Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Questlove Opens Up About Winning Oscar Moments After Will Smith Slap: 'I Was Not Present At All'

Questlove Opens Up About Winning Oscar Moments After Will Smith Slap: 'I Was Not Present At All'
Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

Newly-minted Oscar winner Ahmir Khalib Thompson–who is professionally known as Questlove–said he was "not present at all" when he won the Academy Award for his documentary directorial debut, Summer of Soul, on Sunday.

His victory was preceded by the now-infamous slap heard around the world–which involved Will Smith smacking Chris Rock across the face for a joke about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith.


Rock went on to announce Questlove's win for the category.



He recalled his meditative mindset during the tense scene that left many rattled.

On Monday, Questlove was congratulated by the titular host of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon–where he and his The Roots bandmates serve as the in-house band.

When they discussed the Smith/Rock scuffle, Questlove told Fallon he chose to meditate instead of giving in to the anxiety at the ceremony.

Questlove said he had been practicing transcendental meditation for two years since comedian Jerry Seinfeld introduced it to him.

He said of Smith and Rock:

"Of course, you know, that happened in the cyclone of a whole [other] situation with two very good friends of mine."
"And I really wasn't aware of that, it's weird to say, because—they tell you ahead of time, ‘This is your category!'"
"And so, in that moment, you're either gonna be full of anxiety—or for me, I've been meditating for the last two years."

He continued:

"When the commercial break was happening, I was just in my ‘mmmm.'"
"So, when I opened my eyes, I didn't realize, like, ‘Why is everyone so quiet?' I literally was not present for that whole entire moment."

When Rock announced Summer of Soul won Best Documentary, the audience was still reeling from the drama that had just played out.

Questlove said he was completely unaware of the chaos that unfolded as he accepted the award.

"And as I'm walking to the stage, I'm kind of putting two and two together and I realize that that was a real moment, maybe three seconds before I spoke words."
"But in my mind, [Rock and Smith] are just doing a sketch or whatever, and I'm just like 'Okay Ahmir, remember to thank your mom, your dad."

You can watch the Jimmy Fallon interview, here.

youtu.be

In his acceptance speech, Questlove explained the significance of the film.

"This is about marginalized people in Harlem that needed to heal from pain," he said. "Just know in 2022—this is not just a 1969 story about marginalized people in Harlem."


Questlove's win was among many celebratory moments at the 2022 Oscars that was overshadowed by the slap that is still a trending topic online.

He admitted to Fallon his "true reward" was getting to create with his friends and colleagues at "30 Rock University" where other NBC shows like Saturday Night Live are filmed in New York city.

The interview concluded with him thanking Fallon for providing him with a platform to "live out my dreams" since he started working for the talk show host in 2009.

More from Entertainment/tv-and-movies

Melissa Calhoun
WKMG News 6 ClickOrlando/YouTube

Community Outraged After Florida Teacher Loses Job For Calling Student By Preferred Name

A Florida community is outraged after a veteran high school teacher was fired for calling a student by their preferred name rather than their legal name.

Melissa Calhoun had worked at Brevard County arts magnet school Satellite High School since 2019 and in the district for 12 years, but has been told her contract will not be renewed after the student's parent complained.

Keep ReadingShow less
Todd Lyons
Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston/Getty Images

ICE Director Says He Wants To Run Deportations Like Amazon Prime, 'But With Human Beings'

While his boss at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Kristi Noem, came hot off the heels of cosplaying again and demonstrating how not to hold a gun, the acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was modeling their human rights violations after online shopping.

Republican President Donald Trump's unconfirmed—nor congressionally vetted—acting Director of ICE, Todd Lyons, shared his dreams for the agency during the 2025 Border Security Expo, where private companies explored opportunities to profit from Trump’s mass deportations and rub elbows with Noem and Lyons.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of Vanessa Horabuena painting her Donald Trump portrait

Resurfaced Video Of MAGA Christian 'Worship Artist' Painting Portrait Of Trump Is Giving Major Cult Vibes

People are cringing after a video of MAGA artist Vanessa Horabuena speed-painting a portrait of President Donald Trump at the post-inauguration Liberty Ball resurfaced, highlighting the unsettling nature of what political scientists and casual observers have long described as Trump's cult of personality.

Horabuena raised more than $20,000 "to help cover the expenses of my team to attend this once in a lifetime event, the Liberty Ball just after the Inauguration where I will be painting live, 'Prayers For Our President,' to the song, 'The Blessing,' by Kari Jobe."

Keep ReadingShow less
Linda McMahon; A1 Steak Sauce
Win McNamee/Getty Images; Kevin Carter/Getty Images

Trump's Education Secretary Just Referred To 'AI' As 'A1'—And The Steak Sauce Seized The Moment

Education Secretary Linda McMahon was undoubtedly mistaken when she referred to artificial intelligence as "A1"—as in A1 Steak Sauce—while answering a question about the use of AI in schools, prompting the company to seize the moment with a trolling post.

McMahon slipped up during her appearance at the ASU+GSV Summit on Tuesday. While discussing the state of modern education, she brought up the role of AI in today's classrooms.

Keep ReadingShow less
Man holding a finger against his lips in a 'Shh!' gesture
Photo by Sander Sammy on Unsplash

People Anonymously Divulge The Secrets They Plan To Take To The Grave

As much as we might not want to, most of us have some secrets that we'd rather not tell.

But there are two kinds of people when it comes to long-term secrets: those who intend to take those secrets to the grave, no exceptions, and those who'd rather say, "Well, cat's outta the bag!"

Keep ReadingShow less