Each Will Smith Slap Joke From the 2023 Oscars — Which Was Finest?

For movie’s greatest night time, Jimmy Kimmel as soon as once more served as host, and, in fact, all eyes had been on his 2023 Oscars opening monologue to see what he would do and handle.

After a montage of the making movies from the previous yr (in addition to clips from the films), ending with Kimmel inserted right into a scene from Top Gun: Maverick, the host “parachuted” down onto the stage for his opening monologue. After jokes about Nicole Kidman’s AMC advert and the nominees, he turned to the subject everybody anticipated: the slap from the 2022 Oscars. (In case you had been residing underneath a rock, that was when presenter Chris Rock joked about Jada Pinkett Smith on stage, which upset her husband, Will Smith, who walked up on stage and slapped the comic.)

First, noting that there have been 5 Irish actors nominated, Kimmel, who beforehand hosted in 2017 and 2018, mentioned, “which suggests the percentages of one other combat onstage simply went method up.”

Then, he returned to that incident close to the top of his monologue, noting that there at the moment are protocols in place.

“We would like you to have enjoyable. We would like you to really feel secure. And most necessary, we would like me to really feel secure. So now we have strict insurance policies in place,” Kimmel mentioned. “If anybody on this theater commits an act of violence at any level throughout this present, you may be awarded the Oscar for Best Actor and permitted to provide a 19-minute lengthy speech. No however critically, the Academy has a disaster group in place. If something unpredictable or violent occurs throughout this ceremony, simply do what you probably did final yr: nothing. Sit there and do completely nothing. Perhaps even give the assailant a hug.”

He continued, with the digicam shifting to some attendees within the viewers, “and if any of you get mad at a joke and determine you wish to come up right here and get jiggy with it, it’s not going to be simple. There are a number of of my mates you’re going to must get by first. You’re going to must get by the heavyweight champ Adonis Creed earlier than you get to me,” (Michael B. Jordan) “You’re going to must do battle with Michelle Yeoh earlier than you get to me. You’re going to must beat the Mandalorian. earlier than you get to me.” (Pedro Pascal) “You’re going to must tangle with Spider-Man.” (Andrew Garfield shrugs.) “You’re going to must tangle with Fabelman. And then you definitely’re going to must undergo my right-hand man, Guillermo, if you wish to rise up to this stage. The opposite Guillermo. Not del Toro. Sure, that one. I do know he’s cute, however make no mistake, you even a lot as wave at me, that candy man will beat the Lydia Tár out of you.”

Kimmel insisted, “there will likely be no nonsense tonight. We have now no time for shenanigans. This can be a celebration of everybody right here.”

Then, when it got here time to announce Documentary Characteristic, Kimmel couldn’t assist however observe it “as you might recall, is the place we had that little skirmish final yr. Hopefully this time it goes off with no hitch. Or at the very least with out Hitch,” the host mentioned, referring to Will Smith’s 2005 movie. Please put your arms collectively after which hold them to your self for Oscar winners Riz Ahmed and Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson.”

At nearly the two-hour mark, whereas checking on how everybody was doing (and joking about placing meals underneath seats), Kimmel quipped, “this level within the present kinda makes you miss the slapping just a little bit.”

The ultimate reference got here in Kimmel’s sign-off on the finish of the night time, with “nice work, disaster group.” He then stepped offstage to a board with Numbers of Oscars Telecasts With out Incident and altered the quantity to 1.

However what did you consider how Kimmel addressed the slap in his opening monologue? Tell us within the ballot under and hold checking in as we hold this put up up to date with some other references.