Chris Rock ‘Saved’ the 2022 Oscars After Will Smith Slap, Producer Will Packer Says: Moments Were ‘Overshadowed’

usmagazine.com:

The show must go on. Oscars producer Will Packer wasn’t sure whether the awards ceremony could recover after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on stage.Packer, 47, opened up about the feeling inside of the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles following the jaw-dropping altercation, telling Good Morning America in an interview that aired on Friday, April 1, that he believed Rock, 57, salvaged the rest of the awards show.“Because Chris handled the moment with such grace and aplomb, it allowed the show to continue,” the Florida native said, noting that things “could have gone so many different ways” after Smith, 53, smacked the comedian across the face. “Because Chris continued the way he did — he completed the category, he handed the trophy to Questlove, somebody who was really robbed of their moment — it gave us license to continue the show, which is what we were trying to do.”From Packer’s perspective, the incident was “sad and disappointing” to witness. “It was such a huge moment and … it wasn’t something that we were gonna come back from within that night, within this week,” he explained. “I don’t know when we’ll come back and people will be talking about anything else other than this show.”The 94th annual Academy Awards came to a halt on Sunday, March 27, when Smith got out of his seat in response to a joke Rock made about Jada Pinkett Smith being cast in G.I.

Jane 2. The quip referred to the 50-year-old actress’ shaved head, which is a result of her battle with alopecia.Packer claimed that authorities were “prepared” to arrest the I Am Legend actor following the altercation, but Rock turned police away.

Packer also stated on Friday that he was “not part of” any conversations that may have been had about removing Smith from the