FIGHTING TALK
Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley in very fiery clash as he DEFENDS Will Smith slap and slams Chris Rock on GMB
SUSANNA Reid and Richard Madeley repeatedly clashed on Good Morning Britain over Will Smith's "assault" on comic Chris Rock at the Oscars.
The Good Morning Britain presenters appeared to have opposing views on the shocking moment overnight, as Richard Madeley defended Will's reasoning for the slap.
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Will Smith, who went on to win Best Actor for his role as Richard Williams in King Richard said "love will make you do crazy things" in his acceptance speech.
But Susanna insisted there was no justification for what he did.
She told viewers: "Obviously you can see Will was furious about was said - and I'm not defending the joke - but really? It's 2022 and it's OK to get up on stage and hit somebody."
Richard said: "It's clearly not OK but it's happened and once it's happened you have to analyse the motives behind it.
READ MORE ON THE OSCARS
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It came as...
- Will Smith was slammed for NOT apologizing to Chris Rock in his Oscars acceptance speech minutes after slapping him
- Fans were 'in tears' at deaf Coda actor Troy Kotsur’s emotional acceptance speech for his historic win
- Lily James wowed in pink lace as she joined Dame Judi Dench, Olivia Colman and other stars on the red carpet
- Kourtney Kardashian and fiancé Travis Barker made out on their Oscars red carpet debut
- Beyonce’s fans were stunned as Blue Ivy, 10, made a surprise cameo during her mom’s performance
- Kenneth Branagh was the night's biggest British winner with an Oscar for best original screenplay but Olivia Colman missed out
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"What I'm trying to suggest is, although you can say it was wrong, is it something you can say was understandable in the heat of the moment."
Susanna replied: "I understand that he did it, I don't think it's OK that he did it. I love Will Smith, he's an absolutely lovely guy..."
Richard jumped in to give his impression of Chris Rock who interviewed with his wife Judy Finnigan on their Channel 4 show.
"I was asked by GQ who was the most unpleasant person I've interviewed in my whole career which started when I joined a local newspaper in 1972," Richard said.
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"Without hesitation - and this is on the record - Chris Rock.
"He was the most unpleasant, rude, aggressive, unlikeable human being I've ever interviewed on camera without question.
"His behaviour was awful and, in my book, he's the most unpleasant celebrity I've had the misfortune to meet."
Later in the show, Richard and Susanna suffered another tense moment with each other.
Discussing whether Will's excuse that "love will make you do crazy things" justified his actions, Richard said: "We're being very judgemental, which is understandable as that's our job, about a situation which is highly emotive."
Susanna hit back: "I'm not being judgemental because it's my job, by the way.
"I'm being judgemental because it was wrong."
While Hollywood's biggest night was going over smoothly, things came to a shocking halt when Chris arrived on stage to present the Oscar for Best Documentary.
The former Saturday Night Live castmate then seemed to go off-script and set his sights on Will's wife Jada, 50.
"Jada, I love you, G. I. Jane 2, can't wait to see it," Chris joke.
Demi Moore famously shaved her head for her role in the 1997 movie.
Jada, on the contrary, has been struggling with hair loss for years due to her alopecia diagnosis, and last year decided to shave it all off.
Richard went on to explain he felt split by the situation.
He said: "I think what he did was clearly wrong and a criminal offence, even though the police aren't going to prosecute. But I can understand the emotions that underpinned it.
"It's important for people to understand the way they behave the way they do. You just saw a human mistake unfurling on live global telly.
"It's important to analyse and not just say 'it was wrong, full stop, end of discussion' because people do make mistakes and things they shouldn't do.
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"He shouldn't have done it so you have to ask, why did he do it?
"Chris Rock was sticking his fingers, dabbling his fingers in the stuff of that couple's souls. Alopecia is a big deal in people's lives."
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