Whoopi Goldberg Suggests Racial Dynamics Stopped Will Smith Oscars Removal

Whoopi Goldberg has suggested that Will Smith wasn't removed from Sunday's Oscars after slapping Chris Rock because the show's bosses didn't want to have to explain why they were "taking the Black man out" of the ceremony.

Smith stunned viewers when he made his way onstage at Hollywood's Dolby Theatre and slapped Rock in reaction to the comedian making a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith's close-cropped haircut, a result of her alopecia.

The screen star then returned to his seat, from which he yelled profanities at Rock, repeatedly warning him to "keep my wife's out your f****** mouth." Several minutes later, Smith returned to the stage to accept a Best Actor Oscar for King Richard.

During Tuesday's installment of The View, Goldberg, who is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' board of governors, discussed the series of events surrounding the incident.

When conservative commentator Tara Setmayer, who was on the show as a guest host, shared her belief that Smith should have been removed from the building after slapping Rock, Goldberg weighed in on why that didn't happen.

"The reason they didn't go and take him out is because that would have been another 15, 20 minute explanation of why we're taking the Black man out five seconds before they're about to decide whether he's won an Oscar or not.

"So that's, and I'm going to say I believe [Oscars producer] Will Packer made the right decision. He said, let's get through the rest of this so we can deal with it wholeheartedly. So that's what went on."

She said: "This is not the first time craziness has happened onstage, but this is the first time we've seen anybody assault anybody onstage."

Following the incident, the Academy condemned Smith's actions, while also revealing that there will be a formal review ahead of the governing body announcing its next steps.

However, there have been questions over whether Smith will face any consequences, given that there are other stars who have retained their Oscars after their own transgressions.

"Let me know say this, there are consequences. There are big consequences," Goldberg insisted, "because nobody is OK with what happened... What's happening [is] people are now starting to calm down and say, wait a minute, what could have triggered this?"

After the telecast, photos emerged that showed a number of Oscars attendees comforting Smith instead of Rock during a break in the show.

Goldberg explained that no one got up to go comfort Chris because "they weren't going to let anybody else on the stage."

The Oscar-winning Ghost star went on: "They weren't going to let anybody go back. There were people there for Chris. Everybody is aware.

"The reason people got up and went over to [Smith] is because I think a lot of people thought, Oh my God, is he having a break? And so do we need to get him out? What do we need to do?"

Co-host Sunny Hostin commented that amid the conversations around Smith, "we need to also talk about Chris Rock because what's playing over and over again is his assault. Internationally on television, his family is seeing that, his children are seeing that."

"He took the high road, but we have to keep him in mind because he was the victim here," Hostin said.

As the topic of discussion drew to a close, Goldberg said: "Everything that needed to happen that evening, happened. Chris took care of business and is the adult who said, do you know what, I get it, I'm [going to] let this do what it needs to do."

Newsweek has contacted a representative of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for comment.

During his Oscar acceptance speech, Smith apologized to his fellow nominees and the Academy for his actions. On Monday, he apologized to Rock via an Instagram post.

Shortly after the incident, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement on Sunday: "LAPD investigative entities are aware of an incident between two individuals during the Academy Awards program.

"The incident involved one individual slapping another. The individual involved has declined to file a police report. If the involved party desires a police report at a later date, LAPD will be available to complete an investigative report."