LAPD Was Prepared to Arrest Will Smith Says Oscars Producer
Producer of the 2022 Oscars ceremony said the Los Angeles Police Department was prepared to arrest Will Smith for slapping Chris Rock live on stage. The incident in question began when Rock, while presenting the award for Best Documentary Feature, made a joke about Smith's wife Jada Pinkett-Smith's head, saying that he couldn't to see her in G.I. Jane 2. Allegedly unknown to Rock, Jada had shaved her head as a way to cope with her recently diagnosed autoimmune condition known as alopecia. Although Rock's joke initially received laughs throughout the audience, and from Smith himself, the rapper-turned-actor marched on stage and slapped the comedian, later shouting "Keep my wife’s name out your f***ing mouth!" Smith later received the award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance as Richard Williams in the sports drama, King Richard.
Immediately after the incident, celebrities all over the world reacted to the assault. A few supported Smith's defense of his wife, but most appeared to denounce his actions. Many wondered why there were no immediate steps taken against the actor. Initially, there were reports that the Academy asked Smith to leave the Dolby Theater, but that was later disputed with a new account revealing that Academy President David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson only spoke with Smith's representative. Questions also rose about legal consequences against Smith, but it was reported that Rock quickly chose not to press charges Sunday night after the Oscars ceremony.
In a recent interview on Good Morning America (via Deadline), Will Packer, the producer of the 94th Academy Awards, revealed that he spoke to the LAPD, and they were fully prepared to arrest Smith that night. Packer explained that the police came to his office Sunday evening and spoke with him and Rock about the incident. Although the LAPD previously issued an official statement on the night of the Oscars stating that Rock did not want to press charges against Smith, Packer's revelation is the first indication that the comedian spoke directly to the police in person. Read what Packer had to say below:
"They were saying, ‘This is battery.’ That was the word they used in that moment. They said, ‘We will go get him. We are prepared. We will go get him right now. You can press charges. We can arrest him. They were laying out the options. And as they were talking, Chris was, he was being very dismissive of those options. He was like, ‘No, I’m fine. He was like no, no, no. And even to the point where I said, ‘Rock, let them finish. The LAPD officers finish laying out what his options were. And they said, ‘Would you like us to take any action? And he said no."
The original statement released by the LAPD explained that the authorities were aware of the incident but were not continuing further with legal action due to Rock's desire to not press any charges against the actor. But the police department left the door open stating, "If the involved party desires a police report at a later date, LAPD will be available to complete an investigative report." Although the police did not arrest Smith that night, it was possible for the LAPD to charge the actor with a misdemeanor due to the public nature of the crime. However, this would probably amount to nothing more than a slap on the wrist for Smith.
Soon after the incident, Chris Rock began his nationwide comedy tour to a sold-out crowd in Boston. Guests desperately wanted to hear what the comedian had to say since he has remained relatively silent following the attack. Rock immediately came out and was greeted with a two-minute standing ovation, but the comedian quieted them and urged patience, saying that he is still processing everything that happened, and he will have more to say in the future. The Oscars slap may have marked a change in the direction of both Smith and Rock's careers. Smith is currently under review by the Academy for his actions with the possibility of a suspension. Rock has had his ticket sales increase multiple times over, selling out his tour. Only time will determine the severity of the slap's impact.
Source: Deadline