Posted in: ABC, TV, YouTube | Tagged: ABC, academy awards, chris rock, netflix, oscars, will smith

Will Smith Apologizes, Answers Questions About Chris Rock/Oscars Slap

Less than a week after Chris Rock addressed the incident during a stand-up set in New Jersey over the past weekend, Will Smith has taken to YouTube to post a 5-minute+ video apologizing to Rock, Rock's family, Smith's family, and Smith's friends and supporters for slapping Rock on stage during this year's live Oscars broadcast on ABC over a joke Rock made about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. "I spent the last three months replaying and understanding the nuances and the complexities of what happened at that moment. And I'm not going to try to unpack all of that right now. But I can say to all of you, there is no part of me that thinks that was the right way to behave at that moment," Smith explains at one point in the video. "There's no part of me that thinks that's the optimal way to handle a feeling of disrespect or insults." Here's a look at some highlights, followed by a look at Smith full video:

"I've reached out to Chris, and the message that came back is that he's not ready to talk. And when he is, he will reach out. So I will say to you, Chris, I apologize to you. My behavior was unacceptable, and I'm here whenever you're ready to talk."

"I want to apologize to Chris's mother. I saw an interview that Chris's mother did, and, you know, that was one of the things about that moment I just didn't realize, and, you know, I wasn't thinking, but how many people got hurt at that moment. So I want to apologize to Chris's mother. I want to apologize to Chris's family. Specifically Tony Rock. You know, we had a great relationship. You know, Tony Rock was my man. And this is probably irreparable."

"I spent the last three months replaying and understanding the nuances and the complexities of what happened at that moment. And I'm not going to try to unpack all of that right now. But I can say to all of you, there is no part of me that thinks that was the right way to behave at that moment. There's no part of me that thinks that's the optimal way to handle a feeling of disrespect or insults."

"I wanna say sorry to my kids and my family for the heat that I brought on all of us. To all my fellow nominees, you know, this is a community. It's like I won because you voted for me. And it really breaks my heart to have stolen and tarnished your moment. I can still see Questlove's eyes. You know, it happened on Questlove's award. And, you know, it's like, I'm sorry really isn't sufficient."

"So there's two things. One, disappointing people is my central trauma. I hate when I let people down. So, it hurts, it hurts me psychologically and emotionally to know I didn't live up to people's image and impression of me. And the work I'm trying to do is I am deeply remorseful, and I'm trying to be remorseful without being ashamed of myself. Right? I'm human. And I made a mistake, and I'm trying not to think of myself as a piece of s***."

"So I would say to those people, I know it was confusing, I know it was shocking. But I promise you, I am deeply devoted and committed to putting light and love and joy into the world. And, you know, if you hang on, I promise we'll be able to be friends again."

Now here's a look at Smith's full video message, as well as his answers to a number of questions that have been asked surrounding the incident:

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