Trevor Noah made a subtle reference to the high-profile incident — which saw Will Smith storm the stage at the Academy Awards to smack comedian Chris Rock= without mentioning either star by name when he pledged to “keep people’s names out of our mouths” throughout the show.
“It will be such a beautiful evening. Don’t even think of this as an award show, consider it a concert where we are giving out awards,” Noah said.
“We’re going to be listening to some music. We’re going to be dancing. We’re going to be singing, we’re going to be keeping people’s names out of our mouths, and we’re going to be giving out awards all throughout the night.”
This is the Academy Awards show famous for the slap seen around the world, when Will Smith accosted Chris Rock for making an off-hand joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head (she has alopecia, an autoimmue disease). After punching Rock and returning to his seat, Smith shouted twice: “Keep my wife’s name out of your f—— mouth.”
Shortly afterward, Questlove — who picked up the Best Documentary Feature Oscar just minutes after the altercation — appeared on stage at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and also made reference to the events of the previous weekend.
“I trust that you people will stay 500 feet away,” he quipped.
And during the pre-show, comedian Nate Bargatze stepped out to present an award wearing a black crash helmet.
“They said comedians have to wear these now at awards shows. It doesn’t even cover your face,” he joked.
Meanwhile, in his opening monologue, Noah also joked about how different this year’s ceremony was from last year’s, which he anchored from outside the Los Angeles Convention Centre amid strict COVID-19 restrictions.
“Last time, people were doing shots, but it was more Moderna and Pfizer,” he said.
“The Daily Show” host made his way through the star-studded crowd, making jokes at their expense.
Noting House of Gucci stars Lady Gaga and Jared Leto were in attendance, he said, “It’s not a full House of Gucci — more like an Apartment of Gucci. A Gucci Airbnb.”
Spotting “Peaches” hitmaker Justin Bieber, he joked the singer was “the best thing to happen to peaches since that Timothée Chalamet movie.”
Later, Noah commented on the rising popularity of NFTs when introducing a segment honoring those who work behind the scenes on tours.
“You know it’s been rough when your favorite artists go from trying to sell you music to trying to sell you pictures of digital monkeys,” he joked.
