Chris Rock calls out Will Smith at latest stand-up gig

Comedian Chris Rock claims Will Smith managed to pretend to be a "perfect man for 30 years" before revealing he is "just as ugly as the rest of us".

Los Angeles: Comedian Chris Rock claims Will Smith managed to pretend to be a "perfect man for 30 years" before revealing he is "just as ugly as the rest of us". During a gig with fellow stand-up Dave Chappelle at Liverpool's M and S Arena on the first night of their joint multi-date tour, the comic, 57, finally shared his extensive feelings about being slapped by the 53-year-old actor at this year's Oscars, reports aceshowbiz.com.

"Did that s*** hurt?" Chappelle, asked Rock in front of the crowd, prompting Chris to exclaim, "Goddam right... the mother***** hit me over a bulls*** joke - the nicest joke I ever told. Will did the impression of a perfect person for 30 years, and he ripped his mask off and showed us he was as ugly as the rest of us."

"Whatever the consequences are... I hope he doesn't put his mask back on again, and lets his real face breathe. I see myself in both men." Rock also took aim at Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, during the show by mocking her complaints about life and the royal family. He said: "I just don't get it," as he spoke about today's obsession with "victimhood," which the comic labelled a way of getting famous.

Smith stormed the stage at the Academy Awards in March and whacked Chris after the comic compared the 'Seven Pounds' actor's wife's shaven head to actress Demi Moore's buzzcut in the 1997 film 'G.I. Jane'. The actor then twice howled at Chris from his seat in front of stunned A-listers and while watched by millions of film fans around the world, "Keep my wife's name out your f****** mouth."

Dumfounded Rock said after the slap, "Will Smith just slapped the s*** out of me. Oh, I could go..." while looking into the stage wings, and then saying, "That was the greatest night in the history of television." It was later highlighted that Will's wife of 25 years Jada Pinkett Smith, 50, had shaved her head as she has alopecia.

Will issued a grovelling apology in an online video earlier this month and has admitted that Chris has not responded to his attempts to reach out. He said: "I will say to you, Chris, I apologise to you. My behaviour was unacceptable and I'm here whenever you're ready to talk." (IANS)