Will Smith issued a new video on Friday, apologizing directly to Chris Rock for slapping him on stage at the Oscars. But for the hosts of “The View,” it wasn’t really enough. The women argued that Smith should actually take interviews on the subject, and have to answer questions about it directly.
In the video, Smith noted that his behavior in March “was unacceptable” and that he would make himself available to Rock “whenever you’re ready to talk.”
“There is no part of me that thinks that was the right way to behave in that moment,” Smith said. “There is no part of me that thinks that’s the optimal way to handle a feeling of disrespect or insult.”
And while the women of “The View” thought Smith’s video was a good “first step,” the all agreed he needs to do more. Guest host Alyssa Farah Griffin even argued that going with a scripted apology video felt like a copout.
“It’s an important first step but I mean, I think he’s got to go further,” Farah Griffin said. “And even the fact that he didn’t do this in more of an interview format, where he might get challenged with some tough questions, I was a little surprised by. It’s a lot easier to say something scripted to camera than to ask, you know, ‘What was your motivation? Why didn’t you then apologize in your acceptance speech?’ I think I would have liked to see him sit down. Sit down with Oprah, like, she’ll challenge you.”
At that, host Joy Behar lightly scolded Farah Griffin for not suggesting that Smith come to “The View” to discuss the matter.
“Why give the booking to Oprah?” Behar joked.
Guest host Ana Navarro agreed that Smith needs to go further, but more so in the number of people he’s apologized to, suggesting that Smith should also apologize to the Oscar hosts, Regina Hall, Wanda Sykes and Amy Schumer.
But Sara Haines agreed with Farah Griffin that Smith’s apology likely would’ve felt “more authentic” if it came in conversation with someone, rather than in a released video.
“I did feel it was a little scripted,” she said. “I wish he just said, you know, ‘I’m sorry.’ It was such a precise, deliberate words. And when you see some people do this — I just wish it felt a little more authentic, which might have come out in an interview.”
You can watch the full discussion from “The View” in the video above.
