by Christi Carras from Los Angeles Times LOS ANGELES — Pete Davidson sounded off Thursday about girlfriend Kim Kardashian’s ex, Kanye West, during his first stand-up comedy show in three years. Performing as part of the “Dave Chappelle and Friends” show on the opening night of the Netflix Is a Joke comedy festival, Davidson’s set…

The mother of comedian Chris Rock spoke out about a month after actor Will Smith slapped him at the Academy Awards, saying the incident was embarrassing for his family. “[Smith] started using obscenities,” Rose Rock told South Carolina media outlet WIS-TV. “When he slapped Chris, he slapped all of us. He really slapped me.” After Rock…

Actress Jada Pinkett Smith issued her first full statement after her husband, actor Will Smith, slapped comedian Chris Rock during the Oscar Awards broadcast. In remarks on Wednesday, Pinkett Smith claimed her family is “focusing on deep healing” after the March 27 incident that saw the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences penalize her husband….

Commentary The 94th Academy Awards have been over for two weeks, yet Will Smith’s slapping host Chris Rock remains one of the top news stories. It is proof of this story’s penetration that the controversial Oscars moment has remained at the top of the headlines amid news of an ongoing pandemic, war in Ukraine, national…

Chris Rock suggested that he will only speak about the Will Smith slapping incident at the Oscars if he is paid for it. “I’m OK, I have a whole show, and I’m not talking about that until I get paid,” Rock joked during his comedy show in Indio, California, on April 8, according to a…

Will Smith cannot attend the Academy Awards ceremony for the next 10 years after he slapped comedian Chris Rock during the awards show last month, said the Academy. “The Board has decided, for a period of 10 years from April 8, 2022, Mr. Smith shall not be permitted to attend any Academy events or programs,…

Commentary Actor Denzel Washington has done something increasingly rare these days. Variety reports Bishop T.D. Jakes interviewed Washington about Will Smith’s slap of Chris Rock during the recent Academy Awards ceremony. Washington said, “But for the grace of God go any of us. Who are we to condemn?” Washington said he and Tyler Perry went up to…

Commentary Hollywood long ago made violence profitable, cranking out “entertainment” every year that has become increasingly graphic and realistic. It also never tires of using its products to lecture the rest of us on favourite “woke” issues such as diversity, racism, homophobia, and climate change. Yet concerns that depicting excessive violence might pose a long-term…

LOS ANGELES—The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, organizers of the Oscars, will discuss possible sanctions against actor Will Smith at a special meeting April 8. Possible actions could include making Smith ineligible for future awards or banning him from future Oscars ceremonies, according to Reuters. The meeting was called by the president of…

LOS ANGELES—The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has moved up its meeting to discuss possible sanctions against best actor winner Will Smith for slapping presenter Chris Rock to Friday, a letter from the group’s president said. The board of governors of the organization, the group that hands out the Academy Awards, previously had…