Rob Lowe admitted he was “the only person happy” when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards because he thought it would distract from his own Oscars blunder back in the ’80s.
“When Will Smith slapped Chris Rock, I was the only person happy. Because I was like, ‘Oh, good. So now that’s the worst moment in Oscar history,’” the actor confessed on SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live Thursday.
“But it turns out not really. Turns out I still am dragged, dragged every year.”
Lowe continued, “This year even, I guess some people didn’t love some of the Emmys and they were like, ‘At least it wasn’t Rob.’ It’s like, guys, there should be a statute of limitations.”
The 62-year-old was referring to his infamous performance at the 61st Academy Awards in 1989, which he admitted was “the worst opening ever” on Thursday.
During the odd number, a young Lowe performed an extended, bizarre musical routine with actress Eileen Bowman, who dressed as Snow White. The two sang altered lyrics to several popular tracks, including a version of “Proud Mary” with lines like “rollin’, rollin’, keep the cameras rollin’.”
The performance was widely panned as one of the most embarrassing moments in television history.
Dozens of prominent Hollywood figures — including former Academy President Gregory Peck — signed a letter denouncing it, and Disney sued over unauthorized use of their character.
It also effectively destroyed the Hollywood career of Allan Carr, who produced that year’s awards ceremony.
There wasn’t a moment so controversial until the 2022 Oscars when Smith jumped up on the stage and slapped Rock, who was hosting the ceremony.
The actor’s lash outwas over the comedian’s joke about his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith’s shaved hairstyle.
While presenting Best Documentary, Rock turned to the actress and said, “‘G.I. Jane 2,’ can’t wait to see it.” But the joke caused Pinkett Smith — who suffers from alopecia and shaved her head — to roll her eyes.
In turn, the “Men in Black” star marched on stage and slapped a clearly shocked Rock across the face. He then went back to his seat and yelled, “Keep my wife’s name out of your f–king mouth.”
Following the altercation, Smith was banned from the Academy Awards — and all Academy events — for a decade.
A day after the incident, Smith took to social media to apologize directly to Rock, writing, “I was out of line and I was wrong.”
The post Rob Lowe awkwardly admits he was ‘the only person happy’ when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at Oscars appeared first on Page Six.
