Actor Rob Lowe joked that Will Smith’s Oscars slap made him happy because he thought it might eclipse his much-criticised 1989 opening performance.
Speaking on SiriusXM’s “Andy Cohen Live” on Thursday, Lowe recalled his reaction to Smith striking comedian Chris Rock. He hoped another incident might finally replace his musical number as the ceremony’s most embarrassing memory.
“When Will Smith slapped Chris Rock, I was the only person happy,” Lowe said.
His own appearance involved a song-and-dance routine alongside Snow White. Criticism of the opening followed him for decades, and he described it as the worst in the awards show’s history.
Smith struck Rock during the 94th Academy Awards on March 27, 2022, after the comedian made a joke about actor Jada Pinkett Smith.
Lowe initially thought that confrontation would change how people remembered his performance. But he acknowledged that the jokes about his appearance had continued.
Read: Chris Rock in Netflix special jokes about the Oscars slap
He recalled people invoking the old routine again while discussing the 2026 Emmy Awards. He said they compared it to the fact that at least the latest show hadn’t featured him.
(With input from Entertainment Weekly)
