Trevor Noah speaks at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington on April 30, 2022. Patrick Semansky/AP/Shutterstock
Do you like poking fun? During the first White House Correspondents’ Dinner in nearly three years amid the coronavirus pandemic, host Trevor NoahYou can see how comedy has changed under the influence of Will Smith Chris Rock’s Oscars drama.
“It is risky making jokes these days,” the Daily Show The host, 38, stated this during his monologue on Saturday April 30, per C-SPAN footage. “I mean, we all saw what happened at the Oscars.”
He continued: “I’ve actually been a little worried about tonight. What if I make a really bad joke about it? Kellyanne ConwayThen her husband. [George T. Conway III] rushes up on the stage and thanks me?”
Chris Rock and Will Smith at Los Angeles’s 94th Annual Academy Awards on March 27, 2022. Rob Latour/Shutterstock
The 53-year old Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alum made headlines in March when he smacked the 57-year-old South Carolina native at the 94th annual Academy Awards. Rock joked that Jada pinkett Smith — who wed the Ali star in 1997 — could star in a G.I. Jane Her shaved head was the reason for her sequel. (Pinkett Smith has often spoken out about her struggles with hair loss and alopecia. The Maryland native, 50, subtly laughed at the joke, but Smith walked on stage and slapped Rock.
“Keep my wife’s name out your f—king mouth,” the Philadelphia native shouted after returning to his seat.
The Grown Ups actor declined to press charges against Smith — who won a trophy for his King Richard role during the March 27 ceremony — before eventually receiving an apology.
“Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive,” Smith wrote in an Instagram statement on March 28. “My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. … I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was wrong and I was out of line. I am embarrassed by my actions, which are not indicative the man I want. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.”
Despite all the controversy, Men in Black star resigned from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, which banned him from future events for 10 years.
Many comedians laughed about the Oscars incident and defended Rock after it made headlines.
“Don’t even think of this as an award show,” the Born a Crime author said last month while hosting the Grammy Awards, referring to Smith’s now-viral line from the Oscars. “It’s a concert where we are giving out awards, we will be listening to music, dancing, sing, keeping people’s names out of our mouths and we are going to give people awards all throughout the night. So let’s get straight into it.”
Noah continued his musical hosting gig by emceeing a Washington, D.C. event. The annual dinner — attended by President Joe Biden — aims to celebrate the freedom of speech and raise money for journalism programs. Many comics — including the likes of Noah and James Corden — had the chance to roast the POTUS before he got to crack a few jokes as well.
