Watch Will Smith apologize to Chris Rock and his family (video)

Will Smith publicly apologized to Chris Rock in a video posted online Friday, four months after the infamous Oscar slam.

Smith has previously expressed his regret in a statement, but this was his first public on-camera discussion of the slap, which came after Rock made an onstage joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith’s hair. (She had previously discussed experiencing hair loss due to alopecia.) Smith took the stage and slapped Rock, who made a joke while presenting an award. Then he shouted at him from the audience. Shortly after the slapping, Smith went back on stage to yell, “Keep my wife’s name out of your fingering mouth!” Moments later, Smith returned to the stage to accept a Best Actor Oscar for his role in King Richard.

Smith’s apology came in a video in which he answered questions he said he had received from fans.

In response to the question “Why didn’t you apologize to Chris in your acceptance speech?”, Smith replied:

“I was fogged out at the time. It’s all a blur. I’ve contacted Chris and the message that came back is that he’s not ready to talk. When he is, he’ll reach out. I’d say to you chris i apologize to you my behavior was unacceptable and i’m here when you’re ready to talk i want to apologize to chris’s mom i saw an interview that chris’s mom did and it was one of those things that I just didn’t realize. I didn’t think, but how many people were hurt in that moment. So I want to apologize to Chris’ mom, I want to apologize to Chris’ family, specifically Tony Rock. We had a good relationship. Tony Rock was my husband. This is probably irreparable.”

Will Smith slams Chris Rock at the Oscars

Will Smith continued: “I spent the last three months replaying and understanding the nuances and complexities of what happened in that moment. And I’m not going to try to unpack all that right now, but I can tell you all , there’s no part of me that thinks that was the right way to behave in that moment. There’s no part of me that thinks that’s the optimal way to deal with a feeling of disrespect or insults on.”

He also said his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith, didn’t put him up to the smell. He said he made the decision to slam Rock in part “out of my own history with Chris,” which has included past jokes the comedian has made at Smith’s expense.

“Jada had nothing to do with it. I’m sorry, honey,” Smith said.

He also said he was sorry for not living up to people’s expectations.

“I try to be contrite without being ashamed of myself,” he said. “I’m human. I made a mistake and I try not to think of myself as a piece of s—.”

He ended the video by saying to the people he had let down: “I know it was confusing, I know it was shocking, but I promise you that I am deeply committed and dedicated to putting light, love and joy into in the world. And if you keep at it, I promise we can be friends again.”

Smith’s video came just days after Chris Rock addressed the situation for the first time ever during a stand-up show in New Jersey.

“Anyone who says words hurt has never been punched in the face,” Rock said, according to the report NBC News. He later added, “I’m not a victim. Yeah, it’s — hurt, grandma — uh. But I shook the s— off and went to work the next day. I’m not going to the hospital for a paper cut.”

In a statement the day after the Oscars, Will Smith released a statement saying: “Violence in all its forms is toxic and destructive. My behavior at the Oscars last night was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are part of the job , but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally. I want to publicly apologize to you Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.”

Main image: Will Smith, on Youtube.