Chris Rock addresses Will Smith slap in groundbreaking Netflix comedy special
"Did it hurt? It still hurts!" exclaimed Rock.
Comedian Chris Rock has finally publicly addressed the infamous Will Smith slap incident, in his new Netflix special Selective Outrage.
The special, which was the first of its' kind for the streaming giant, was broadcast live on the platform to viewers across the globe.
The slap has been immortalised as a meme across the world.
One year on from the unforgettable viewing experience that was Smith's slapping of Rock at the 94th Academy Awards ceremony, Rock's recounting of events has for the first time been heard.
Opening his hour-long special with a nod to the Smith altercation, Rock stated "I'm going to try to do the show without offending anyone... Because you never know who might get triggered!"
Speaking as to why fans have not seen Rock discuss the incident in the media previously, the 58-year-old comedian said that he didn't want to engage in the culture of victimhood which he believes to be so prevalent in society today.
Chris Rock and Will Smith were previously good friends.
"Right now we live in a world where the emergency room is filled with motherf—ers with paper cuts", said Rock, who is known and adored for his no holds barred approach to comedy.
The Madagascar and Grown Ups star went on to joke that "You will never see me on Oprah or Gayle crying. You will never see it. Never gonna happen. I couldn’t believe it! And I loved Men In Black!", before adding "No! F–k that s–t. I took that hit like Pacquiao!"
Saving the best for last, Rock quipped "People are like, 'Did it hurt?' It still hurt! I got Summertime ringing in my ears", a call back to Smith's 1991 single release.
The infamous moment Smith stormed the stage.
In a tribute to the shows title, Selective Outrage, the comedian said that he feels Smith himself practices "selective outrage", and that his assault on Rock had more to do with the Oscar winner's own relationship struggles with his wife Jada, rather than the joke Rock made at her expense.
Concluding the special with a mic-drop moment that will go down in comedy folklore, Rock tackled the critique levelled at him for not fighting back during the incident.
"I got parents! Because I was raised!", the comedian said. "And you know what my parents taught me? Don't fight in front of white people!", to which the live crowd erupted.
In the aftermath of the special airing, fans and comedians took to social media to praise Rock for not just his droll response to the slap incident, but for doing so in the never-before-done setting of a live streamed comedy special.
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