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Will Smith collaborator DJ Jazzy Jeff defends actor’s Oscars slap as a ‘lapse in judgement’

The musician feels that a lot of the criticism for Smith “comes from the people who don't think people like that are human”.

Will Smith collaborator DJ Jazzy Jeff defends actor’s Oscars slap as a ‘lapse in judgement’
Will Smith slapped presenter Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars. (Photo: AFP/File/Robyn Beck)

DJ Jazzy Jeff, one half of the rap duo DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, has spoken up in defence of his Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air co-star Will Smith over the slapping incident at the Oscars on Mar 27.

In a recent interview with a Chicago radio station, the musician, whose real name is Jeff Townes, shared his views on Smith’s infamous Oscars slap.

The 57-year-old said that it was a rare instance that his former co-star lost his cool, calling his outburst a "lapse in judgment".

“Don’t get it twisted that this was something that he was proud of. It was a lapse in judgment, you know?” the record producer and songwriter shared, as seen in an Instagram snippet posted by the radio station on Apr 9.

“I think the thing that I've realised is I don't know too many people that have had the least amount of lapse of judgment than him. I can name 50 times that he should've smacked the shit out of somebody and he didn't,” added Jeff. “So for him to have a lapse in judgment, he's human. And I think a lot of the criticism comes from the people who don't think people like that are human."

Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff attend Peacock's new drama series "Bel-Air" Los Angeles Drive-Into Experience & Pull-up Premiere Screening at Barker Hangar on February 09, 2022 in Santa Monica, California. Rich Fury/Getty Images for Peacock/AFP

Smith was recently banned from attending the Oscars and related events for 10 years as a consequence of violating the code of conduct set by the film academy, after he slapped presenter Chris Rock in the face following an off-colour joke the latter made about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.  

Jeff is not the only celebrity who has spoken up to say that the slap was out of character for Smith.

Michael Bay, who directed Smith in the earlier Bad Boys films, told Yahoo! Entertainment, “I've worked with him; he is not that guy.”

Source: CNA/sr

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