References to Will Smith’s Oscars altercation were still being made one week later by presenters at the 64th Grammy Awards.
Smith took to the stage at the Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles last Sunday and hit presenter Chris Rock, after the comedian made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith and her hair loss.
The incident occurred just before Rock announced the winner of best documentary feature, which was awarded to Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and his production team for Summer Of Soul.
The documentary also won the Grammy for best music film.
Presenting the award for best song in Las Vegas, the Roots drummer said: “I will present this award and I trust you will stay 500 feet away from me.”
Ceremony host Trevor Noah also made a fleeting reference to the incident and Smith’s angry verbal attack on Rock as he opened the show.
“It is going to be such a beautiful evening. Don’t even think of it as an award show, this is a concert where we’re giving out awards,” he said.
“We’re going to be listening to some music, we’re going dancing, we’re going to be singing, we’re going to be keeping people’s names out of our mouths.”
At the Oscars, Smith had shouted at Rock to get Pinkett Smith’s name “out of your f****** mouth.”
Trevor Noah hosts the 64th Annual Grammy Awards show at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
MARIO ANZUONI
FILE PHOTO: Will Smith (R) hits Chris Rock as Rock spoke on stage during the 94th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 27, 2022. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo
BRIAN SNYDER