Will Smith’s fate to be decided at full board of Governors meeting on Wednesday

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The View host Whoopi Goldberg, who is also a member of the Academy board of governors, believes Will Smith will be able to keep his Oscar after slapping Chris Rock onstage at the ceremony Sunday, but says the actor will face ‘big consequences because nobody is OK with what happened.’

Goldberg defended Smith on Monday, saying that ‘sometimes you behave badly’ and that she believed he ‘snapped,’ but added that there will be consequences for his actions. 

She doubled down on her promise during the show Tuesday to punish Smith, saying, ‘There are consequences. There are big consequences because nobody is OK with what happened. Nobody, nobody, nobody.’

The consequences could be revealed at the Academy’s board meeting on Wednesday, but would Goldberg did not give any details.  

The host also explained that Oscars producer Will Packer decided not to remove Smith from the event, ‘because that would have been another 15-, 20 minute-explanation about why we’re taking the Black man out five seconds before they’re about to decide whether he’s won an Oscar or not.’

‘I believe [producer] Will Packer made the right decision, he said let’s get to the rest of this so we can deal with it wholeheartedly,’ Goldberg said, adding ‘this is not the first time craziness has happened on stage, but this is the first time we’ve seen anybody assault anybody on stage.’

Goldberg also addressed why no one comforted Rock after the incident, while several people appeared to support Smith.  

‘The thing I also need to tell people is that the reason no one got up to go comfort Chris is because they weren’t going to let anyone else on stage…There were people there for Chris,’ she said. 

She added that the reason people went over to Smith is ‘people thought Oh my god, is he having a break? Do we need to get him out? What do we need to do?’

The incident continues to be a national conversation and Goldberg said Tuesday that she believed people are now asking ‘what could have triggered this?’

‘What’s happening is people are now starting to calm down and say, ‘Wait a minute, what could have triggered this?’ Could have been the four years ago, could have been anything.’ 

The ‘four years ago’ is in reference to Rock making jokes about Pinkett Smith at a another awards show. 

Jada Pinkett Smith, 50, broke her silence on Tuesday with a post on Instagram.

‘This is a season for healing and I’m here for it,’ the actress posted, two days after the incident that stunned millions of viewers.

Pinkett Smith posted the words on a pink background, but did not share a caption. She has remained quiet since the dramatic events unfolded Sunday night. 

Smith’s fate could be decided tomorrow night at a meeting held by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Board of Governors – where his onstage assault of Chris Rock at Sunday’s Oscars is expected to be the main topic. 

Disciplinary action could include anything from forcing him to hand back his Oscar to the most severe punishment – suspension from the Academy – which would put Smith among the ranks of Harvey Weinstein and Bill Cosby, who were both expelled for sexual misconduct.

A post-Oscars board meeting is always held to discuss the ceremony and address any concerns, but does not usually happen this soon, the Hollywood Reporter learned. 

The decision to hold the meeting was made after the Academy met for an emergency call Monday night about the incident and released a statement announcing a launch of a formal review.    

‘The Academy condemns the actions of Mr. Smith at last night’s show. We have officially started a formal review around the incident and will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our Bylaws, Standards of Conduct and California law.’  

It appears that Smith, 53, may face some type of disciplinary action or sanction, though it’s unlikely he will be made to forfeit his prize, Variety reported.  

The actor released an apology on Monday, saying his behavior was ‘unacceptable and inexcusable’ and left him ’embarrassed’. 

A day later, his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, 50, then broke her silence with an Instagram post that read, ‘This is a season for healing and I’m here for it.’   

While many are calling for Smith’s Oscar to be rescinded, guidelines in the Academy’s Code of Conduct – rewritten in 2017 during the height of the Me Too Movement – outline even more severe consequences.  

A more severe punishment would be expulsion from the Academy, putting the ‘King Richard’ actor in a small group of people who have been expelled, including Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby, and Roman Polanski.

Weinstein was expelled ‘for ‘sexually predatory behavior and workplace harassment’ and Cosby and Polanski were expelled ‘in accordance with the organization’s Standards of Conduct’ after they had been convicted of sexual assault. 

Weinstein and Polanski’s Oscars were never rescinded.

Many of Hollywood celebrities denounced Smith’s actions and called for his Oscar to be taken back.  

Marshall Herskovitz, president emeritus of the Producers Guild of America, was among the first to condemn Smith, tweeting shortly after the attack that Smith had ‘disgraced our entire community’. 

He said: ‘I call upon the Academy, of which I am a member, to take disciplinary action against Will Smith. He disgraced our entire community tonight.’

Herskovitz accused those who defended the actor of ‘moral cowardice’.

In one of the most shocking moments in the history of the vaunted awards show, Smith strode on stage Sunday and slapped Rock in the face after the comedian made a joke about the appearance of Smith’s wife.

Smith’s meltdown continued when he returned to his seat as he repeatedly screamed: ‘Keep my wife’s name out of your f***ing mouth’.

The crowd then fell into stunned silence – and any questions over whether the altercation was genuine were answered when just over half an hour later Smith was given the Best Actor award and apologized for the assault. 

