The 2016 Oscars saw a lot of controversy over the lack of diversity among the nominees, leading to the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite. Many celebrities, including Will Smith and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, called for a boycott of the awards show. Host Chris Rock took the opportunity to address the issue in his opening monologue, making a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s decision to boycott the event. He said, “Jada said she’s not coming. I was like, ‘Isn’t she on a TV show?’ Jada’s gonna boycott the Oscars? Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. I wasn’t invited!”

Jada Pinkett Smith’s Response

After Chris Rock’s joke, Jada Pinkett Smith responded, saying that there were more important things happening in the world, and that they needed to keep moving forward. She didn’t seem bothered by the comedian’s jab, saying, “There’s a lot of stuff we gotta handle, a lot of stuff in our world right now. We gotta keep it moving.”

The Slap Gate Incident

Fast forward to the 2022 Oscars, and tensions between Chris Rock and the Smiths reached a boiling point. Will Smith slapped the comedian on stage after he made a joke about Jada’s alopecia. Although Rock apologized multiple times, the incident became the highlight of the awards show.

Following The Slap, Chris Rock addressed the incident in his Netflix special, Selective Outrage. During the special, he made several jabs at the Smiths, including referencing the 2016 Oscars joke.

Will Smith’s Continued Displeasure

Insiders claimed that Will Smith was still upset about the comments Chris Rock made about him and his wife at the 2016 Oscars. Although Jada Pinkett Smith seemed unbothered by the joke, it seems that her husband was not as forgiving.