The Aporia · Rob Lowe awkwardly admits he was ‘the only person happy’ when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at Oscars

Rob Lowe awkwardly admits he was ‘the only person happy’ when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at Oscars

Read the original at New York Post ↗

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APA MLA Chicago

Zenna, J. (2026, September 25). Rob Lowe awkwardly admits he was ‘the only person happy’ when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at Oscars. New York Post. https://pagesix.com/2026/09/25/entertainment/rob-lowe-admits-he-was-the-only-person-happy-when-will-smith-slapped-chris-rock-at-oscars/

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

Quick Summary

Rob Lowe recently admitted on SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live that he was happy when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards because it distracted from his own controversial performance at the Oscars in 1989. During that earlier event, Lowe and actress Eileen Bowman performed a bizarre skit that many found embarrassing, leading to criticism and even legal action against the producer Allan Carr. This admission comes as Lowe continues to face references to this past incident annually, despite Smith’s slap now being considered one of the most notorious moments in Oscar history.

Written by AI on 2026-09-25, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

On SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live in late March 2023, actor Rob Lowe admitted he was "the only person happy" when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards, believing it would divert attention from his own infamous performance at the Oscars back in 1989. During that incident, a young Lowe performed an odd musical routine with actress Eileen Bowman dressed as Snow White, which he later described as "the worst opening ever." Despite Smith's slap overshadowing his past blunder temporarily, Lowe noted he is still occasionally reminded of it every year. He expressed frustration at the lack of a statute of limitations on such events in Hollywood.

Written for “Oscars Slap Incident Admission” on 2026-11-02, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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sentences that state something as happening or true

Uncertain

0 of 18 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

Leaning

not political

takes no side on a contested political question

Publisher signals

66/100

New York Post's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

Outlets on this story

Entertainment

Same framing elsewhere

articles that frame the event the way this one does

Who wrote this

Jolie Zenna

72 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

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Also by Jolie Zenna

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Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 72 articles by Jolie Zenna →

Narrative

Claims (18 extracted, 0 hedged)

Rob Lowe admitted he was “the only person happy” when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards because he thought it would distract from his own Oscars blunder back in the ’80s. asserted

it → admit → 80s

“When Will Smith slapped Chris Rock, I was the only person happy. asserted

I → slap → Rock

So now that’s the worst moment in Oscar history,’” the actor confessed on SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live Thursday. asserted

actor → ’ → Cohen

“But it turns out not really. asserted

it → turn → ?

Turns out I still am dragged, dragged every year.” asserted

I → turn → ?

Lowe continued, “This year even, I guess some people didn’t love some of the Emmys and they were like, ‘At least it wasn’t Rob.’ asserted

it → continue → Emmys

It’s like, guys, there should be a statute of limitations.” asserted

It → ’ → limitations

The 62-year-old was referring to his infamous performance at the 61st Academy Awards in 1989, which he admitted was “the worst opening ever” on Thursday. asserted

he → refer → Thursday

During the odd number, a young Lowe performed an extended, bizarre musical routine with actress Eileen Bowman, who dressed as Snow White. asserted

who → perform → White

The two sang altered lyrics to several popular tracks, including a version of “Proud Mary” with lines like “rollin’, rollin’, keep the cameras rollin’.” asserted

cameras → sing → lines

The performance was widely panned as one of the most embarrassing moments in television history. asserted

performance → pan → history

Dozens of prominent Hollywood figures — including former Academy President Gregory Peck — signed a letter denouncing it, and Disney sued over unauthorized use of their character. asserted

Disney → include → character

It also effectively destroyed the Hollywood career of Allan Carr, who produced that year’s awards ceremony. asserted

who → destroy → ceremony

There wasn’t a moment so controversial until the 2022 Oscars when Smith jumped up on the stage and slapped Rock, who was hosting the ceremony. asserted

who → be → ceremony

While presenting Best Documentary, Rock turned to the actress and said, “‘G.I. Jane 2,’ can’t wait to see it.” asserted

Jane → present → it

But the joke caused Pinkett Smith — who suffers from alopecia and shaved her head — to roll her eyes. asserted

who → cause → eyes

In turn, the “Men in Black” star marched on stage and slapped a clearly shocked Rock across the face. asserted

star → march → face

He then went back to his seat and yelled, “Keep my wife’s name out of your f–king mouth.” asserted

He → go → mouth

Rob Lowe awkwardly admits he was ‘the only person happy’ when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at Oscars

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Claims (18 extracted, 0 hedged)