Oscars ceremony co-host Wanda Sykes has spoken out about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock on the Academy Awards stage on Sunday night, saying she felt “physically ill” after watching the video.
Sykes, who made her debut hosting this year alongside Amy Schumer and Regina Hall, opened up about the startling events of the evening during an appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” that will air April 7.
“For something to happen like that, it takes away from so many things. It took away from Questlove’s win,” said DeGeneres in a preview clip from Wednesday’s show.
“Absolutely,” Sykes agrees.
Sykes said she was returning from her trailer to the auditorium while the slap was happening, and when she got inside, she, like everyone else, asked, “What is happening?” before watching the video replay.
“I just felt so awful for my friend, Chris. It was sickening. I physically felt ill. I’m still a little traumatized by it,” Sykes said.
“No one has apologized to us,” she continued, despite Smith’s apology to Rock.
“We worked really hard to put that show together — so I’m like, what the hell is this?,” Sykes said.
Sykes goes on to say that when she ran into Rock at a party that night, he told her “I’m so sorry!” “
Why are YOU apologizing,” she asked? “Because it was supposed to be your night, you and Amy and Regina. And this is now going to be about this.”
.@iamWandaSykes was here today and shared some thoughts about #Oscar night. pic.twitter.com/i5tj8sYbIB
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) March 30, 2022
Smith stunned the audience inside the Dolby Theatre and television viewers at home when he marched onto the stage and slapped Rock for making a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head (the actress has spoken publicly about her alopecia diagnosis). When he returned to his seat, the “King Richard” star yelled, “Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth.”
During his subsequent acceptance speech for best actor, Smith apologized to the Academy and his fellow nominees, insisting he wanted to be a “vessel of love.” Smith won the Oscar for his work as Serena and Venus Williams’ father Richard Williams in the Warner Bros. drama.
Later that night, Smith and his family celebrated his win at the Vanity Fair party, where he hit the dance floor to sing along to some of his greatest hits.
The next day, Smith apologized to Rock in an Instagram post. “I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris,” he wrote. “I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.”
Jada posted a simple message on Instagram on Tuesday, writing “This is a season for healing and I’m here for it.”
Rock has yet to publicly address the incident. The Academy’s board of governors is said to be meeting Wednesday to review the issue. The group announced that it has launched an investigation into the turn of events.
Sykes talked to Variety just days before the big show. She said she had no plans to roast anyone during the ceremony. “I don’t want people to be nervous and be like, ‘Oh, my God, what is she going to say?’ I don’t want to create that type of environment,” Sykes said. “I want people to relax. We’re going to have fun.”