TV host Richard Madeley has blasted comedian Chris Rock as the most “unpleasant” person he’s ever interviewed amid a shocking incident involving Will Smith at the Oscars.
The Oscars ceremony was stunned by silence when Smith slapped the host of the event following a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith.
Rock, 57, has drawn the ire of the King Richard star after teasing the actor about his shaved head after a battle with alopecia.
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Smith, 53, who later apologized for the incident after receiving his first Oscar for his portrayal of the Williams sisters’ father, cried on stage as he admitted ‘love will make you do crazy things’.
But on Good Morning Britain on Monday, Madeley, 65, described Chris as the ‘most unpleasant person I’ve interviewed without hesitation’ as he weighed in on the heated exchange, the shimmer reports.
“I was interviewed by GQ Magazine a few years ago. He was the nastiest person I’ve ever interviewed in my entire career, and it dates back to 1972 when I started at a local newspaper” , he told Susanna Reid.
“It was for the movie Madagascar. If it had been live, it would have been scrapped.
“He was the most obnoxious, rude, aggressive and unsympathetic person I’ve ever interviewed on camera, without a doubt. His behavior was horrible in my book. He’s the most obnoxious celebrity I’ve ever had misfortune to interview.”
Later in the program, Richard continued to criticize Chris for joking, “Jada, I can’t wait for GI Jane 2”, calling him a “toxic person”.
He added: “If a man makes a rude, rude remark about his wife, you’re playing with fire. I’m not saying that’s fair.”
Co-host Susanna Reid, 51, added: “This is assault and it is not acceptable. There is no justification for hitting another human being.”
While the presenter said Will was a “great person to interview,” she added, “It’s not okay to get on stage and punch a human being.”
Hollywood watched in shock as Chris referenced Demi Moore’s shaved head in 1997 war drama GI Jane as he commented on Jada’s buzzcut.
As Jada looked visibly upset, her husband Will – who won Best Actor later that evening – approached the stage and slapped the presenter, before returning to his seat and yelling : “Keep my wife’s name out of your f****** mouth.”
Jada has previously opened up about her decision to shave her head after suffering from alopecia.
Chris appeared shocked by the incident, as he attempted to resume presenting the best documentary feature category.
Jada has previously revealed her reasons for shaving her head, after battling alopecia.
Speaking on Instagram last year, the actress explained: “Now at this point I can only laugh…you all know I struggled with alopecia. Suddenly one day…c just appeared like this.
“Now it’s going to be a little harder for me to hide it. So I thought I’d share it just so you don’t ask questions…Mom’s going to have to take it to the scalp so no one thinks she’s had brain surgery or something. Me and this alopecia are going to be friends…period!”
Moments after Sunday night’s shocking incident, Variety reported that Will’s publicist Meredith O. Sullivan approached the actor and spoke to him during a break.
It was also reported that actor Denzel Washington stood up to speak to Will privately.
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Later that evening, Will won his first Oscar for his performance in King Richard and apologized on stage for his previous actions.
“Love will make you do crazy things,” the emotional winner confessed, referencing his outburst.
He also revealed what Denzel Washington said to him after the slap: “Up high is where the devil comes for you.”
Will later apologized to the Academy and his fellow nominees.
Throughout his moving speech, the father-of-two also spoke about how Richard Williams – father of tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams – was a “protector” of his family.
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