Chris Rock says he’s ‘not a victim’ after shaking off Will Smith Oscar slap

Chris Rock is finally addressing the Will Smith Oscar slap, and while the moment wasn’t particularly fun for the comedian, he’s explaining that he is “not a victim” and has shaken off the incident.

Per US Weekly, Rock opened up a little bit more about the incident, and it’s probably the most he has spoken about it, other than small moments during some of his recent comedy bits. He expressed his feelings when he appeared at a recent show co-headlined by Kevin Hart, and he admitted that getting “punched in the face” was painful, but he also compared the slap to a paper cut. Rock said he “shook that sh*t off” and was back to normal the next day:

“Anyone who says words hurt has never been punched in the face… I’m not a victim. Yeah, that shi*t hurt, motherf***er. But I shook that shit off and went to work the next day. I don’t go to the hospital for a paper cut.”

I think those waiting for a full sit-down interview about what went down at the Oscars isn’t going to get it from Chris Rock anytime soon. He has taken the high road since all of this happened, and I honestly don’t think he wants to come off like he’s throwing a pity party. The slap happened; it was absurd, it was shocking, but it’s not something he wants to dwell on. Chris Rock has handled this expertly since this all took place and continues to do so.

So much time has passed since the incident that I believe Will Smith could start rebuilding his brand a bit as well. I know Apple TV+ is still on the fence about whether or not to release his slavery drama Emancipation later this year or push it to 2023 because of all of this, but I think public opinion has shifted to another scandal of the week that has taken up their attention. I know these comebacks are very strategic, so I suspect Will Smith and his people are still figuring out the best way to stage one. That being said, I don’t think he’ll see the hell-fire and pitchforks upon his return. The slap is mostly in the rear-view.

What are YOUR thoughts on Chris Rock’s latest comments?