Chris Rock compares Will Smith’s Oscar slap to Paul Pelosi’s Attack

March 21, 2023

The comedian was referring to the October 2022 attack on former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband at their home in San Francisco.

Chris Rock takes a stab at politics.

The comedian referenced former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her husband Paul Pelosi during the Kennedy Center’s presentation of the Mark Twain Award for American Humor to Adam Sandler.

“Paul Pelosi (is) the only guy who knows how I felt,” Rock said, comparing Will Smith slapping him at the 2022 Oscars to his October 2022 attack on Pelosi. USA Today). “Just you and me, Paul.”

Both Pelosis were in the audience at the Kennedy Center. Pelosi suffered a fractured skull after an intruder broke into her home and demanded where Nancy was. Pelosi had to undergo surgery after the attack.

After Best Actor winner Smith slapped Rock on stage following a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair, Rock reportedly suffered a busted lip and cut face. Rock said on Netflix’s live comedy “Selective Outrage” that his face “still hurts” after being attacked by Smith.

Rock also joked about the incident during his stand-up tour. “Does this shit hurt? Hell, he said last year. “The motherfucker hit me for a stupid joke, the sweetest joke I’ve ever told.”

He added: “I am not a victim. Yeah, that shit hurt me, mom. But I shook the crap out of him and went to work the next day. I’m not going to the hospital for a paper cut.”

Smith later apologized for slapping Rock, calling the entire evening “fuzzy” in his memory. “I reached out to Chris and the message that came back was he’s not ready to talk and if he is, he’s going to,” Smith said in a social media video. “So I’m telling you, Chris, I apologize to you. My behavior was unacceptable and I’m always here when you’re ready to talk.”

Jimmy Kimmel, who hosted the 2023 Academy Awards after Smith turned down the gig, applauded Rock’s handling of the situation with Smith.

“It’s still shocking that this happened,” Kimmel told People magazine. “It’s shocking to see something like this outside of ‘The Maury Povich Show.’ And then to make it happen at the Oscars, he magnifies it about a million times. I mean Chris should be proud to get slapped in the face and stay cool like that. Chris’ grandchildren, I hope, will still be proud of him when he’s dead and gone.”

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