Why Will Smith Did Not Watch Chris Rock's Netflix Comedy Special: Source

Will Smith had good reason not to tune in to Chris Rock's Netflix special over the weekend.

Rock's Selective Outrage comedy special streamed live Saturday evening from Baltimore's Hippodrome Theatre, where the 58-year-old comedian took aim at Smith and the Oscars slap one year after the headline-making scandal. During the special, Rock directly called out the Emancipation star, speculating that Smith's attack was about him "practicing selective outrage." Rock also referenced cheating rumors that surfaced in 2020 for Smith and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, among other inciting topics.

“Will is embarrassed and hurt by what Chris said about him and his family in his Netflix special. He didn’t watch it, but he had people tell him what Chris said," a source told ET of how Smith felt amid the aftermath of the special. "It’s everywhere when you look online and on social media, so Will and Jada have seen comments about it."

Months after the Oscars incident, Smith posted an emotional YouTube video apologizing to Rock for striking him onstage. (He had shared a written apology on Instagram the day after the Academy Awards.) "Will apologized to Chris and would like for Chris to let it go," the source added. "Will has worked on himself and he is banned by the Oscars for 10 years. He feels like that’s enough and wants Chris to move on, so that he and everyone else can too."

The source also told ET that Smith is "upset" that Netflix gave Rock "this platform" to express his views.

"Will is also upset that Netflix was a part of this and thinks Chris insulting Jada again is below the belt," the source added. "He is upset that Netflix gave Chris this platform to share these messages and thinks it’s distasteful."

On the other side of the coin, Rock is ready to move on now that he's directly addressed the Oscar slap for the first time in a significant way, according to another source. 

"He said everything he wanted to say," the source told ET. "It was funny, self-deprecating, and thought-provoking. Now, "Chris is ready to move on."

Selective Outrage saw Rock perform in Pinkett Smith's hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. Among the other topics Rock addressed during the special were "woke culture," a series of references to the Oscars incident and Meghan Markle's claims of racism against the royal family. 

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