"I lost a lot of respect for him": Steve Harvey slams Will Smith's Oscars slap as a 'punk move'

American television host Steve Harvey has expressed his opinion on the infamous Will Smith slapping Chris Rock incident.

On April 25 while attending an event at Georgia State University, the 65-year-old star weighed in on the 94th Academy Award incident and dubbed it a "punk move."

During the event, Steve Harvey was asked about his thoughts on Will Smith hitting Chris Rock on stage. To this, he said that he is a Christian but an "undeveloped" one.

“I don’t have high-level Christianity. On a scale of 1 to 10, I’m like a 2. That’s the level of Christianity I can work on. You slap T.D. Jakes, he’ll turn the other cheek. You slap me? If you sit back in your seat, Jada [Pinkett Smith would have to move out of the way. That’s the type of Christian I am.”

Steve Harvey said that Will Smith was aware that he could get away with his actions because he was on the Academy Awards stage, and also expressed his displeasure with the Men in Black actor.

“I lost a lot of respect for him.”

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Steve Harvey's reference on the infamous Academy Award incident explained

On March 27, while the 94th Academy Awards was in session, comedian Chris Rock was on stage to present the award for Best Documentary. While there, he cracked a joke about Will Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith and her shaved head.

Calling her G.I. Jane, Rock said he couldn't wait to see her. The reference he made was from the 1997 drama film G.I. Jane, where Demi Moore, the leading lady of the film, shaved her head for the character.

To this, Jada, sitting in the audience, rolled her eyes. Meanwhile, Will Smith went on to stage and smacked Rock right across his face on live television.

Smith then walked back to his seat and was heard yelling:

“Keep my wife's name out of your f*cking mouth.”

Chris Rock did not retaliate physically but was seen in utter shock.

Will Smith was allowed to attend the event and also bagged the Oscar for Best Actor for his film King Richard.

Although not face-to-face, Smith issued a formal apology to Rock on his Instagram handle.

Smith did not apologize to Rock until he posted a formal apology on his Instagram account. He later withdrew from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which barred him from attending Oscar ceremonies for the next ten years.