Kimmel Suggests Some Fun Ways the Academy Could Punish Will Smith for Slapping Chris Rock (Video)

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences says it will take a few weeks to figure out an appropriate way to respond to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars. But on Wednesday’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” Kimmel came up with several creative punishments the Academy could consider.

Of course, he also wants to know why on earth it’s going to take so long to complete the investigation.

“Unless you’ve been living under a Chris Rock, you know the story. We all do. People living in igloos know the story. But the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, they’re not jumping to any conclusions. They have begun what they call their ‘official review,’” Kimmel said during his monologue.

“The President and CEO of the Academy sent a letter to members that says it will take them a few weeks to complete their investigation of this incident. And a lot of people are are wondering why it will take a few weeks to investigate something we all saw happen – in real time,” Kimmel said, adding “but you have to remember, it takes these people four hours to hand out eight awards. So they’re in no rush. They do one thing a year and that’s it.”

“But you know what they say: It’s an honor just to be investigated,” Kimmel joked.

“So now the question is, what are they gonna do? Will they suspend Will Smith’s membership, or maybe even take his Oscar away?” Kimmel said. “I don’t think they should do either of those things. I really don’t.”

“If the Academy wants to punish Will Smith, you know what they should do? I had the idea. They should make him host the Red Carpet interviews for E! Next year. Let him stand outside asking Olivia Colman who designed her purse for four hours,” Kimmel continued.

“Or maybe for ten years, he is not allowed to star in anything good. No big franchises. No big directors. ‘The Academy sentences you to one decade of Hallmark Christmas movies,’” Kimmel suggested.

Kimmel also expressed some confusion about the Academy’s claim on Wednesday that Smith had been asked to leave after slapping Rock, but refused.

“I don’t know who asked him to leave. Maybe Jazzy Jeff asked him? I don’t know. ‘Hey Jazzy, could you pass along a message to Will?’ Could you imagine that? Who would have accepted his Oscar if he had been thrown out?  Chris Rock maybe? I don’t know,” Kimmel said.      

“You know,” Kimmel said as he wound the segment down, “usually when someone is asked to leave, and refuses to go, that’s when security comes in and takes that person away. But in this case, they decided to give him an Oscar and let him back on stage to speak. We’re all feeling the repercussions of this slap. It’s not just Chris Rock.”