Oscars Host Jimmy Kimmel Takes Swipe at Will Smith

Jimmy Kimmel and Will Smith on stage in back-to-back years at the Oscars. Credit: Getty Images for AMPAS)

Will Smith is banned from attending the Oscars for ten years after slapping Chris Rock. While the Emancipation star wasn’t at Sunday night’s awards, he still got roasted by host Jimmy Kimmel.

Kimmel warned the celebrity-filled audience inside the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles to behave while taking a swipe at Smith — who won the best actor trophy last year for his performance in King Richard.

“We want you to have fun, we want you to feel safe and, most importantly, we want me to feel safe,” the comedian said. “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.”

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Kimmel was joking, but he soon changed his tone.

“No, but seriously, the academy has a crisis team in place,” he continued. “If anything unpredictable or violent happens during the show, just do what you did last year – nothing. Sit there and do absolutely nothing. Maybe even give the assailant a hug.”

The Jimmy Kimmel Live! star didn’t say Smith’s name, but he did mention his 1998 song “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It.”

“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. There are a few of my friends you have to get through first. You’re gonna have to get through the heavyweight champ first, Adonis Creed, before you get to me,” he said pointing to Creed III director and star Michael B. Jordan.

For anyone who needs a refresher, last year Smith stormed the stage and smacked Rock for telling a joke about the actor’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith starring in a G.I. Jane sequel because of her shaved head. Pinkett Smith has alopecia and her furious husband yelled at Rock, “Keep my wife’s name out your fu–ing mouth!”

“Oh wow. Wow. Will Smith just smacked the s— out of me.” a stunned Rock responded, “Wow, dude. It was a G.I. Jane joke.”

Rock got his revenge last weekend, albeit a year later, when he shredded the couple during his Netflix special, “Selective Outrage.”

Watch Jimmy Kimmel comment about Will Smith in the video below at the 10:30 mark.