Jimmy Kimmel blasts Will Smith repeatedly at Oscars

Hosting duties of major awards shows come with certain tasks like moving the show along, introducing presenters and, yes, making fun of rich people. Jimmy Kimmel, who hosted last night’s 95th Academy Awards, had plenty of quips about the nominated movies and stars, but the one actor who got ribbed the most wasn’t even in the theater. See, Will Smith was banned from attending for a decade after slapping Chris Rock, and Jimmy Kimmel had just the right amount of material about the matter.

There was no doubt that the Will Smith slapping incident would get air time and Jimmy Kimmel made it a priority in his opening monologue. “We want you to have fun, feel safe and, most importantly, we want me to feel safe…So, we have strict policies in place.” Kimmel then took a jab at how both the audience and Academy handled–or didn’t handle–the matter last year. “If anyone in this theater commits an act of violence at any point during the show, you will be awarded the Oscar for best actor and permitted to give a 19-minute long speech. But seriously, the Academy has a crisis team in place. If anything unpredictable or violent happens during the show, sit there and do absolutely nothing. Maybe even give the assailant a hug.”

Two hours into the show, when it was running long (how shocking!) and at risk of boring audiences, Jimmy Kimmel again brought up the Will Smith episode. “At this point in the show, it kind of makes you miss the slapping a little bit, right?”

When introducing the presenters for Best Documentary, the category Will Smith interrupted last year to slap Chris Rock, Jimmy Kimmel pleaded, “Hopefully tonight it goes off without a hitch. Or at least without Hitch,” referring to the 2005 Smith-starring comedy.

Building up to the ceremony, Smith had been the butt of jokes by Chris Rock himself, who targeted his assailant in his Netflix special Selective Outrage. No word yet on if Will Smith is “embarrassed” by Jimmy Kimmel’s barbs.

How did you feel about Jimmy Kimmel’s jokes about Will Smith? Did they land or were they too obvious? Let us know your take in the comments section below!