I’m a Live Event Producer, and this is how ‘The Slap’ should’ve been handled

“Curtain, please!”

There’s no business like show business, and when the show is live? Anything can happen. And it did tonight, at the 94th Academy Awards.

For those who didn’t tune in live (or whose stream was frozen during the incident), here’s a recap: while presenting, Chris Rock made a joke about GI Jane II and Jada Pinket Smith. Jada suffers from Alopecia and currently has her hair buzzed short. As the crowd laughs, somewhat nervously, the feed cuts to Smith laughing. Jada, clearly in the same camera shot as her husband, looks less than happy. The camera cuts back to Rock where suddenly Will Smith is making his way onstage.

Smith walks straight up to Rock and slaps him squarely in the face, before walking back to his seat. Rock, still mic’ed, says “Wow, oh wow” laughing, but visibly disturbed. Suddenly we hear in the background “Keep my wife’s name out your f***ing mouth…I said, keep my wife’s name out you f***ing mouth.” Rock, thrown off, goes on but stutters and jumbles his next line.

The whole thing was shocking and horrifying to those in the live audience, as seen by celebrities' reactions since.

Here’s what should’ve happened when Smith started making his way to the stage — unannounced and uninvited — and in the 30 seconds to a minute immediately following:

1. Check the script
   Producers know every minute of every show, period. We know if the show is running 14.9 minutes long or 1.4 minutes short. We know the progression of speakers and movements and set pieces. We know the lighting pattern, for heaven’s sake! So when Will Smith approached the stage, that show caller should’ve known that that was NOT part of the script.
2. Cut the feed
   In a perfect event world (oxymoron), once it’s been determined and communicated that something unscripted is going on, the show caller and mixers should have verified with the producers and then immediately cut the feed. What’s troubling is that in this instance, the entire thing was captured — and broadcast — outside the US. There are several technical reasons why a show being mixed in LA might not relay the cut signal quickly enough to the other regions, but this is something you have a backup plan for.
3. Security to the stage
   As soon as Smith stood up, security should’ve been chattering. One member of security staff should’ve moved toward Smith as he walked to the stage. Again, it’s really the Producer’s call if Smith is allowed to get on stage unannounced, but security usually has pretty clear instructions for situations like this. As soon as the altercation happened, Smith should’ve been escorted offstage and to the back of the house.
4. Cut the mics
   Rock’s mic should’ve been cut immediately, and he should have been escorted behind the stage for medical assessment. The fact that he was allowed — no, expected — to just recover and go on after that is pretty astounding. “Hey, I know you just got punched in the face, but it’s okay, you’ll get your next line!” Take care of your presenters.
5. Keep going, but maybe not with the Best Actor Award
   Once all assaulted parties have been escorted offstage and given a thorough medical review, the show must go on! Don’t I know it’s true. Kudos to the Academy Awards team for keeping the evening going, to minimize any disturbance to the broadcast audience at home. That said, I don’t think it would have been out of the question for an emergency meeting of the Academy and show leads to be spun up to decide how to proceed with the evening. A nominee for one of the top awards of the night just assaulted a presenter on stage. Maybe it’s not the night for that award?

As I write this, I am incredibly sad for everyone involved. For the Smiths, Chris Rock, and the Willams. For The Academy and the audience and Hollywood as a whole. For all of us who don’t want to believe that our heroes are real people. But most of all for The Academy Awards planning and production team. This is a producer’s worst nightmare. Just when you think you’re almost across the finish line, something unthinkable happens. We’re with you, support you, and ready to hear the learnings (someday, probably over martinis).

Note: This article is not meant to criticize the actions of my industry brethren. It is simply to shed light on what’s happening behind the scenes as this all transpired. I can’t imagine what went through show management’s minds as this played out. It’s a tough call to make. This is how I would’ve handled it had I known what was coming. There was no way they could’ve known what was about to go down.