Questlove, Trevor Noah, Nate Bargatze at Grammys 2022
Highlights
- Host Trevor Noah opens Grammys with joke about Will Smith's slap
- Oscar winner Questlove mentions 'slap' while presenting Grammy for 'Song of the Year'
- Presenter Nate Bargatze wore a helmet onstage
It has been a week since Will Smith slapped Chris Rock right across the face during Oscars 2022. Nevertheless, the slap was heard rather loud and clear at the 64th Annual Grammys 2022. From host Trevour Noah to presenters Ouestlove and Nate Bargatze, multiple references were borrowed by the artists from the bizarre set of events for laughs.
Comedian Trevor Noah opened the Grammy Awards by alluding to Hollywood star Will Smith's controversial slap at Chris Rock during the Oscars. The Grammys took place just one week after the Academy Awards, where Smith took to the stage and slapped Rock after the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith's bald head while presenting the documentary feature category, reports Variety.
Host Trevor Noah opens with joke about Will Smith's slap
"Don't even think of this as an award show," Noah said about the ceremony.
"It's a concert where we are giving out awards, we will be listening to music, dancing, sing, keeping people's names out of our mouths and we are going to give people awards all throughout the night. So let's get straight into it."
Oscar winner Questlove mentions 'slap' while presenting Grammy for 'Song of the Year'
Questlove also addressed Smith's slap while presenting the Grammy for 'Song of the Year', saying: "All right, I am going to present this award and I trust that you people will stay 500 feet away from me. As they say it is far better to give than to receive. Well, I'm not so sure about that because last Sunday it felt pretty good to receive."
Questlove won the Oscar for documentary feature right after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock.
Presenter Nate Bargatze wore a helmet onstage
Grammy presenter Nate Bargatze wore a helmet as he stepped out to present awards during the Grammys' premiere ceremony Sunday afternoon in Las Vegas. Said LeVar Burton, who hosted the webcast in which most of the day's Grammys were handed out, "Now, I want to warn you all that our next presenter is a comedian, if you know what I mean," reports Variety'.
"So I need to caution everybody, remain in your seats and keep your hands to yourselves. All right?" Burton introduced Bargatze as a comic who is "selling out shows across America with clean family-friendly comedy and reaching another milestone today with a nomination for best comedy album."
Further referencing Will Smith striking Chris Rock at the Oscars a week ago, Bargatze said, "They said comedians have to wear these now at award shows during the joke parts. It doesn't even cover your face, I think it just focuses where you would hit me. All right, this is stupid, I'll take it off."
Bargatze was nominated for comedy album this year for his album 'The Greatest Average American' against competition from Lavell Crawford, Chelsea Handler, Louis C.K., Lewis Black and Kevin Hart.
The Nashville-based comic's Netflix specials include 'The Tennessee Kid' as well as 'The Greatest Average American'.
-- IANS inputs
