Chris Rock Receives Standing Ovation At First Show Back After Oscars

Chris Rock received a standing ovation at his first show back after he was slapped by Will Smith at the Oscars.

Smith lashed out at the comedian after he made a G.I. Jane joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head – a result of her alopecia – at the 94th Academy Awards, a move that has been heavily criticised in the days that followed. 

When the Fresh Prince star, who went on to win the Best Actor Oscar for his role in King Richard, returned to his seat, he shouted: “Keep my wife’s name out of your f***ing mouth.”

Just days after the incident, Rock returned to the stage for a sold-out stand-up show in Boston, where he received a standing ovation from the front two rows of seats as he made his appearance. 

The 57-year-old comedian was performing at the Wilbur Theatre last night, 30 March, as part of his ‘Ego Death’ tour when he addressed the situation, saying he wasn’t ready to crack jokes about it. 

Per the MailOnline, he told crowds: “Let me be all misty and s**t. I don't have a bunch of s**t to say about that, so if you came here for that...

“I had written a whole show before this weekend. I'm still processing what happened, so at some point I'll talk about that s**t. It'll be serious. It'll be funny, but right now I'm going to tell some jokes.”

Rock also said he hasn't 'talked to anyone, despite what you heard'.

Audience members were then treated to the usual high-energy set you’d expect from Rock, with jokes ranging from Robert De Niro being an OAP dad to his decision to get a vasectomy. 

The ‘Ego Death’ tour marks Rock's first comedy tour in five years, and will see him travelling around the world to perform his latest stand-up routine. 

Earlier this week, Smith apologised to Rock over the Oscars incident in a lengthy Instagram post, writing: “Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behaviour at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally. 

“I would like to publicly apologise to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.

“I would also like to apologise to the Academy, the producers of the show, all the attendees and everyone watching around the world.

"I would like to apologise to the Williams Family and my King Richard Family. I deeply regret that my behaviour has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us. I am a work in progress.”

The Academy has since also issued a direct apology to the comedian, admitting that it could have handled the situation much better, and clarifying that Smith was indeed asked to leave the event but the actor refused.

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