Photo: Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times via Getty, Frazer Harrison/Getty
Wanda Sykesis still processingWill Smith’s infamousOscars slap.
While on a comedy tour stop in Orlando, Florida, on Thursday evening, the comedian said that she remains unsettled after Smith slappedChris Rockduring the 2022Academy Awardsin March.
“I’m still traumatized,” Sykes, 58, told audience members at the event, which took place at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. “I can’t talk about it. I get emotional.”
“I couldn’t believe he was still sitting there, like an assh—,” the star continued, referring to how Smith remained seated during the ceremony, before laterwinning the Best Actor award. “Shouldn’t you be sitting there with a lawyer or LAPD, motherf—–?”
Added Sykes: “I hope he gets his s— together. Until then, f— him.”
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From left: Chris Rock; Wanda Sykes; Will Smith.Al Seib/A.M.P.A.S. via Getty; Noam Galai/Getty; Frazer Harrison/Getty
During the 2022 Oscars, Smith, 53, walked onstage andstruck Rock, 57, in response to a jokethe comedian made about his wifeJada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head. (Pinkett Smith, 50, has been open aboutliving with alopecia.)
Since the incident, Smith has publicly apologized to Rock, saying that he “reacted emotionally” because the “joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear.”
The star has since resigned from the Academy, which has alsobanned the actor from attending its eventsfor the next 10 years. Smith also has been working on himself, as asource told PEOPLElast month that the actor traveled to India for spiritual purposes, to practice yoga and meditation.
Sykes has previously spoken out about the Oscars incident in the past. During an episode ofThe Ellen DeGeneres Showdays after the slap, the star said that she “physically felt ill” watching the occurrence.
“And for them to let [Will] stay in thatroom and enjoy the rest of the showand accept his award, I was like, ‘How gross is this?’ This sends the wrong message,” Sykes added at the time.
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Sykes also shared how the incident played out from her perspective as a host, tellingEllen DeGeneresthat she “felt so awful for my friend Chris” when she found out about it while backstage.
“I saw Chris at [Guy Oseary’s afterparty] and as soon as I walked up to him, the first thing he said is, ‘I’m so sorry.’ I was like, ‘Why areyouapologizing?'” said Sykes. “He was like, ‘It was supposed to be your night. You and Amy and Regina were doing such a great job. I’mso sorry this is now gonna be about this.’ "
“Because that’s who Chris is,” she added to DeGeneres.
source: people.com
