Chris Rock's team denied that the comedian issued a public apology to the Smith family after a fake statement made the rounds online. The Hollywood Reporter's Senior Film Editor Rebecca Keegan confirmed that the online statement apologizing to Will and Jada Pinkett was not written on behalf of Chris Rock. "Chris Rock has not yet issued a statement. There is a statement going around purporting to be from Rock that is not from him, per his team. It’s the one that starts, ‘As a comedian it can be difficult to understand…'"
Meanwhile, Will Smith did issue a formal apology to Chris Rock and the Academy for his actions on Sunday night, explaining that he "reacted emotionally" to a joke about his wife's medical condition. "I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. 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," the statement reads.
It also turns out Chris Rock's joke towards Jada Pinkett wasn't written by the comedian. Timothy Burke confirmed that the writing staff penned the joke itself while a rep for Rock said that he was unaware of Jada's medical condition.
The incident has caused an uproar across the globe. Some are taking it to the extreme and calling for Will Smith to have him stripped of his Oscar while others feel that Will wasn't wrong for protecting his family.
Check the fake statement below.