CNN
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On stage in Liverpool on Thursday night, Dave Chappelle delivered a scathing assessment of the Oscar slap in the face heard around the world.
Chappelle is in the midst of a joint comedy tour with Chris Rock, who in March was slapped while performing at the Oscars by actor Will Smith.
“A lot of people forget who Will Smith is,” Chappelle said on stage at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, according to British newspaper The Telegraph. “Then 10 minutes before he was about to get the biggest prize…he acted like he was back in Philadelphia.”
Smith won Best Actor for his role as Venus and Serena Williams’ father, Richard Williams, in the movie “King Richard.” But her victory was overshadowed by her conduct that night, which was condemned by the Academy and earned Smith a 10-year ban from Academy events.
‘Saturday Night Live’ Tackles Will Smith’s Oscar Slap
“Will felt like a perfect person for 30 years, and he ripped off his mask and showed us that he was just as ugly as the rest of us,” Chappelle said. “Whatever the consequences…I hope he doesn’t put his mask back on and let his true face breathe…I see myself in both men.
A representative for Chappelle confirmed the Telegraph’s information. CNN has reached out to representatives for Rock and Smith for comment.
Chappelle made the comments during the first of three shows as part of their UK tour. They have two back-to-back dates scheduled for this weekend at London’s O2 Arena, with additional dates scheduled across Europe.
Rock also reportedly addressed the slap, joking that Smith “hit me for a bullshit joke, the greatest joke I’ve ever told”, according to The Telegraph and The Times of London.
In July, Smith opened up about the incident in a video posted to Instagram, saying he was “deeply remorseful.”