By Steven McIntosh
Entertainment reporter at the Oscars
After years of declining viewing figures, the Academy were desperate for more people to watch the 2022 Oscars.
They tried all kinds of ways to boost ratings – big stars, live performances, charismatic hosts, a new category and cutting the craft prizes down to edited highlights.
But in the event, a comedian telling a joke and a Hollywood A-lister’s furious over-reaction to it would ultimately be what seized the world’s attention.
The Academy wanted eyeballs. It has got them now.
Prior to Sunday’s ceremony, it was widely expected that Will Smith would win his first-ever Oscar, for his performance as the determined father of Venus and Serena Williams in King Richard. What wasn’t expected, however, was that he would go down in Oscars history for an entirely different reason.
Awards ceremonies are ripe environments for crazy moments. Think of Kanye storming the MTV Awards stage during Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech; the wrong best picture winner being announced at the 2017 Oscars; or politicians having drinks poured over them at the Brits.
But it’s hard to recall a more shocking and violent moment than Will Smith smacking Chris Rock in the mouth, a clip which has already been viewed hundreds of millions of times in the space of just a few hours.
