Venus and Serena Williams’ dad Richard Williams responded to Will Smith slapping presenter Chris Rock during the Oscars live telecast on Sunday night.
Smith won his first ever Oscar Award for his honest portrayal of Williams in “King Richard” on Sunday. However, his achievement is forever tarnished by his violent outburst.
Williams condemned Smith for storming onstage and slapping Rock for making a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair loss.
Insiders say Rock thought Smith was “in character” as Richard Williams before the actor slapped him. They say the comedian had no idea Smith was going to hit him. Rock even said “Richard” as Smith angrily approached him.
Speaking through his son and caretaker Chavoita LeSane, Richard Williams told NBC News: “We don’t know all the details of what happened, but we don’t condone anyone hitting anyone else unless it’s in self-defense.”
UNCENSORED EXTENDED VERSION of Will Smith smacking Chris Rock from Japanese TV pic.twitter.com/s9BZoRyrrm
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) March 28, 2022
LaSane said his father was watching the Oscars and he was “shocked” when Smith slapped Rock. Williams, 80, was known for his volatile temper, but he never publicly struck anyone.
Williams’ eldest and estranged daughter, Sabrina, slammed Smith for disgracing her family and called for the Academy to strip him of the award and ban him from attending future Oscars.
Sabrina, 57, told The Sun that Smith went “overboard” and that there was a “time and a place” to settle disputes. She also revealed she suffers from alopecia and can relate to Jada Pinkett Smith, who announced her diagnosis in 2018.
“If they don’t take the thing from him, they should ban him from attending the event ever again, as that’s just ridiculous. I have no sympathy for [Smith] because that’s just irresponsible behavior.”
She suggested that Smith should seek counseling, and accused him of being a narcissistic, “entitled actor”.
Sabrina questioned how Smith was allowed to go onstage and attack the presenter at a major awards show – in front of millions of people – and not face repercussions.
Richard Williams was previously investigated over allegations in 1999 of domestic violence against Serena and Venus’ mother Oracene, before they divorced in 2002.
