The academy met today (April 8) to decide on the consequences Smith will face for slapping Rock on stage at last month’s ceremony after the comedian made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Shortly after the verdict was announced, Gervais re-shared the news of Smith’s punishment on Twitter with the caption: “We hope he will only do 6 years with good behavior.” Gervais was a very important voice among the celebrities in the aftermath of the Smith-Rock incident. He had previously commented on the events in defense of Chris Rock, describing his joke as “tame”. “You do not hit someone for a joke, no matter how bad it is – and it was not bad!” wrote on Twitter. “It was like the calmest joke I would ever say.” In an open letter released after the meeting, Academy President David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson wrote that this year’s Oscars were “overshadowed by the unacceptable and harmful behavior we saw Mr. Smith exhibit on stage.” He continued: “This action we are taking today in response to Will Smith’s conduct is a step towards a broader goal of protecting the safety of our artists and guests and restoring confidence in the Academy. “We also hope that a period of treatment and rehabilitation can begin for all those involved and affected.” Read Smith’s full response to the ban here. Follow here for live updates.
