The debate over the 94th Academy Awards is far from over, with wild theories abounding since the infamous moment between the two stars.
Some fans believe Will’s on-stage slap was staged and that he wore a cheek pad, implying that his actions were pre-planned. That’s just a crazy theory, and it’s completely false.
N0, Chris Rock Was Not Wearing A Face Pad
In a recent story, Reuters clarified that the viral image used by some to claim Chris wore a cheek pad was, in fact, ‘altered.’
Photographer Brian Snyder captured the original image of the comedian being slapped by Will. It is 2713px 1793px in size, as opposed to the image in question, which is “8K quality and 7,680px x 4,320px in size.”
According to the publication, the “skin tone and natural face wrinkles in the original photo were likely edited in the version on social media.”
You can see a comparison of the original and ‘altered’ images here. According to Reuters, Chris had a light stubble on the night of the Oscars, but it isn’t visible in the viral photo. This is “yet another sign that the image was altered digitally.”
The Slap Was “STAGED,” According To Viewers
Many Oscars viewers took to Twitter to explain why they believe Will slapping Chris was staged.
“I can’t believe you guys think the Will Smith slap was legit,” one said. It was all staged. As for what Chris Rock stood to gain from it, he said, “publicity and increased ticket sales.”
“Okay, now I’m thinking the whole Will and Chris slap is staged – – cause nobody watches the Oscars, but now people might lmao,” another user wrote.
“I believe the “slap” was staged to generate buzz around the Oscars this year, and I’m sure they’ll use it again next year.” “The Oscars had low attendance and ratings, so what better to do than stage an event?!?” speculated one.
Has The Comedian made An Apology To Will Smith And His Wife?
Will apologized to Chris publicly on Instagram, but the comedian has remained silent since the incident. Chris has yet to apologize to Will or his wife for making a joke about her appearance at the time of writing. He has not responded or issued a statement since being slapped on stage. Will’s apology has yet to be publicly accepted by the comedian.