The actor released a statement on Monday, saying his behavior was ‘unacceptable and inexcusable’ and left him ’embarrassed’.

He wrote in an Instagram post that he was ’embarrassed’ by his actions, which shocked the ceremony attendees, producers and viewers.

‘Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive,’ he wrote. 

‘My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally.

‘I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.’

Smith then went on to say sorry to the organizers and the producers of the show.

Rock has not responded to Smith’s apology, or commented on the Sunday night incident. 

Smith also extended his apology to the family of Venus and Serena Williams.

Shortly after slapping Rock, Smith won the best actor award for his portrayal of their father Richard – but the story of their family was overshadowed by Smith’s attack.

Richard Williams – who the Oscar-winner portrays in King Richard – said after the attack that he condemns violence.

Chavoita LeSane, Williams’ son, told NBC: ‘We don’t know all the details of what happened. But we don’t condone anyone hitting anyone else unless it’s in self-defense.’

Smith said: ‘I would also like to apologize to the Academy, the producers of the show, all the attendees and everyone watching around the world,’ Smith continued.

‘I would like to apologize to the Williams Family and my King Richard Family.

‘I deeply regret that my behavior has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us.’

The Philadelphia-born actor concluded: ‘I am a work in progress. Sincerely, Will.’

His apology came as the group that hands out the Oscars on Monday condemned Smith’s actions and said it had started a formal review of the incident that cast a shadow over the film honors.

Smith strode on stage during the live telecast and struck Rock in the face after the comedian made a joke about the appearance of Smith’s wife.

Smith’s meltdown continued when he returned to his seat as he repeatedly screamed: ‘Keep my wife’s name out of your f***ing mouth’.

The crowd then fell into stunned silence as it became clear the attack was genuine, and not staged.

Rock replied to him saying: ‘I’m going to, okay?’

He then laughed uncomfortably, saying: ‘That was the greatest night in the history of television’.

Smith’s sweary rant was muted by directors because the show’s live broadcast is slightly delayed in the US.

But it was aired in full to some international audiences with the uncut clip already been viewed more than a million times on social media and YouTube in the first few hours.

Any questions over whether the altercation was genuine were answered when just over half an hour later Smith was given the Best Actor award and apologized for the assault.

In his acceptance speech a crying Smith said: ‘Love makes you do crazy things’, as he clutched his Oscar statuette.

‘You gotta be able to take abuse, and you gotta be able to have people talk crazy about you,’ Smith said.

‘In this business, you gotta be able to have people disrespecting you and you gotta smile and you gotta pretend like that’s OK.

‘Denzel (Washington) said to me a few minutes ago, he said, ‘At your highest moment, be careful. That’s when the devil comes for you.’

‘It’s like I want to be a vessel for love.

‘I want to say thank you to Venus and Serena. I want to say thank you to Venus and Serena and the entire Williams family for entrusting me with your story. That’s what I want to do. I want to be an ambassador of that kind of love and care and concern.’

The actor went on: ‘I want to apologize to the Academy, I want to apologize to all my fellow nominees.

‘Art imitates life. I look like the crazy father, just like they said. I look like the crazy father just like they said about Richard Williams. But love will make you do crazy things’.

He added: ‘I’m hoping the Academy invites me back. Thank you’.

Smith’s relationship with his wife had been the butt of jokes during awards season.

At the BAFTAs in London a fortnight ago host Rebel Wilson targeted the couple when he won won the Leading Actor award for his role in King Richard.

The assembled audience at the Royal Albert Hall, which didn’t include the star who stayed in LA, groaned as she said his ‘best performance in the past year was being OK with all his wife’s boyfriends’ – a nod to Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith’s open relationship.

It came after he recently admitted his wife had ‘never believed in a conventional marriage’ and claims she had an affair. This may explain why he reacted so sensitively to Rock’s joke about her.

Journalists covering the awards ceremony from the press area were instructed not to ask any attendees about Smith slapping Rock, according to BBC correspondent David Sillito.

Late Sunday night, the LAPD issued a statement saying that Rock had not filed a police report against Smith, but that if he chooses to do so, police will investigate.

‘LAPD investigative entities are aware of an incident between two individuals during the Academy Awards program,’ the statement said. ‘The incident involved one individual slapping another.’

In a statement on Monday, the 9,900-member Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said it ‘condemns the actions of Mr. Smith at last night’s show.’

‘We have officially started a formal review around the incident and will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our Bylaws, Standards of Conduct and California law,’ the academy added.

The group’s standards of conduct policy states it is ‘categorically opposed to any form of abuse, harassment or discrimination’ and expects members to uphold the values ‘of respect for human dignity, inclusion, and a supportive environment that fosters creativity.’

Violations may result in suspension or expulsion from the group, revocation of Oscars, or loss of eligibility for future awards, according to the policy. 

A full board of Governors meeting is set for Wednesday and the incident is expected to be the main topic.

Several Hollywood celebrities denounced Smith’s actions.

Alec Baldwin posted to Instagram and Twitter his condemnation of Smith’s behavior.

‘I’m sorry the Oscars turned into the Jerry Springer Show,’ he said.