Chris Rock will be under intense pressure to “handle over” his upcoming Netflix comedy special after waiting a year to address the stroke with Will Smith that happened during his presentation at the 2022 Oscars, the hosts of CBS’s “The Talk” ahead on Thursday.
Some of the talk show hosts suggested that even during the live special, Rock Smith should bring Smith on stage to publicly squash the beef.
Nate Burleson, one of the show’s co-hosts, asked, “Was it the physical slap or was it the ego that hurt more?”
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Will Smith questioned Chris Rock’s joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, prompting him to slap the comedian in the face. (Robyn Beck/AFP)
To applause from the audience, Burleson also said he hopes Rock will reflect on whether he crossed a line with his joke about Jada Pinkett Smith.
“I want Chris Rock to speak a little thoughtfully. For example, does he feel like he’s crossed a line? Or if he could do it again, would he say the same joke?” Burleson asked.
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Comedian/actor Chris Rock performs his stand-up comedy routine during a stop on his Total Blackout Tour at the Park Theater at the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino on June 10, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) (Ethan Miller/Getty Images))
“I’m wondering will Chris Rock be the same comedian or will he be more of a stripped back version of himself?” he continued.
Co-host Akbar Gbaja-Biamila said Rock will be under a lot of pressure to deliver.
“My biggest concern with this one is that it has waited a whole year and now it really needs to go above and beyond,” said Gbaja-Biamila.
In this handout photo provided by AMPAS, Chris Rock is seen backstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theater on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Al Seib/AMPAS via Getty Images) (Al Seib/Getty)
He said the jokes could be “stale” if they don’t deliver.
“I don’t know that Chris Rock is the same Chris Rock, and I’m a fan, but I don’t know if he’s the same Chris Rock we grew up with, laughing,” he continued.
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Sheryl Underwood said she “would love to see these two men get together, hug and end this.”
Gbaja-Biamila agreed and said Rock should bring Smith on stage.
Smith was not criminally charged in last year’s incident but was banned from attending the Oscars for 10 years.