Chris Rock has branded Will Smith’s online apology for slapping him at the Oscars a “hostage video”.
The comic, 57, made the statement during another of his stand-up sets alongside Dave Chappelle, 49, at London’s 02 Arena on Saturday as part of the pair’s new joint comedy tour.
Referring to 53-year-old Will’s apology video released in July, Rock said: “F*** your hostage video”.
The comic also used the set to refer to Smith as “Suge Smith”, in reference to the thuggish and imprisoned Death Row Records executive Suge Knight.
On Thursday night, Rock told fans who attended his and Chappelle’s performance at Liverpool’s M and S Arena, Smith had done an impersonation of a “perfect man for 30 years” before showing he is “just as ugly as the rest of us”.
It marked the first time the comic had extensively shared his feelings about being slapped by Smith at this year’s Oscars.
Chappelle asked Rock in front of the crowd: “Did that s*** hurt?” prompting him to exclaim: “Goddam right… the mother***** hit me over a bulls*** joke – the nicest joke I ever told.
“Will did the impression of a perfect person for 30 years, and he ripped his mask off and showed us he was as ugly as the rest of us.
“Whatever the consequences are… I hope he doesn’t put his mask back on again, and lets his real face breathe. I see myself in both men.”
Smith stormed the stage at the Academy Awards in March and whacked Rock after the comic compared his wife’s shaven head to actress Demi Moore’s buzzcut in the 1997 film “G.I. Jane” – before Smith twice howled from his seat in front of stunned A-listers and while watched by millions of film fans across the world: “Keep my wife’s name out your f****** mouth.”
Smith’s wife of 25 years, Jada Pinkett Smith, 50, had shaved it as she suffers hair loss-causing alopecia.
While issuing a grovelling apology in his online video in July, Smith admitted Rock had not responded to his attempts to reach out.
He said: “So I will say to you, Chris, I apologise to you. My behaviour was unacceptable and I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.”
There was widespread outrage when Smith went on to cry while picking up his best actor trophy for best actor for his role in “King Richard” after the assault, with many saying he should have immediately been kicked out of the ceremony.
Rock is scheduled to perform with Dave Chappelle in London, Copenhagen and Amsterdam before they return to America later this month for more shows.