doing stand-up and only briefly joking about the incident. But now, we have Jada Pinkett Smith opening up about the violent altercation while hosting her TV series, “Red Table Talk.” And she is just hoping for reconciliation between all parties involved.
Pinkett Smith began her most recent episode of “Red Table Talk” (via Variety) by talking about how the show would dive deep into alopecia, which is the medical condition she suffers from that leads to hair loss. As you probably remember, Chris Rock’s joke about Pinkett Smith’s lack of hair is what led to Will Smith storming onto the Oscars stage and slapping the comedian. While the “Red Table Talk” episode shared stories from people who suffer from alopecia, Pinkett Smith did take time to address the assault.
“Now, about Oscar night, my deepest hope is that these two intelligent, capable men have an opportunity to heal, talk this out and reconcile,” Pinkett Smith said. “The state of the world today, we need them both. And we all actually need one another more than ever. Until then, Will and I are continuing to do what we have done for the last 28 years, and that’s keep figuring out this thing called life together. Thank you for listening.”
While, at first glance, it might seem strange for Pinkett Smith to go on her own talk show to address the Oscars incident, weeks after it initially happened, the host has used “Red Table Talk” to dive deep into her own personal life. Infamously, there are interviews between Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith where they air all their dirty laundry, particularly when it comes to infidelity in their own marriage. So, it makes sense that Pinkett Smith would wait to discuss the Oscars issue until she could do so on her own show.
Clearly, the publicity surrounding “the slap” has far outshined the actual 2022 Oscars. So, though it would seem as if Pinkett Smith is ready to move on, it’s highly unlikely this will be the last we see regarding the assault and its fallout.
You can watch the entire “Red Table Talk” episode below: