Chris Rock was spotted looking somber on a solo outing in New York City after his brother Keith slammed Will Smith and said The Academy should strip him of his Oscar a week-and-a-half after the now notorious slapping altercation.
The 57-year-old comedian was all by his lonesome walking with his hands in his bomber jacket out in the Big Apple on Tuesday morning.
Meanwhile his 42-year-old younger brother Kenny told the Los Angeles Times that he has had trouble repeatedly watching the now infamous moment involving his brother from last week’s Oscars ceremony and that he should be stripped of the Best Actor trophy.
He said: ‘It eats at me watching it over and over again because you’ve seen a loved one being attacked and there’s nothing you can do about it.
‘Every time I’m watching the videos, it’s like a rendition that just keeps going over and over in my head.’
Kenny continued to express his distaste for the A-list actor’s actions.
He said: ‘My brother was no threat to him and you just had no respect for him at that moment.
‘You just belittled him in front of millions of people that watch the show.’
On Friday, Will resigned from The Academy calling his actions during the ceremony ‘shocking, painful and inexcusable,’ adding that he would accept any additional consequences issued by the Academy’s Board of Governors.
‘The list of those I have hurt is long and includes Chris, his family, many of my dear friends and loved ones, all those in attendance, and global audiences at home,’ Smith said. ‘I betrayed the trust of the Academy. I deprived other nominees and winners of their opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated for their extraordinary work. I am heartbroken.’
Chris’ brother Kenny was asked if he accepts Will’s apology and says he doesn’t especially considering that it took so long to get it out of the I Am Legend star.
He explained: ‘I might have looked at it differently had he initially apologized when he got on the stage and cried and accepted the award, but he didn’t, so, right there that tells me that it is something else.’
Kenny also expressed his frustration over The Academy not being more proactive to remove Will from the scene of the incident as he said: ‘He should have been escorted out of there.