Will Smith slammed for 'mocking bald man' in resurfaced clip after Oscars slap scandal

31 March 2022, 16:40

Watch slow-motion clip of Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars

An old clip from 'The Arsenio Hall Show' where Will Smith makes a joke about a bald man who suffered from alopecia has resurfaced online.

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Will Smith has been criticised for poking fun at a bald man in a resurfaced clip following the infamous Chris Rock incident at the Oscars.

Chris Rock breaks silence on Will Smith slapping him at the Oscars

On Sunday night (Mar 27) the 53-year-old walked onto the stage during the live broadcast and slapped comedian Chris after he made a joke about Jada Pinkett’s shaved head.

Will Smith (R) slaps US Chris Rock onstage during the 94th Oscars.
Will Smith (R) slaps US Chris Rock onstage during the 94th Oscars. Picture: Getty

The Hollywood actress suffers from alopecia, and rolled her eyes after Chris made the reference about 'GI Jane' – a bald character Demi Moore plays in the 1997 film.

However, Will came to his wife’s defence and slapped Chris Rock in his face, leaving the audience and viewers gobsmacked.

Taking to Instagram, Will Smith issued an apology to Chris Rock in a heartfelt statement, where he expressed regret over his violent behaviour.

However, fans have found an an old clip of him mocking a bald man – who also suffered from alopecia.

Jada Pinkett-Smith rolled her eyes after Chris Rock made a joke about her shaved head – a result of her alopecia.
Jada Pinkett-Smith rolled her eyes after Chris Rock made a joke about her shaved head – a result of her alopecia. Picture: Getty

The 1991 video sees Will, who is in his early 20s, being interviewed on The Arsenio Hall Show, making a joke aimed at fellow guest, bass player John B. Williams.

“Like, he has a rule, the bass player? He's got a rule: He's gotta wax his head every day. That's a rule,” Will quipped.

Realising his joke did not sit well, he said: “Ah these are jokes, come on!”

The clip went viral on Twitter, with fans criticising Will for his hypocritical behaviour.

One fan wrote: “Why can he comment about someone’s appearance claiming it’s a joke, yet when it comes to him & his family they’re off limits.”

Another fan wrote: "Not Will Smith making bald jokes about someone with Alopecia. Couldn’t be."

See more fan reactions below.

On Wednesday night (Mar 30) Rock told an audience at his sold-out comedy show in Boston that he was 'still processing' being slapped on stage by Will Smith.

The 57-year-old comedian opened up about the incident shortly after The Academy revealed that Will Smith refused to leave the Oscars after being requested to.

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