Whoopi Goldberg, the governor for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’s Actors branch, said stripping Will Smith of his Oscar will not be a part of any potential disciplinary action.
The academy announced an investigation into actor Will Smith slapping presenter and comedian Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards show on Sunday evening, saying it “will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our Bylaws, Standards of Conduct and California law.”
Speaking during the View’s “Hot Topics” segment, Goldberg defended Smith’s actions and said consequences are coming, but he will keep his Oscar.
“We’re not going to take that Oscar from him,” Goldberg said. “There will be consequences, I’m sure, but I don’t think that’s what they’re going to do, particularly because Chris [Rock] said, ‘Listen, I’m not pressing any charges.'”
Goldberg admitted Smith overreacted.
WILL SMITH ASSAULTS CHRIS ROCK OVER JOKE: History was made at Sunday’s Academy Awards, but #TheView co-hosts weigh in on the altercation everyone is talking about and discuss if it overshadowed the moments that should have been celebrated. https://t.co/Ah9MDZwvCD #Oscars pic.twitter.com/kNMoxwHKeh
— The View (@TheView) March 28, 2022
“I get it,” Goldberg said. “Not everybody acts the way we would like them to under pressure. Some people just snap. He snapped.”
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View co-hosts Joy Behar and Ana Navarro said they were shocked when they saw Smith slap Rock. Navarro admitted she thought it was a joke at first.
“I think a lot of us thought this has got to be a comedy because this cannot possibly be happening on the live telecast of the Oscars,” Navarro said.
Behar said she worries that Smith set a precedent and comedians could be in danger now.
Goldberg assured her co-hosts that Smith, too, is upset with himself for what happened.
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“I’m talking from experience — people will beat you for weeks,” Goldberg said. “When we’ve made a mistake, we know we made a mistake. So, I just want to put that out because as hard as we’re beating folks, they’re beating themselves.”
