Everybody is still buzzing after the shocking Oscars on Sunday night, which saw Will Smith walk up on stage to slap Chris Rock after the comedian told a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith. What made it all even more surreal was the fact the show basically just went on as normal afterward, with Smith even winning Best Actor for King Richard not that long after the incident.
Some wondered why Smith was allowed to stay at the Oscars and give a speech instead of being escorted out for his actions. Well, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences' explanation is here, and it doesn't really make much sense.
âAcademy leadership strongly considered removing Will Smith from last nightâs broadcast following the incident. There were immediate discussions but the Academy decision makers were seated in various spots in the Dolby Theater and couldnât mobilize to make a decision before he won best actor,â the source said.
The year is 2022. The Academy leadership couldn't come together on a decision because they were seated in âvarious spotsâ in the theater? Sounds sketchy.
There was a short statement tweeted on Sunday night, with a somewhat more forceful statement coming on Monday directly condemning Smith's actions at the Oscars:
Article Continues BelowStatement from @TheAcademy
The Academy condemns the actions of Mr. Smith at last night's show. We have officially started a formal review around the incident and will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our Bylaws, Standards of Conduct and California law
â TVMoJoe (@TVMoJoe) March 28, 2022
There was reportedly a âheatedâ virtual meeting on Monday morning involving âat least a dozenâ members of the Academy. While some members felt the situation was mishandled, others thought it was fine and that no further action should be taken.
So, it's still unclear if Smith will face any real repercussions for this. He gave an emotional speech after winning his Oscar and apologized for what he did, though he didn't apologize to Rock. Diddy claimed afterward that Smith and Rock made amends later in the night.
Stay tuned for more.