As both a Hollywood actor and stand-up comedian, Whoopi Goldberg understands both sides of the equation when it comes to the now-infamous moment at the Oscars when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock over a joke he told about Jada Pinkett-Smith. During Monday morning’s episode of The View, Goldberg offered her perspective on the situation, and basically, she feels that Smith “overreacted.” That said, she understands why Smith felt irritated in light of Rock also making jokes about Will and Jada’s marriage at the 2016 Oscars.
“I would’ve been a little annoyed,” Goldberg said. “I think he had one of those moments where it was just like G-D it. Just stop.”
WILL SMITH ASSAULTS CHRIS ROCK OVER JOKE: History was made at Sunday’s Academy Awards, but #TheView co-hosts weigh in on the altercation everyone is talking about and discuss if it overshadowed the moments that should have been celebrated. https://t.co/Ah9MDZwvCD #Oscars pic.twitter.com/kNMoxwHKeh
— The View (@TheView) March 28, 2022
The View co-host also noted that “all of the pressure” on Smith to maintain his composure with a potential Best Actor win on the line didn’t help the situation. Goldberg also praised Rock for not feeding into the moment. Via IndieWire:
“I get it. Not everybody acts the way we would like them to under pressure. Some people just snap. He snapped. What I do want to say was that it was remarkable, wonderful, that Chris Rock did not take it to that other place it could’ve gone. I don’t know if they spoke or apologized or not. All I know is sometimes you get to a point where you behave badly. I myself have behaved badly on occasion.”
Despite having a sympathetic view of the situation and completely writing off talk of rescinding Smith’s nomination, Goldberg does feel that the Academy will take some sort of action. “There will be consequences for sure.”
(Via IndieWire)