Oscars slap: Will Smith’s 10-year ban not enough, says Chris Rock’s mum

Rose Rock, mother to Chris Rock, the US comedian, has reacted to Will Smith’s 10-year ban from the Oscars for slapping his son.

Smith had slapped Rock at the 2022 Oscars after the comedian joked about Jada Pinkett’s shaved head — which is due to the hair-loss condition called alopecia.

The actor’s action had attracted a wave of criticism on social media and sanctions from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).

In an interview with WIS, the South Carolina-based media outlet, Rose condemned Smith’s action.

“You reacted to your wife giving you the side-eye and you went and made her day because she was mulled over laughing when it happened,” she said.

“I have no idea what I would say other than, ‘What in the world were you thinking?’ … Because you did a slap, but so many things could have happened.

“Chris could have stepped back and fallen. You really could have gotten taken out in handcuffs. You didn’t think. You reacted to your wife giving you the side-eye, and you went up, and you made her day because she was bowled over laughing when it happened.”

The motivational speaker and author said she was hurt by Smith’s action, adding that “he slapped all of us.”

“I told someone when Will slapped Chris, he slapped all of us, but he really slapped me. When you hurt my child, you hurt me,” she said.

She also argued that Smith’s punishment by the Oscars could have been stricter since not everyone attends the award ceremony annually.

“What does that mean? You don’t even go every year,” she said of the ban.

Rose also claimed Smith’s apology was not genuine. She said he ought to have reached out to Rock personally if he was indeed remorseful for his action.

“I feel really bad that he never apologised. I mean his people wrote up a piece saying I apologise to Chris Rock, but you see something like that is personal, you reach out,” she added.