Jay Leno Believes Will Smith's "Obscenities" Was "Most Disturbing" During Chris Rock Confrontation

BY Erika Marie 231.8K Views
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Will Smith
The former "Tonight Show" host is the latest comedian to weigh in. "This is real anger," he said.

Yet another comedian is rehashing Will Smith's Oscars incident and is standing by Chris Rock's side. The comedy community has rallied around Chris Rock after he took a slap to the face during the recent Academy Awards. Smith has offered a public apology and The Academy has issued its punishment, and it will be another 10 years before the Oscar-winning actor will be able to attend any events connected with the organization. Meanwhile, Rock has yet to make a formal statement about the incident but he has touched on the topic during his shows.

While the chaos surrounding the altercation has dissipated, Jay Leno is breathing new life into the conversation by addressing the controversy during an interview with the Palm Beach Daily News. He was in the Oscars crowd when the incident occurred. 

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"To me, the thing that's most disturbing wasn't the slap, because he was kind of smirking after he slapped [Rock]," said Leno, who also mentioned that he believes Smith to be a "good guy." The former Tonight Show host added, "It was the yelling of the obscenities. Then you go, 'Whoa. What's going on here?' This is real anger."

Leno also didn't understand The Academy's reaction when they said they would be investigating what occurred. 

"What are you investigating?" Leno said. "It had to be the most recorded assault in history. I saw the back of his shoe, I saw Chris's ear. There were so many cameras on this incident. What are you investigating? I know sometimes things are just what they appear to be."


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About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.