Fox News hostJeanine Pirro said the Oscars are "not the hood" in response to the award show's confrontation on Sunday.- On Sunday,
Will Smith hitChris Rock after the comedian made a joke about Smith's wife's baldness.
Fox News host Jeanine Pirro said the Oscars "are not the hood" in response to Will Smith hitting Chris Rock during the annual award show Sunday night.
During the 94th Academy Awards on Sunday, Best Actor award-winner Smith had an onstage confrontation with Rock, after the comedian made a joke alluding to Jada Pinkett-Smith's buzzed head. Pinkett-Smith has previously spoken out about her alopecia, which has led to hair loss.
After taking his seat, Smith then yelled to Rock, "Keep my wife's name out of your fucking mouth!" to which Rock obliged and joked about the moment becoming the "greatest night in the history of television."
People weighed in on the incident, including Pirro during a segment of Fox News talk show "The Five" on Monday. During the episode, co-host Dana Perino asked Pirro for her thoughts on the confrontation.
"I think that the Oscars are not the hood, I think it's not a bar," Pirro said. "I don't think you march up on stage because a guy makes a joke of your wife, which honestly, I think is complimentary. She could do 'GI Jane 2.' Jada Smith's got a fabulous body and she's beautiful, as was Demi Moore in that film."
"But aside from all that, in the middle of an event, where people are going to get awards in their chosen profession, and this guy takes it upon himself to disrupt the event, to go up onstage, to commit violence on stage, then come back and curse out so we can't even put on television what he says because he feels slighted by a joke," she continued.
The Fox News host went on to joke that, if Smith's reaction sets any precedent, that she should go to "Saturday Night Live" and "really go crazy over there."
Pirro has been spoofed in SNL skits by comedian Cecily Strong, particularly based on her segments from Fox News' "Justice with Judge Jeanine."
—nikki mccann ramírez (@NikkiMcR) March 28, 2022
On Monday, the Academy said it "doesn't condone violence of any form" after the incident and announced it was launching a formal review into the confrontation, as well as "explore further action and consequences in accordance with our Bylaws, Standards of Conduct, and California law."
Smith later released an apology statement the following day, describing his behavior at the awards show as "unacceptable and inexcusable."
"Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada's medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally," Smith said in the statement. "I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong."
He added: "I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be."