Actor Will Smith delivered the slap heard ’round the world Sunday night at the 2022 Oscars ceremony, smacking comedian Chris Rock for a joke about his wife’s bald head. Regardless of whether you think Smith overreacted or did the right thing, the slap was the highlight of the evening and one of the most exciting awards show moments in years.
In honor of the “Smith Slap,” Cockburn has compiled a list of five other award show moments featuring celebrities that deserved to be slapped.
1. Kanye West interrupting Taylor Swift at the VMAs
Kanye’s “I’mma Let You Finish” moment when Taylor Swift tried to give her acceptance speech would have been even juicier if Swift had given him a nice backhand. Beyonce delivered the metaphorical slap later in the show by calling Swift on stage to finish her speech.
2. #Envelopegate at the 2017 Oscars
Best Picture presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway were handed the wrong envelope on stage, leading them to announce La La Land as the winner of the evening’s grand prize. When the mix-up was discovered and the award finally went to Moonlight, we wouldn’t have begrudged one of the stars delivering a blow for their troubles.
3. Nicki Minaj asks Miley Cyrus “What’s good?” at the VMAS
Miley Cyrus should have known better than to badmouth rapper Nicki Minaj to the press ahead of the 2015 VMAs. Cyrus told the New York Times that she thought Minaj unfairly brought up race and sounded “angry” when criticizing Taylor Swift for snagging a video of the year nomination. Minaj didn’t care for that too much, and called out the show’s host for her comments.
“Back to this bitch that had a lot to say about me the other day in the press. Miley, what’s good?” Minaj fired from the stage. How do you not follow that line with a slap?
4. Fiji Water Girl photobombs the entire red carpet
Celebrities were livid when their red carpet moments at the 2019 Golden Globes were upstaged by a model for Fiji Water. Kelleth Cuthbert pulled off the blatant publicity stunt by sneaking into the back of nearly every celeb’s photo holding a tray of water. She claims she was merely trying to keep the stars “hydrated.” Her thirst for fame should have ended with an open-hand strike from actress Jamie Lee Curtis.
5. Seth MacFarlane has seen everyone’s boobs
2013 Oscars host Seth MacFarlane earned the ire of nearly every woman in attendance when he opened the ceremony with “We Saw Your Boobs,” a raunchy song and dance number that pointed out which actresses had stripped down for their silver screen performances. If Will Smith was defending Jada Pinkett Smith’s honor this year, then every spouse of the women mentioned in MacFarlane’s gag song should have lined up with their hands raised.
BONUS: Ricky Gervais roasts Hollywood at the 2020 Golden Globes
Cockburn selfishly would have loved to see a celebrity storm on stage over Golden Globes host Ricky Gervais ripping them for their associations with Jeffrey Epstein and their annoyingly political acceptance speeches. The comedic carnage from Gervais afterward would have been glorious.
