The guitarist reacted a short time after Smith, 53, interrupted the 57-year-old comedian's introduction of "Best Documentary" with a slap across the face. The altercation came after Rock made a joke about Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith, saying, "Jada, I love ya. G.I. Jane 2, can't wait to see ya," an apparent reference to the actress's bald hairstyle as she lives with the autoimmune disorder alopecia, which attacks follicles resulting in bald spots and hair loss.
Pinkett Smith could be seen rolling her eyes, before the camera cut back to Rock, while Will Smith initially laughed from his seat. Shortly after, however, Smith's mood changed as he walked up to Rock and struck him across the face with an open hand.
Earlier today, Skolnick returned to hsi Twitter and added the following comment: "#WillSmith's overreaction at the #Oscars stole the spotlight from @questlove, #SummerOfSoul & even #KingRichard (for which he won!) There are better ways to express displeasure. Just when it finally gets past #OscarsSoWhite, he turns it into #OscarsYoFight #willsmithchrisrock".
KISS frontman Paul Stanley also weighed in, tweeting: "Wait... Chris Rock makes a bad joke about Jada Pinkett's appearance. Will Smith walks onstage hits him in the face shouts out obscenities & later in tears accepts an Oscar saying 'Love makes you do crazy things' to a STANDING OVATION?!? WTF Hollywood. That's not WOKE. That's WEAK".
Photo: AFP