What the Oscar Host Just Revealed About the Will Smith and Chris Rock Slap
Wanda Sykes just set the record straight on the 2022 Oscars chaos, revealing whether Will Smith ever apologized after slapping Chris Rock onstage—and the behind-the-scenes fallout she faced as host.
If your brain only remembers one thing from the 2022 Oscars, it is probably, well, the slap. But one of the hosts from that night, Wanda Sykes, just offered a small but notable update: yes, Will Smith did reach out to her. And she is still very aware that all anyone remembers about her big hosting gig is not her actually hosting.
Wanda on the 'career highlight' that got steamrolled
Sykes sat down with Variety and, when told that hosting the Oscars is a major milestone for a comedian, she deadpanned that she had basically forgotten that. Not because it was forgettable, but because the chaos overshadowed the entire night. She says she loved working with her co-hosts Regina Hall and Amy Schumer, but the moment became the headline and everything else vanished. She also noted that people talk to her about that night as if she was just watching from the couch, not, you know, literally on stage hosting the thing.
So, did Will Smith ever apologize to her?
Short answer: yes. Sykes previously said she had not gotten a personal apology from Smith in the aftermath of his public statement, but she clarified that he eventually called. She could not take the call at the time because she was sick, but she texted him back.
'He did. He called. I had COVID or a bad cold. I just texted to say, "Hey, I got your message. Thank you. I can’t talk." But he did call.'
Quick refresher on what went down that night
- Chris Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith's appearance during the ceremony hosted by Wanda Sykes, Regina Hall, and Amy Schumer.
- Will Smith walked onstage and slapped Rock.
- Later that night, Smith won Best Actor for playing Richard Williams in King Richard.
- In the days after, Smith apologized publicly to Rock and resigned from the Academy.
- The Academy banned Smith from attending the Oscars and all other Academy events for 10 years.
Not exactly the memory lane Sykes probably expected from what should have been a career high. But at least now we know: the call happened, even if the moment still hijacks the whole night in most people’s heads.