Judd Apatow says Will Smith slap ‘could have killed’ Chris Rock

Kieran Galpin

‘That’s pure out of control rage and violence’

Following Will Smith’s dramatic decision to slap Chris Rock for telling a joke aimed at his wife Jada Pinkett Smith at last night’s Oscars, director Judd Apatow tweeted and then deleted a message claiming that Smith “lost his mind” and “could have killed” the comedian.

Apatow, perhaps best known for his comedies Knocked Up and The 40 Year Old Virgin, posted to Twitter after Smith, 53, told Rock, 57, to “keep my wife’s name out your f***ing mouth.”

Rock had compared Pinkett Smith to “G.I Jane” in relation to her short haircut which she had employed to help combat her battle with alopecia, a condition that makes your hair fall out unexpectedly.

Judd Apatow deleted his tweet where he said Will Smith's slap 'could've killed' Chris Rock pic.twitter.com/4LPOfVhvjP

— ScreenTime (@screentime) March 28, 2022

The 54-year-old director wrote: “He could have killed him. That’s pure out of control rage and violence. They’ve heard a million jokes about them in the last three decades. They are not freshman in the world of Hollywood and comedy. He lost his mind.”

While Apatow was not wrong in stating his opinion that actors have “heard a million jokes” regarding their personal lives, many fans are arguing that the director was being “dramatic” regarding the on-screen slap.

UNCENSORED WILL SMITH FOOTAGE AS SHOWN ON AUSTRALIAN TV pic.twitter.com/NcRfdjWxqe

— David Mack (@davidmackau) March 28, 2022

Social commentator Roxane Gay called Apatow out for his remark, where she tweeted: “This is a wild thing to say Judd. As a fan, I urge you to really rethink this. It was not uncontrolled violence. The video is widely available so you know this.”

https://twitter.com/rgay/status/1508289336525131786

Jameela Jamil was also among the A-listers to flag support for the King Richard frontman.

“Will Smith said ‘Not Today’. A man big enough to absolutely floor him, slapped him softly enough that Chris barely moved, because he made fun of his wife’s alopecia on a world stage,” she wrote. “Don’t say #protectBlackwomen for two years and then only condemn Will here. Come on…”

https://twitter.com/jameelajamil/status/1508349423197335554

Fellow comic Kathy Griffin was among the celebrities to condemn Smith’s actions.

“Let me tell you something, it’s a very bad practice to walk up on stage and physically assault a comedian,” she tweeted. “Now we all have to worry about who wants to be the next Will Smith in comedy clubs and theaters.”