Comedians Rally Around Chris Rock, Express Concern About Violence

“Stand-up comics are very adept at dealing with hecklers,” tweeted Mark Hamill final evening after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on the Oscars, “violent bodily assault…not a lot.”

Hamill’s tweet drew the excellence between speech and motion that many have continued to drive dwelling because the comedy neighborhood (largely) rallies round Rock.

Howard Stern mentioned on his SiriusXM present this morning, “You don’t hit individuals over speech, definitely not on the Academy Awards, and Will Smith’s bought to include himself.”

Reactions to the slap that shocked the Oscars — when Will Smith bounded on stage and struck comic Chris Rock over a joke about Smith’s spouse Jada Pinkett Smith, appear largely to return down decidedly for, as one comic places it, Crew Rock.

Kathy Griffin was among the many first to talk out strongly, expressing a priority that many comedians echoed.

“Let me inform you one thing,” Griffin tweeted, “it’s a really dangerous follow to stroll up on stage and bodily assault a Comic. Now all of us have to fret about who desires to be the subsequent Will Smith in comedy golf equipment and theaters.”

Rob Schneider, a frequent co-star of Rock’s, wrote:

“There’s by no means an excuse for violence.
Ever.
Ever
Ever
Ever
Ever
Ever
Ever
Ever
Ever
Ever”

Oscars TV Evaluate: Will Smith’s Beautiful Slap Turns Struggling Present Into Beautiful Spectacle

Comic Hal Sparks additionally expressed concern that Smith’s motion might need “inexperienced lit a whole lot of violence” towards comedians.

“Anyone in #willsmith’s circle wants to inform him that there isn’t any means what he did tonight gained’t end in a comic someplace getting beat up or killed. He inexperienced lit a whole lot of violence.”

Patton Oswalt mentioned he was “very nervous for my exhibits on the @TheIrvineImprov tomorrow and Tuesday. Anybody have a catcher’s masks I can borrow?”

Judd Apatow might have had the strongest response. The Emmy-winner tweeted about Smith final evening, “He might have killed him. That’s pure uncontrolled rage and violence…He misplaced his thoughts.”

That tweet and others from Apatow had been later deleted. The comic took a extra measured tack on an episode of SiriusXM’s the Dean Obeidallah Present set to air tonight.

“Properly, you’re anyone that folks emulate, so it’s harmful. You possibly can’t have the Sidney Poitiers of the world behave that means,” he mentioned on the present.

“And so, hopefully no matter that was, and perhaps we don’t even know all the degrees of it, or the backstory of it. And hopefully everyone figures one thing out and hopefully it turns into a teachable second the place Will Smith can communicate to individuals in an sincere means about why that was not the best way to go.”

Apatow, echoing the issues of different comedians, additionally mentioned he hoped “we’ll hear a really clear expression of why that was a horrible, embarrassing, and harmful mistake” from Smith. “I’m hopeful that can occur. I’d be very shocked if it didn’t as a result of, principally, if that turns into the best way it’s, then you recognize, what’ll occur to Ricky Gervais on the subsequent Golden Globes?”

SAG-AFTRA Condemns Will Smith’s Oscar Slap On Chris Rock: “Unacceptable”

Rosie O’Donnell referred to as the incident “so upsetting – on each degree – bravo to Chris Rock – for not eviscerating will smith [sic.] – which he might do any day of the week – he walked away – bravo from a tragic show of poisonous masculinity from a narcissistic madman.”

4-time Oscars host Whoopi Goldberg additionally praised Rock for his restraint saying on The View in the present day, “I do assume it’s fantastic that Chris didn’t take it to that different place that he might have finished.”

However Goldberg additionally sought to elucidate Smith’s mindset.

“I believe it was a whole lot of stuff most likely constructed up,” she mentioned, with a nod towards the jokes that Will and Jada Pinkett Smith have endured over time, together with some from Rock himself when he hosted the Oscars.

“I believe he [Smith] overreacted…I believe he had a type of moments the place it was like G.D. it, simply cease. I get it, not everyone acts the best way we wish them to behave below stress. And he snapped.”

