NYC Comedy Club Warns Against ‘Physical Abuse’ in Response to Will Smith Oscars Slap!

A comedy club in New York City has put up a sign against heckling and physical abuse in response to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at Sunday’s 2022 Academy Awards.

As reported by TMZ on Wednesday, Dani Zoldan, the owner of Stand Up NY, told the outlet that the club posted a sign to warn audience members to not recreate Smith’s slap on comedians during their set.

The message, featuring a photo of the slap with a “No” sign streaked across the front, reads, “Comedians play a critical role in our society, especially during times of chaos and uncertainty. They make us laugh, bring perspective and remind us there are different ways of seeing our reality. Comics must be protected.”

"Heckling and physical abuse of comics is prohibited, and patrons will be immediately removed from the showroom,” it added.

Zoldan also told TMZ that he does not approve of Will’s actions, which happened after Chris made a joke about his wife Jada’s hair loss.

While speaking to other comedy clubs across the country — including the Comedy Cellar and Carolines on Broadway in New York, as well as the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles — TMZ says these establishments don’t believe Will’s slap will lead to assaults onstage.

However, these places say they already have security measures in place.

Speaking of comedy clubs, at The Wilbur in Boston on Wednesday night, Chris broke his silence on the incident, telling the audience, "I'm still processing what happened."

Per People, Chris told the audience that he will likely talk about the incident more in the future, but will stick to his jokes for Wednesday’s show.

Though Will has publicly apologized to Chris, on Wednesday, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences say they have "initiated disciplinary proceedings" against Will.

"Board of Governors today initiated disciplinary proceedings against Mr. Smith for violations of the Academy's Standards of Conduct, including inappropriate physical contact, abusive or threatening behavior, and compromising the integrity of the Academy," the organization behind the Oscars said in a statement.

This week, our ladies discussed the slap heard around the world! WATCH, below: