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Now, Chris Rock has the microphone.
Almost a year after the comedian, 58, was slapped by Will Smith on stage at the 2022 Academy Awards, he is finally saying his piece about it all, to a global audience.
Speaking from the stage at the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore during his live, 68-minute Netflix standup comedy special, “Selective Outrage,” Rock briefly referred to the slap that sent shockwaves through Hollywood for the past year.
Rock took his sweet time addressing the slap, with just two offhand remarks until the final minutes of the special. Speaking about insults, he said, “Everybody who says words hurt has never been punched in the face.”
The history:A year ago, Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars. Here’s what has happened since.
And in a bit about rapper Snoop Dogg’s prevalence in commercials of late, Rock said “I can’t go dissing Snoop. The last thing I need is another mad rapper.” When the audience reeled, Rock quickly added, “No no no, back to the show.”
But at the very end of the special, Rock really let it all out.
“People are like, ‘Did it hurt?’ It still hurts! I got summertime ringing in my ears!” he said. “But I’m not a victim, baby. You will never see me on Oprah, Gayle, crying.”
He also pointed out his size disadvantage on the Oscars stage: “Will Smith is significantly bigger than me He does movies with his shirt off! You’ve never seen me do a movie with my shirt off. If I’m in a movie getting open heart surgery, I got on a sweater.
