Adam Sandler and Chris Rock are fellow comedians and friends who have co-starred in the Grown Ups movies. It’s perhaps no surprise then, that Sandler has made a subtle, but pointed show of support for Rock in the wake of the Smith Slap Scandal. He has tweeted “love you buddy!” with a promotional image of Rock’s upcoming stand up tour, perhaps ironically called Ego Death.
One of the many points of discussion surrounding the shocking event during Sunday night’s Oscar ceremony is that comedians will now be ‘afraid’ to make controversial or risqué jokes for fear of someone reacting as Will Smith did. Therefore comedians are tending to be protective of Rock and side with him in this beef.
In the unlikely event that you need bringing up to speed, Rock made a throwaway comment about Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith looking like GI Jane due to having a shaved head, while presenting the award for Best Documentary. Pinkett Smith was reportedly upset by the joke, due to the fact she has Alopecia, which causes hair loss. So, 53-year-old Smith climbed onto the stage and slapped Rock, while shouting; “keep my wife’s name out of your f-cking mouth!”
Smith went on to win the Oscar for Best Actor, just minutes after the incident and gave an emotional speech about protecting his family. He has since publicly apologised to The Academy and to Rock, “I would like to publicly apologise 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.”
Sandler and Rock also co-starred in 2018’s The Week Of, as the fathers of a couple who are about to be married. While Sandler is better known for his movies than his stand up now, he does still do the occasional special for Netflix, such as 2018’s 100% Fresh. Rock has taken more serious acting roles lately, such as in the crime series Fargo on television and the lead role in the latest Saw movie.
If you’re in the mood to keep things light-hearted, check out our guide to the best comedy movies.