As the first Oscars since Will Smith infamously slapped Chris Rock on stage rolled around, fans and even fellow celebrities alike couldn't help but recall the shocking moment.
The Academy ensured no such moment would ever happen again, even having a crisis team involved, and Will was banned from attending any Academy events for the next ten years.
Chris on the other hand, is free to return, though it seems he preferred to keep his distance on the anniversary of the altercation, and not only did he not attend the Oscars – he has claimed he was however asked to host but turned it down – but he was far away from the Dolby Theater and Los Angeles too.
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Right as Hollywood's biggest and most beloved stars gathered on the red – or rather champagne – carpet, the comedian was spotted across the country all the way in Miami.
However, he still tuned in and watched the show, attending a watch party hosted by fellow comedian Whitney Cummings at the Four Seasons Hotel in Surfside, Florida, in partnership with Vanity Fair and injectable brand Xeomin, who Christina Aguilera recently partnered with.
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In a video shared on Twitter by one of the party's attendees, Whitney is seen standing on top of the bar, shocked as Chris made his seemingly unexpected appearance.
The star still managed to get a glimpse of the awards
As he walked up to her, semi-incognito wearing a white crewneck sweatshirt, sunglasses, and a baseball cap, Whitney exclaimed: "What the [expletive]?" before adding: "Chris Rock is in the [expletive] building!"
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While Chris may not have been anywhere near where the actual awards were being hosted, his presence was felt nonetheless, thanks to repeated jokes from host Jimmy Kimmel about last year's fiasco.
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe shocking moment was the talk of the town for months afterwards
He did not hold back when it came to addressing the incident, and one of his very first jokes was: "If anyone in this theater commits an act of violence at any point during the show, you will be awarded the Oscar for Best Actor and permitted to give a 19-minute long speech."
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