The man has jokes. Trevor Noah isn’t done discussing Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 94th annual Academy Awards — and this time, the Daily Show host got in some jabs about the King Richard star’s punishment from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
While the comedian, 38, initially told his talk show audience on Monday, April 12, that he first thought that the consequences the Academy imposed on Smith, 53, were “ridiculous” — the actor has been banned from attending the Oscars for 10 years — he quickly came to the conclusion that the punishment was actually a “favor” to the Academy Award winner.
“I got into the details and I realized he gets to keep his Oscar and he can still win Oscars even though he’s banned. … This is a favor!” Noah quipped. “Will Smith doesn’t have to go to the ceremony! Yeah, he doesn’t have to get dressed up. He doesn’t have to sit through a bunch of boring awards that he doesn’t care about. He doesn’t have to pretend to be happy when he loses.”
The Academy announced Smith’s punishment on Friday, April 8, noting that “Mr. Smith shall not be permitted to attend any Academy events or programs, in person or virtually, including but not limited to the Academy Awards.”