Samantha Bee Says Will Smith Slap Makes Her Understand ‘Why People Hate Hollywood’

Comedian Samantha Bee admitted she understands why people hate the Hollywood elite following Will Smith‘s Oscars meltdown.

Speaking with Jon Favreau on his podcast Offline, the two discussed their reactions to the infamous slap.

“I saw an Associated Press headline afterwards that read ‘Comedians React with Horror at Will Smith’s Oscars Slap’ and it was about comedians worrying that some people will now think it’s ok to get up and hit them for telling an offensive joke,” Favreau said.

“I don’t share that anxiety,” Bee laughed. “It’s so stupid and fucking ridiculous.”

Bee described watching the ceremony with her children saying, “We watched the bit where the host – one of the hosts was like patting down all these men on stage. Called all those actors up and was like patting them down and I was like ‘ha hey kids’, you know you’re always trying to impart a boring lesson to your children. ‘Just so you know this is fun and all but don’t put your hands on other people.'”

“Then this big slap and I’m like ‘well, that underlined the premise of my lecture’. Don’t put your hands on people – my god,” she said. “I’m really trying to not like clutch my pearls, like mommy’s said bad things about people, I can’t deny that, like whatever it’s comedy.”

Bee continued, “Don’t put your hands on people is a super good lesson for everybody to rehear, even very powerful, multi – multi – powerful Hollywood narcissists. Don’t do that.”

Favreau added, “The Hollywood of it all really got me too, even more than the incidents itself. ‘Cause it was just really strange how easy it was for everyone to like downplay it and move on to the point where Will Smith is dancing with his Oscar.”

“I think people were freaking – a lot of people were like really quaking like ‘I don’t know what to do’ like paralyzed with fear. But, beyond that, it really – really makes me understand why people hate Hollywood. Like, boy oh boy, very hatable. Myself included I’m like ‘oh for fucks sake can you be consistent’ but the answer is no. That’s why we peel off and go to bed and read a book during the Academy Awards, folks. That’s a choice you can make.”

Listen above via Offline with Jon Favreau.