Jimmy Kimmel couldn’t help but mock the Will Smith slap drama as he took on hosting duties for this years Oscars ceremony.
During last year’s Academy awards, the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actor famously stormed on stage and slapped Chris Rock #ChrisRockLive @chrisrock for a joke the comedian made about Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair.
The world was left reeling over the moment, which led to Will resigning from the organization, while Chris broke his silence over the attack in a recent stand-up special on Netflix.
After joking that he had been ‘studying martial arts’ in preparation, presenter Jimmy mentioned the slap in front of the packed out crowd, at LA’s Dolby Theatre.
The 55-year-old said: ‘Five Irish actors are nominated tonight, which meant the odds of another fight onstage just went way up.’
In a second quip, he added: ‘We want you to have fun, we want you to be safe and we want me to be safe.’
‘If any person in this theatre commits an act of violence, you will be awarded best actor and be allowed to give a 19-minute speech.
‘Seriously, the Academy has a crisis team in place. If anything unpredictable or violent happens during the ceremony, just do what you did last year – nothing.
‘Maybe even give the assailant a hug.’
As the camera panned to the star-studded audience, Jimmy then referenced a string of characters who could possibly protect him from danger – including Michael B Jordan’s Adonis Creed – ‘if you want to come up here and get jiggy with it’.
He added: ‘We have no time for shenanigans. This is a celebration of everyone here.’
It was recently revealed that Academy bosses had have taken steps and prepared for any eventuality after Will’s behavior last year, and had even put together a ‘crisis committee’.
Ahead of the bash, they declared that Jimmy would be ‘ready for anything’ on the night – something that he later made light of.
The comedian was previously questioned on whether he was bracing himself for any forms of physical assault on the night.
‘Well, I have been studying the martial arts since they asked me to host the show, so I think that’s what they’re referring to,’ he joked to USA Today.
‘The truth of the matter is I am not ready for anything. I’m ready for some things, but anything that involves violence or me having to run, I’m very not ready.
‘They had some kind of crisis management meeting where I guess they dream up scenarios that we might face, but no one has filled me on in on any of that. So if there is a crisis, I’ll be the only one left in the dark.
First appear at Jimmy Kimmel mocks Will Smith and Chris Rock #ChrisRockLive @chrisrock slap scandal in savage Oscars 2023 opening monologue
