Whoopi Goldberg, who is an Academy Governor reelected in 2020 to the Academy’s Actors branch, said on “The View” Monday morning that while she expects Will Smith to face consequences for slapping Chris Rock during the Oscars, she says they won’t “take that Oscar” from Smith.
“We’re not going to take that Oscar from him,” Goldberg said. “We’re not going to take it. Well, there will be consequences I’m sure. But I don’t think that that’s what they’ll be. Particularly because Chris said ‘Listen, I’m not pressing any charges.’”
Goldberg responded to a comment from “The View” co-host Sunny Hostin who said she was surprised that Smith was not escorted out of the Oscars after the incident with Rock but applauded by those in the room and given time for his Oscar acceptance speech after winning Best Actor for his work in “King Richard.”
Smith’s slap heard around the world has dominated conversation about the Oscars and has, unfortunately, outshone many of the other winners and storylines from the night. Smith stormed on stage and slapped Rock after the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, despite the fact that Pinkett Smith has struggled with alopecia.
“Will Smith just smacked the s— out of me,” Rock said to the audience in disbelief.
Smith could then be heard just off stage shouting, “Keep my wife’s name out your f—ing mouth,” to which Rock tried to defend himself, saying: “Wow, dude, it was a f—ing ‘G.I. Jane’ joke.”
As Goldberg alluded to, the LAPD issued a statement on Sunday night saying it was aware of the incident and that Rock had declined to file a police report but that the LAPD would be available to him should he wish to do so at a later date. The rapper Diddy also said that, following the Oscars, both Smith and Rock reconciled after the incident.
The Academy also issued a statement Sunday saying that it “does not condone violence of any form” but did not mention any other potential consequences. TheWrap also reported however that some governors of the Academy do expect that a censure of Smith may be on the horizon.
The Academy’s code of standards, last updated in December 2017 following the #MeToo movement, states that Academy members should value “respect for human dignity, inclusion and a supportive environment that fosters creativity” and further that it is “categorically opposed to any form of abuse, harassment or discrimination.”
