Chris Rock to address Will Smith slap in new special

Almost a year since the infamous Oscars moment, the comedian will address the incident during his Netflix special, "Chris Rock: Selective Outrage."

Chris Rock will address the Oscars slap in his upcoming comedy special. According to recent reports, the comedian’s set for his live special debuting on Netflix will reference the infamous moment with Will Smith.

94th Annual Academy Awards - Backstage
In this handout photo provided by A.M.P.A.S., Chris Rock is seen backstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022, in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Al Seib/A.M.P.A.S. via Getty Images)

As theGrio previously reported, the “Saturday Night Live” alum’s Netflix comedy special was first announced last year, with the title “Chris Rock: Selective Outrage.” The special marks the first live-streamed event for Netflix with the comedian set to take the stage in Baltimore with a new set.

According to recent reports from Page Six and CNN, the comedian will address the Oscars slap in his set with material he has workshopped in other shows this year.

Rock reportedly tried out some of the jokes during his performance in Charleston this past January, according to CNN. He said, “The thing people wanna know … did it hurt? Hell yeah it hurt. He played Muhammad Ali! I played Pookie (in ‘New Jack City’). Even in animated movies I’m a zebra, he’s a f—ing shark. I got hit so hard, I heard ‘Summertime’ ringing in my ears.”

94th Annual Academy Awards - Show
(Left to right) Chris Rock and Will Smith are seen onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022, in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

As theGrio previously reported, the “Oscars slap,” when Smith went on stage during the 94th Academy Awards and struck Rock after a joke referring to Jada Pinkett-Smith, sparked massive conversation online and in the entertainment industry. Smith was since banned from attending the prestigious ceremony for 10 years, and has issued numerous apologies to the academy, his fans and to Rock.

Rock’s upcoming special is his second for Netflix. His first for the streamer, “Tamborine,” dropped in 2018 and was filmed in Brooklyn, New York.

“Chris Rock: Selective Outrage” premieres live on Netflix at 10 p.m. ET on March 4.

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