Actor Rob Lowe recently revealed that he was uniquely pleased when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards, stating he was "the only person" happy about the incident. Lowe made the remarks during an appearance on SiriusXM’s “Andy Cohen Live.”
Lowe explained that his peculiar happiness stemmed from his own past experience hosting the Oscars. In 1989, Lowe delivered an opening musical number that was widely panned, with Cohen describing it as the “worst opening in Oscar history.” The performance featured Lowe singing “Proud Mary” alongside Snow White and other Disney characters.
"When Will Smith slapped Chris Rock, I was the only person happy,” Lowe quipped. “Because I was like, ‘Oh, good — so now that’s the worst moment in Oscar history.’ But it turns out not really. Turns out I still am dragged — dragged — every year.”
Lowe added that even in subsequent years, his 1989 performance is still frequently brought up, with people remarking, “At least it wasn’t Rob.” He humorously suggested there should be a “statute of limitations” on such past embarrassments.
In a separate interview with Variety, Chris Rock reflected on the 2022 incident, stating, “Me having a bad day is not the biggest — it’s not that important.” Rock also mentioned that he would only return to host the Oscars again if he were nominated, a scenario he considers unlikely.
Lowe also mentioned he had spoken with John Fogerty, the songwriter of “Proud Mary,” who reportedly forgave him for his rendition of the song.