Howard Stern has taken issue with the way Hollywood has addressed Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars compared to Dave Chappelle’s attacker.
Stern called out what he calls hypocrisy during Wednesday’s “The Howard Stern Show”.
“This guy jumped up onstage and attacked Dave Chappelle,” Stern said, per Mediaite. “As soon as that happened, did they let him go back to his seat and laugh and sit next to his wife and then give them an award? No! They took him backstage, they broke his arms and hands so bad. They f**king beat the s**t out of him.”
During Tuesday’s Netflix Is A Joke Festival, a man attacked Chappelle before security tackled him. He was later arrested and taken away on a stretcher. Rock and Jamie Foxx were in attendance and rushed to Chappelle’s aid.
“Was that Will Smith?” Rock joked.
READ MORE: Dave Chappelle Releases Statement After The ‘Unsettling’ Onstage Attack
Stern continued, saying: “Unlike the Academy Awards, Jamie Foxx came running out onstage and helped Dave Chappelle. At the Academy Awards, everyone came over and consoled Will Smith — because it was live television and Hollywood didn’t know what to do about Will Smith.”
“Listen! You don’t treat Will Smith any different than they did the Chappelle attacker,” Stern said. “The audience at the Oscars gave Will Smith a standing ovation after the attack, that’s the truth. It’s on film, it’s not fake news. They didn’t break Will’s hands, they shook them and it’s wrong and they all should be ashamed of themselves.”
Stern previously spoke out about Smith’s slap, expressing how Smith needs to “contain” himself.
“This is a sign of great mental illness when you can’t control your impulse,” added Stern, who has been open about his own emotional struggles. “He didn’t think twice about what he was about to do. Now that’s crazy, when you can’t contain yourself like that.”
