Will Smith Gets Props From Oscars Producer Over Transparency After Slapping Incident

Will Smith’s slap heard around the world took place nearly five months ago. The infamous drama is still developing in front of our eyes in real-time. Will turned to social media last month to issue a public video apology to the comedian for slapping him on national television. Will Packer, the ceremony’s producer, praised Smith for his apology on Wednesday.

Will Packer is showing his support for Will Smith. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight published Tuesday, the producer of the 2022 Academy Awards discussed Smith’s public video apology to Chris Rock for hitting the comedian onstage at the ceremony.

“I love the fact that he’s being so transparent about his process. He is being very public and honest and open about his remorse.”

Packer is also renowned for producing hits such as Girls Trip and Think Like A Man. He continued, “I think that he’s got three decades in this business of being somebody that is the exact opposite of who he was in those few seconds, and so I’m pulling for him.” Will said in his apology video that he reached out to Chris Rock but received no response.

“I’ve reached out to Chris and the message that came back is that he’s not ready to talk, and when he is he will reach out. So I will say to you, Chris, I apologize to you. My behavior was unacceptable, and I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.”

Will Packer praised Smith for his apology, but Chris Rock’s brother Tony Rock had a different take on the Fresh Prince’s heartfelt video. “Others said I (who’s been making lots of money since 1999) was commenting in an attempt to gain notoriety. Now after being mentioned personally in the video, smart people (very few on social media) will realize I wasn’t just some dude on the outside looking in. There was a genuine friendship,” he tweeted. Tony’s big brother Chris has yet to publicly address Smith’s apology.

During a recent live comedy show in Atlanta, Chris spoke candidly about the Oscars slap. He did it by joking about it.

“Everybody is trying to be a f*cking victim. If everybody claims to be a victim, then nobody will hear the real victims. Even me getting smacked by Suge Smith, I went to work the next day, I got kids. Anyone who says words hurt has never been punched in the face.”

Chris has been booked and kept busy since the award show incident. Will is banned from all Academy-related activities for ten years as a result of the slap. To get the latest updates, keep an eye on Thirsty.

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