Ricky Gervais defends Chris Rock’s Oscars joke

Gilbert Gottfried showed support for Chris Rock in his final days. Gottfried, one of the most recognizable voices in show business, died after a long illness on Tuesday. He was 67.

Billy Crystal called Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards "an assault." The nine-time Oscars host spoke about the "disturbing incident" during an appearance on "Back on the Record" with Bob Costas on HBO Max. Smith slapped Rock in the face on stage after the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith's bald head. "It was a most disturbing incident, for sure," Crystal told Costas.

Will Smith has now resigned from the Academy following the viral incident he was involved in at the Oscars. The acclaimed actor slapped comedian Chris Rock in the face during the ceremony held on Sunday, March 27, in response to a joke made about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith.

Will Smith rocked the Oscars by slapping presenter, Chris Rock, in the face, he has resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The King Richard star issued a statement via People which read: "I have directly responded to the Academy's disciplinary hearing notice, and I will fully accept any and all consequences for my conduct. MORE: Chris Rock breaks silence on Will Smith Oscars altercation: 'I'm still processing what happened'"My actions at the 94th Academy Awards presentation were shocking, painful, and inexcusable. The list of those I have hurt is long and includes Chris, his family, many of my dear friends and loved ones, all those in attendance, and global audiences at home.

One person has a serious bone to pick with Chris Rock after the Oscars — and not exactly for the reason you might guess.

Will Smith infamously smacked Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars, Twitter debated whether the incident would’ve happened if Ricky Gervais was in Rock’s shoes. Well, the comic recently weighed in, claiming he wouldn’t have mocked Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair loss as Rock had done — but rather would’ve targeted her open relationship.

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences is beginning “disciplinary proceedings” against Will Smith — and they have already revealed some shocking new details about what happened in the wake of the incident!

A heavy moment. Willow Smith subtly weighed in after her father, Will Smith, slapped Chris Rock in the face at the 2022 Oscars.

2022 Oscars will forever be remembered for the so-called slap heard 'round the world, when Will Smith stormed onstage and slapped presenter Chris Rock in the face before returning to his seat and proceeding to cuss him out, all over a joke Rock made at the expense of Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.The moment was unsettling, unexpected, confusing and changed the atmosphere for the remainder of the evening. But as chaotic as things were in the theater, a source tells ET that it was much more so backstage.«Behind the scenes there were a lot of people, different voices and opinions all weighing in on what had just happened, and what was the right course of action,» the source says of the moments immediately following the altercation.The moment came as a surprise to all involved, and even the producers of the show apparently had to figure out if this was an unplanned stunt between Smith and Rock, and if Rock was hurt.«There were just minutes to first figure out if it was a stunt,» the source recalls, «and then try and get people on the same page including the producers, ABC, the Academy, reps — who were not all in the same place physically or looking at their phones in real time.»The sources adds that «people were checking that Chris Rock was OK.... and to see if Chris even wanted to press charges.»In a statement to ET on Sunday night, after the Oscars came to a close, the LAPD said they were aware of the incident but that «the individual involved has declined to file a police report.»«LAPD investigative entities are aware of an incident between two individuals during the Academy Awards program,» the statement read.

A new report has revealed details about what happened backstage at the 2022 Oscars in the moments immediately following “the slap” from Will Smith.

Oscars producer Will Packer has changed his tune regarding Will Smith’s shocking slap of Chris Rock at last night’s ceremony.

We are still reeling from Sunday night’s shocking “slap seen around the world” at the Oscars involving Will Smith and Chris Rock.

Will Smith hitting Chris Rock at the Oscars on Sunday night by sharing a gag about alopecia from The Office. The Academy Awards were thrown into chaos after Smith stormed the stage and slapped Rock in the face after the comedian made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair. Smith, who won his first Oscar for King Richard, appeared to take offence to a joke Rock made about Pinkett Smith’s short haircut.

Dancing it out. Despite a dramatic Oscars night and his onstage fight with Chris Rock, Will Smith was solely focused on celebrating his best actor win after the ceremony.