The comic mentioned she didn’t assume the King Richard star would lose his just-received Finest Actor Oscar over it.

“We’re not going to take that Oscar from him,” Goldberg mentioned. “There might be penalties I’m certain, however I don’t assume that’s what they’re going to do, notably as a result of Chris mentioned ‘Pay attention, I’m not urgent any costs.’ “

Oscar Afterparty Pictures: Vainness Honest, Elton John & Extra

Comic Tiffany Haddish, nonetheless, referred to as Smith’s leap onto the stage “probably the most lovely factor I’ve ever seen.”

On the Governors Ball following the ceremony, Haddish told People, “As a lady, who has been unprotected, for somebody to say, ‘Maintain my spouse’s title out your mouth, go away my spouse alone,’ that’s what your husband is meant to do, proper? Defend you.

“And that meant the world to me. And perhaps the world may not like the way it went down, however for me, it was probably the most lovely factor I’ve ever seen as a result of it made me imagine that there are nonetheless males on the market that love and care about their girls, their wives.”

Let me inform you one thing, it’s a really dangerous follow to stroll up on stage and bodily assault a Comic.
Now all of us have to fret about who desires to be the subsequent Will Smith in comedy golf equipment and theaters.

— Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) March 28, 2022

so upsetting – on each degree – bravo to Chris Rock – for not eviscerating will smith – which he might do any day of the week – he walked away – bravo from a tragic show of poisonous masculinity from a narcissistic madman #Oscars2022 #chrisROCK

— ROSIE (@Rosie) March 28, 2022

There’s by no means an excuse for violence.
Ever.
Ever
Ever
Ever
Ever
Ever
Ever
Ever
Ever
Ever

— Rob Schneider (@RobSchneider) March 28, 2022

Okay dangerous comparability on my half. I used to be making an attempt to make some extent however it does not matter. FYI, i did not assume the joke was sensible. I mentioned Chris Rock is sensible. I nonetheless do and we do not deserve his brilliance. Please proceed to defend bodily assault. It says a lot. https://t.co/kl4euFg6Zp

— Jim Gaffigan (@JimGaffigan) March 28, 2022

Very nervous for my exhibits on the @TheIrvineImprov tomorrow and Tuesday. Anybody have a catcher’s masks I can borrow?

— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) March 28, 2022

I imply, it is wonderful that twitter attacking comedians for making jokes right here about final evening do not see that they are doing the identical shit Will did final evening. When individuals take jokes actually, society is simply over.

— Whitney Cummings (@WhitneyCummings) March 28, 2022

Anyone in #willsmith’s circle wants to inform him that there isn’t any means what he did tonight gained’t end in a comic someplace getting beat up or killed. He inexperienced lit a whole lot of violence.

There’s gonna have to be a whole lot of clear up.

— Hal Sparks (@HalSparks) March 28, 2022

Will Smith is fortunate his momma wasn’t there tonight. She would’ve kicked his ass for performing like that.

— George Wallace (@MrGeorgeWallace) March 28, 2022

Will Smith laughs on the joke. Laughed at it. Then, in 3 seconds, he’s so stuffed with uncontrollable rage that he must ‘shield his household’. Entitled baby man. Crew Chris Rock. All the time. pic.twitter.com/Cd8VWlXbNF

— Pete Zedlacher (@zedlacher) March 28, 2022

Rattling comedy is actually below assault.

— the lucas bros (@lucasbros) March 28, 2022

Each comic ought to put up a Will Smith joke in solidarity with Chris Rock. I’m not. However each different comic ought to.

— the lucas bros (@lucasbros) March 28, 2022

Chris Rock is a comedy ICON who has instructed jokes at everybody’s expense for 3 plus many years. He’s earned our respect. If he can get slapped (and humiliated) on nationwide TV for telling a reasonably gentle joke, anybody can.

— the lucas bros (@lucasbros) March 28, 2022

You possibly can shield black girls and never condone violence towards black males. It’s not mutually unique.

— the lucas bros (@lucasbros) March 28, 2022