Oscars: Will Smith target of Jimmy Kimmel’s Academy Awards opening monologue

Oscars: Will Smith target of Jimmy Kimmel’s Academy Awards opening monologue

Jimmy Kimmel didn’t let the moment pass Sunday without referencing Will Smith and the slap of Chris Rock as he delivered his Oscars monologue. The 95th Academy Awards are being live streamed on fuboTV (free trial).

A year after Will Smith’s infamous slap at the Academy Awards, Jimmy Kimmel went all in.

“We want you to have fun, we want you to feel safe, and most importantly, we want me to feel safe,” Kimmel told the crowd of stars and filmmakers. “So we have strict policies in place. If anyone in this theater commits an act of violence at any point during the show, you will be awarded the Oscar for Best Actor and permitted to give a 19-minute-long speech.”

He added the Academy has implemented a crisis team to handle any potential incidents.

“If anything unpredictable or violent happens during this ceremony, just do what you did last year: nothing. Sit there and do absolutely nothing. Maybe give the assailant a hug.”

The host had previously alluded to Smith’s slap earlier in his Oscars opening monologue when he referenced all the Irish actors nominated for awards. “Five Irish actors are nominated tonight, which means the odds of another fight on stage just went way up,” he cracked.

The 95th Academy Awards are airing live on ABC and live streamed on fuboTV (free trial).

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.