*Will Smith’s longtime pal and music collaborator DJ Jazzy Jeff is speaking out about the controversial Oscars slap on March 27.
As you know, Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Academy Awards last month over a joke the comedian made about Jada Pinkett’s Smith’s bald head.
“Don’t get it twisted that it was something he was proud of. It was a lapse in judgment, you know?” said Jazzy Jeff, 57, during a Closed Sessions Legend Conversation at Dorian’s Through the Record Shop in Chicago last week, New York Post reports.
“I think the thing that I’ve realized is I don’t know too many people that has had the least amount of lapse of judgment than him,” he continued.
“I can name 50 times that [Smith] should’ve smacked the s – – t out of somebody and he didn’t,” Jeff continued. “So for him to have a lapse in judgment, he’s human. And I think a lot of the criticism comes from the people who don’t think people like that are human.”
Hear more from Jazzy Jeff about the slapping scandal via the Instagram clip below.
READ MORE: Will Smith Banned from Attending Oscars for 10 Years – He Keeps Oscar
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Meanwhile, according to Roger Friedman of Showbiz411, Smith has been laying low in foreign lands with a prince.
After the Oscars slap, Smith was flown out to Dubai by Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, aka “Fazza,” per the report.
During the 94th Academy Awards, Rock made a “G.I. Jane 2” joke directed at Pinkett Smith’s bald head, which she shaved because she’s battling alopecia. The joke caused Will to sock Chris in the face out of anger, something he has since apologized for twice.
After the assault, Smith won the Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal of Richard Williams, father of Venus and Serena Williams, in the biopic “King Richard.”
Smith later posted a written apology on social media to Rock, which the comedian has yet to address.
Smith has resigned from the Academy since the slapping incident, and the organization banned him from attending the Oscars for 10 years.
Academy President David Rubin said in a statement last week regarding the ban, “We want to express our deep gratitude to Mr. Rock for maintaining his composure under extraordinary circumstances. We also want to thank our hosts, nominees, presenters and winners for their poise and grace during our telecast.
“This action we are taking today in response to Will Smith’s behavior is a step toward a larger goal of protecting the safety of our performers and guests, and restoring trust in the Academy,” Rubin concluded.
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