Rob Lowe is opening up about his infamous Oscars blunder and how it compares to the moment Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on stage. During an appearance on SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live on September 23, 2026, Lowe humorously admitted that he initially thought the 2022 incident would finally overshadow his own widely mocked performance at the 1989 Academy Awards.
“I was the only person happy about the slap,” Lowe said. “I was like, ‘Oh, good. So now that’s the worst moment in Oscar history.’” He added with a laugh, “Turns out I still am dragged, dragged every year.”
The 1989 Oscars Incident
Lowe’s notorious Oscars moment occurred during the opening number of the 1989 ceremony. The actor performed a parody of “Proud Mary” alongside a performer dressed as Snow White. The segment was panned by critics, viewers, and Hollywood insiders, and even prompted Disney to object to the unauthorized use of the Snow White character.
Despite the backlash, Lowe recounted a positive memory from that night involving comedy legend Lucille Ball. After the performance, Ball approached him backstage and said, “Young man, I didn’t know you were such a wonderful singer.” Lowe recalled the moment fondly, noting that it was one of Ball’s final public appearances before her death later that year.
The 2022 Oscars Slap
The incident Lowe referenced occurred during the 94th Academy Awards in March 2022. While presenting an award, Chris Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, comparing her to the character from G.I. Jane. The joke prompted Will Smith to walk onto the stage and slap Rock across the face. After returning to his seat, Smith shouted profanities at Rock, demanding that he not mention his wife again.
The moment stunned viewers and quickly became one of the most talked-about incidents in Oscars history. Pinkett Smith had previously spoken publicly about her experience with alopecia, a condition that causes hair loss.
Later that evening, Smith won the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in King Richard. In the days following the ceremony, he publicly apologized to Rock and the Academy. The Academy later announced that Smith would be banned from attending its events, including the Oscars, for 10 years.