How to Watch Chris Rock's Live Comedy Special, Where He'll Likely Address Will Smith's Oscars Slap
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Michael Loccisano/Getty Chris Rock
Chris Rock is laying it out in his upcoming live comedy special Selective Outrage.
The special is expected to see Rock, 58, address the moment Will Smith went onstage and smacked him across the face at the 94th Academy Awards last March.
Nearly one year after the Oscars, it would be Rock's first time speaking directly about the incident. It streams live at 10 p.m ET / 7 p.m. PT Saturday on Netflix.
Airing from the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore, Chris Rock: Selective Outrage will mark the streaming giant's first-ever live broadcast. It will also be Rock's second special on the streaming service after releasing Chris Rock: Tamborine in 2018.
"Chris Rock is one of the most iconic and important comedic voices of our generation," Robbie Praw, Netflix vice president of stand-up and comedy formats, said in a statement in November. "We're thrilled the entire world will be able to experience a live Chris Rock comedy event and be a part of Netflix history. This will be an unforgettable moment and we're so honored that Chris is carrying this torch."
Smith, 54, hit Rock onstage at last year's Academy Awards ceremony after making a joke about Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head. (Jada, 51, lives with alopecia.)
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Myung Chun/Getty Chris Rock and Will Smith
Though Rock hasn't spoken out about the incident in interviews or on social media since the Oscars, he did reference it several times while on his comedy tour in the months directly after the incident.
Smith, who went on to win Best Actor that same night, soon apologized for the outburst and resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which also banned him from attending its events for 10 years.
Then, in July 2022, Smith shared a video apology on his social media, shedding more light on that night and explaining that he had tried to reach out to Rock. (Smith also spoke about the Oscars while on his press tour for Emancipation in November 2022, including an emotional interview with Trevor Noah on The Daily Show.)
He said in his video, "I've reached out to Chris and the message that came back is that he's not ready to talk, and when he is he will reach out. So I will say to you, Chris, I apologize to you. My behavior was unacceptable, and I'm here whenever you're ready to talk."
Smith explained at the time that he is "trying to be remorseful without being ashamed of myself," adding, "I'm human. I made a mistake and I'm trying not to think of myself as a piece of s---."
Getty (2) Chris Rock; Will Smith
Chris Rock: Selective Outrage is airing live on Netflix on Saturday at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
