Comedian and screenwriter Will Smith is currently trending for a joke he delivered during his acceptance speech at the Emmy Awards, which took place on September 15, 2024. Smith was recognized with the award for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series.
His acceptance speech touched on the infamous incident where actor Smith slapped Chris Rock during the 94th Academy Awards, held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Coincidentally, the latest Emmys were also held at the same venue. During his speech, Will remarked:
“First of all, relax. Despite my name, I come in peace.”
The audience reacted with laughter as he delivered the punchline. Despite the humor, the incident at the Oscars resulted in Smith being banned from attending the awards ceremony for ten years; he had also resigned from the Academy just a week before the announcement.
Nevertheless, Will Smith’s career has not been derailed. He recently starred in Bad Boys: Ride or Die, which became a commercial success this year.
Furthermore, Smith’s speech generated a flurry of reactions on the comments section of Complex Pop’s Instagram post. Some users referenced the Oscars moment where Smith famously instructed Rock not to mention his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
Responses kept pouring in, with one user suggesting that Smith had been rehearsing the joke for weeks, while another warned him to be cautious to avoid getting slapped again. A user joked that it would have been funny to see Smith being hit by a “white guy called Christopher Rock.”
Will Smith Seeks to Return to the Academy After Ban
The slap incident resulted in the Aladdin star’s ten-year ban from the Academy, and he also resigned from membership. However, a source revealed to In Touch in July that Smith is hoping the Academy will reconsider the ban and stated:
“The moment everybody is waiting for is for Chris and Will to publicly and genuinely bury the hatchet. That’s going to give the Academy the confidence to revisit the decision.”
The source added that Smith’s supporters have constantly pointed out that he has already apologized for the incident, emphasizing his continued success in the film industry. The source made a comparison to Tom Cruise‘s successful streak, saying:
“Nobody was bringing up Scientology when Tom was filling cinemas week after week two years ago with Top Gun: Maverick. Will is a sinner, but sinners can be forgiven and he’s driving a lot of business right now, against all odds.”
The report went on to discuss the challenges Smith faces in his quest to rejoin the Academy, mentioning that some members believe he should have been arrested for his actions, while fans are eager to see him return to the big screen.
Meanwhile, the 55-year-old is also serving as a producer for Karate Kid, the latest installment in the martial arts franchise featuring Jackie Chan, which is set for release on May 30, 2025.
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