Oscars 2023 producer says 'harder' Will Smith jokes were cut

Publish date: 2024-07-14

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Though there was no shortage of Will Smith jokes at the 2023 Oscars, it appears that only the best ones made the cut.

Molly McNearney, the ceremony’s executive producer — and host Jimmy Kimmel’s wife — revealed why a lot of other jokes were cut from her husband’s monologue.

“We didn’t want to make this year all about last year,” McNearney, 45, told Variety.

“I cannot tell you how many Will Smith jokes we had that then we got rid of. We think that only the best for that room made it.”

“There were certainly some that went harder, but we didn’t think that was our place to do that. That should be Chris Rock, not us,” she added.

Despite that, Kimmel did include several nods to the infamous “slapgate.”

Will Smith slapping Chris Rock onstage during the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 27, 2022. AFP via Getty Images

“We really liked the idea of making fun of the reaction to it last year,” McNearney explained.

“I think we’re all still in a bit of shock of how that went down and how after watching that violence everyone had to then sit through an acceptance speech.”

During 2022’s live broadcast, Smith, 54, walked onto the stage and slapped Rock after the comedian made a joke about the actor’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

Rock, 58, compared Pinkett Smith — who has alopecia and shaved her head last summer — to Demi Moore’s bald character “G.I. Jane,” prompting a physical reaction from Smith.

Host Jimmy Kimmel is seen backstage reviewing notes during the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. Getty Images

“Keep my wife’s name out of your f–king mouth!” Smith then shouted — twice — after returning to his seat.

Kimmel opened the 2023 Oscars with a monologue that took a swipe at the actor — and he continued to take jabs at him all night.

“Five Irish actors are nominated tonight — which means the odds of another fight again onstage just went way up,” he said.

But he didn’t stop there — he also poked fun at the fact that Smith picked up an Oscar award for “Best Actor” in the movie “King Richard” after the slap.

“So, we have strict policies in place, if anyone in this theater commits an act of violence at any point during the show, you will be awarded the Oscar for Best Actor and permitted to give a 19-minute long speech.” Kimmel joked.

Kimmel and his wife Molly McNearney attend the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 12, 2023 in Beverly Hills, California. Getty Images for Vanity Fair

“Seriously, the Academy has a crisis team in place. If anything unpredictable or violent happens during the ceremony, just do what you did last year. Nothing. Sit there and do absolutely nothing, maybe even give the assailant a hug. And if any of you get mad at a joke and decide you want to come up here and get jiggy with it, it’s not gonna be easy.”

He then made a nod to those sitting in the audience, joking that you would have to get through the star of “Spiderman” and other Oscar nominees to get past him if you suddenly felt the urge to jump on stage and slap someone.

He then said that the show would be “no-nonsense” and have “no time for shenanigans.”

Kimmel speaks onstage during the 95th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 12, 2023, in Hollywood, California. Getty Images

Prior to the event, Kimmel vowed to “beat the s–t out of” anyone who attempts any violent funny business under his watch.

Smith has since resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences following the uproar about his actions.

He was also banned from attending any academy events for the next 10 years.

The Academy recently spoke out about the incident, admitting its handling of the ordeal was “inadequate.”

Rock recently referenced the infamous slap in his new Netflix special “Chris Rock: Selective Outrage” in which he accused Smith of venting anger over his wife’s May to December affair with singer August Alsina.

The special reportedly left Smith “embarrassed and hurt.”

“Everybody in the world called him a b–h,” Rock said of Smith. “Everybody. Everybody. And who’s he hit? Me. A n—a he knows he could beat. That is some b—h-ass s—t.”

“Everybody f–king knows. Yes! It happened. I got smacked like a year ago,” he said. “I got smacked in the f–king Oscars by this motherf—ker!”

“People like, ‘Did it hurt?’ It still hurts! I got ‘Summertime’ ringing in my ears!” Rock went on, referring to Smith’s 1991 hip-hop hit with former musical partner DJ Jazzy Jeff.

“But I’m not a victim, baby. You will never see me on Oprah or Gayle [King], crying.”

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