Chris Rock ‘will make £2m from Will Smith slap’ with sold out comedy tour and TV talks with Oprah
CHRIS Rock will make £2million in the wake of being slapped by Will Smith at the Oscars.
Insiders said the comedian was being inundated with big money offers for his first interview, with Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres both pitching for Chris’ first words.
And it’s not just the bidding war over his first interview that will boost Chris’ bank balance.
Hollywood insiders said the funny-man’s comedy show was now the hottest ticket in town.
A source said: “Chris has handled the situation with Will with such grace and poise – and it is paying dividends.
“Hollywood just can’t get enough of him and while people are turning away from Will in droves, they’re queuing up to see Chris.
read more on chris rock
“His comedy tour is now sold out for months in advance and he has added more dates on thanks to the increase in demand.
“Chris has chosen to hold his tongue for now and it’s not surprising, as there are big money negotiations going on behind the scenes for his first chat.
“Oprah and Ellen have both shown interest in securing the first sit down interview with Chris about the slap and the aftermath.
“Chris is in no rush and wants to make sure he is in the right place before he agrees to anything.”
Most read in Bizarre
The moment Will, 53, slapped Chris, 57, after he made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith has gone down as the most shocking moment in Oscar’s history.
The Sun revealed yesterday how Will had been given two-weeks to save his Hollywood career, after The Academy confirmed they were voting on disciplinary action.
Will is preparing to plead his case at a hearing on April 18.
A source said: “Things are hanging in the balance. He will write an official letter to apologise, and effectively beg for their forgiveness.
Most read in Showbiz
“He is also expected to hold a call with show bosses in the next 24 hours. April 18 is D-Day, though — he will find out if he still has an Oscar, and quite possibly, a career.”
Question marks hang over Smith’s upcoming projects including Apple-funded slave escape drama Emancipation — with executives declining to comment on its planned release.
He is also due to return to the Bad Boys franchise for a fourth instalment, though no start date has yet been set.
The source explained: “Production executives and studio chiefs do not want to be seen picking a side too early.”
Read More on The Sun
Chris broke his silence earlier this week when he returned to the stage for his first comedy gig since the Oscars.
He said: “Let me be all misty and s***. I’m still processing what happened. At some point I’ll talk about that s***.”