Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Plays Peacemaker, Says Will Smith and Chris Rock Made Up After Oscars

Sean “Diddy” Combs may have a brand new nickname: Peacemaker. Diddy was one of the first big celebrities that had to step into the breach after the now-infamous moment that Will Smith slapped Chris Rock onstage. Diddy was a presenter at the Oscars and came onstage right after the incident; instead of shying away from the Elephant in the room, the music and business mogul spoke about it, telling the crowd: “I did not know that this year was going to be the most exciting Oscars ever. Okay Will and Chris, we’re going to solve that like family at the Gold Party, okay?”

Diddy continued to speak on the controversy after the Oscars ceremony, posting a video in which he says “Yeah I know, sh*t is crazy. You know sh*t happens sometimes. My n***a Chris Rock got a chin tho. I know nobody… not thinking what I’m thinking. He gotta chin. Yeah. It’s all love – we’re going to move on with love.” 

Well it seems that Diddy’s declaration was made real: he gave a statement later that night to Page Six (via Insider) claiming that Will Smith and Chris Rock made up during the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party: 

“That’s not a problem. That’s over. I can confirm that,” Diddy said.”It’s all love. They’re brothers.”

Smith was angered when Chris Rock made a joke while onstage about Smith’s wife, actress Jada Pinkett-Smith, playing the next “G.I. Jane” in a sequel to the 1997 film starring a shaved-head Demi Moore. However, Pinkett Smith suffers from the hair loss condition alopecia, something she has publicly acknowledged as a source of insecurity for her. Footage of the Oscars crowd showed that even while Will tried to laugh off Rock’s remarks, Jada definitely did not; moments later Smith strode onto the stage and struck Rock. 

Uncensored video of the fight showed Smith screaming and cursing at Rock after the slap; Rock ultimately chose to play off the assault and carry on with the Oscars ceremony, declining to press charges with police. Will Smith later had to take the stage and accept the Oscar for Best Actor (for his role in King Richard); the actor apologized for disrupting the Oscars with his behavior – though he didn’t apologize directly to Chris Rock in the speech. But if what Sean “Diddy” Combs says is true, Rock ended the night getting the man-to-man apology from Smith he deserved. The rest of the world just didn’t get to see it – and maybe that’s okay?