Oscars co-host Amy Schumer has weighed in on the shocking incident in which Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on stage at the Dolby during Sunday night’s ceremony. In a post to her Instagram late Tuesday night, Schumer said she was “still triggered and traumatized” and “waiting for this sickening feeling to go away from what we all witnessed.”
Schumer and fellow hosts Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes were not on stage when the altercation occurred with Schumer reappearing later on and asking, “Did I miss anything? There’s like a different vibe in here.”
In her Insta post she began by teasing, “I think we can all agree that the best way to unpack what happened is to stream my series @lifeandbethhulu and see me on tour this fall.” Then, turning serious, she added, “I love my friend @chrisrock and believe he handled it like a pro. Stayed up there and gave an Oscar to his friend @questlove and the whole thing was so disturbing. So much pain in @willsmith anyway I’m still in shock and stunned and sad. Im proud of myself and my cohosts. But yeah. Waiting for this sickening feeling to go away from what we all witnessed.”
Many believe the Academy didn’t get and haven’t gotten the response right to Smith’s assault. For Schumer, employed by the Academy on the night, to plug her own shows – even in jest – at the top of her response may not help matters.
Smith, who won the Best Actor Oscar for King Richard and remained in the audience after the incident before accepting his award, issued an apology to Rock on Monday, though comedians continue to rally around Rock who has yet to comment.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Tuesday evening issued a letter about the incident that saw Smith storm on stage and slap Rock after the comedian made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. AMPAS said it was “upset and outraged” and condemned Smith’s actions. It added that the Academy’s Board of Governors “will now make a determination on appropriate action for Mr. Smith,” but that the process “will take a few weeks.”
Here’s Schumer’s Insta post:
Must Read Stories
Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy.