Jim Carrey was ‘sickened’ when Will Smith got a standing ovation at the Oscars, says he would’ve sued actor for $200 million
Jim Carrey has commented on the ugly incident that unfolded at Monday’s Academy Awards, when then-nominee Will Smith slapped presenter Chris Rock on the face for making a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Carrey said that he found it ‘sickening’ to see Smith get a standing ovation from the crowd minutes later, when he won an Oscar for his performance in King Richard.
Carrey also said that if it were him in Rock’s place, he’d have sued Smith for $200 million because the insulting video of the slap would never disappear. He said that Smith should’ve been escorted out immediately after the incident.
“I was sickened,” Carrey told CBS’ Gayle King. “I was sickened the standing ovation. Hollywood is just spineless en masse and it really felt like this is a really clear indication that we aren’t the cool club anymore.”
He added, “I’d have announced this morning that I was suing Will for $200 million because that video is going to be there forever, it’s going to be ubiquitous. That insult is gonna last a very long time. If you want to yell from the audience and show disapproval or say something on Twitter [that’s fine]. But you do not have the right to walk up on stage and smack somebody in the face because they said words.”
Carrey concluded, “[The slap] came out of nowhere because Will has something going on inside him that’s frustrated. I wish him the best. I have nothing against Will Smith. He’s done great things, but that was not a good moment. It cast a shadow over everyone’s shining moment last night… It was a selfish moment.”
Carrey and Smith both rose to prominence around the same time in the 1990s, when they were among the highest paid male stars in the world.
Smith later apologised to Rock in a social media statement. The Academy has called for a meeting to review the situation, and to decide whether or not Smith should face punishment for his behaviour.
