Comedian, actress, and Oscars co-host Wanda Sykes has spoken out and slammed Will Smith and The Academy.
Following Smith’s on-air assault during the 94th Academy Awards, Chris Rock’s co-host Wanda Sykes revealed the incident made her “physically ill” and left her “traumatized.”
Speaking to Ellen DeGeneres, the stand-up comedian admitted feeling shocked by Smith’s display of violence and the fact that he was allowed to stay in the theater and claim his Best Actor Oscar after attacking Rock on stage.
“For them to let him stay in that room and enjoy the rest of the show and accept his award… I was like, ‘How gross is this?’” Sykes expressed.
“This is just the wrong message. You assault somebody, you get escorted out of the building, and that’s it.
“But for them to let him continue, I thought it was gross. I wanted to be able run out after he won and say, ‘Unfortunately, Will couldn’t be here tonight…’”
While Sykes acknowledged Smith’s late apology to Rock, she insisted the A-lister has yet to apologize to her and the other organizers of the event.
“We worked really hard to put that show together — so I’m like, what the hell is this? We were the hosts, this is ‘our house,’ we’re re gonna take care of y’all tonight and no one has apologized to us,” she added. “And we worked really had to put that show together.”
Though Smith didn’t apologize to her, Sykes said she received an apology from the one person who shouldn’t be apologizing at all – Chris Rock.
As the comedian revealed, Rock told her that he was “so sorry” when the two saw each other at the Oscars afterparty later that night.
“I was like, ‘Why are YOU apologizing?’ He was like, ‘It was supposed to be your night, you and Amy and Regina. And this is now going to be about this,’” she recalled.
Sykes’ comments come after the Academy launched a formal review into Sunday night’s incident.
“The Board of Governors today initiated disciplinary proceedings against Mr. Smith for violations of the Academy’s Standards of Conduct, including inappropriate physical contact, abusive or threatening behavior, and compromising the integrity of the Academy,” the organization confirmed.
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