Joe Igbokwe, a special adviser on drainage and water resources to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday posted to social media a fake apology purportedly from comedian Chris Rock to actor Will Smith.
Rock made a a G.I. Jane joke about Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett at the 94th Academy Awards, which apparently sent him over the edge. Smith casually walked up to Rock and smacked him across the face.
In the fake statement posted to Facebook by Mr Igbokwe, the comedian was alleged to have said he crossed the line in his joke about Jada.
The statement read, “As a comedian it can be difficult to understand which lines are to be crossed and which ones aren’t. Last night I crossed a line that I shouldn’t have and paid the enormous price of my reputation as a renown comedian. Comedy is never about poking fun at or making lite of people with major ordeals happening in their lives.
“Comedy is about using real life circumstances to create laughter and bring light to an otherwise dark world. With that said, I sincerely apologize to my friend’s Jada Pinkett-Smith, Will Smith, and the rest of the Smith family for the disrespect and disregard I displayed which was unfortunately broadcast for the world to see. I hope that, with time, forgiveness can come of this situation and we can all be better, more considerate people in the end.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter‘s senior film editor Rebecca Keegan, “Chris Rock has not yet issued a statement. There is a statement going around purporting to be from Rock that is not from him, per his team. It’s the one that starts, ‘As a comedian it can be difficult to understand…'”
About the time the fake apology went viral on Monday, Smith had taken to Instagram to issue an official apology to Rock and took full accountability for the very public assault.
