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Denzel Washington says he immediately turned to God after the Chris Rock Oscars slap -- which is, in part, why he invoked the wicked one when chatting with Will Smith.

The legendary actor explained what he meant Saturday when he told Smith, "At your highest moment, be careful, that's when the devil comes for you." It was during a leadership summit with author and pastor T.D. Jakes, in which DW had been invited to speak on his faith.

Per reports, the topic of the Oscars was obviously brought up -- with Jakes saying it was like Denzel had waded into WWII ... to which he responded by saying, it was totally necessary.

Denzel is quoted with this ... "There's a saying: When the devil ignores you, then you know you're doing something wrong. The devil goes, 'Oh, no, leave him alone. He's my favorite.'"

He adds, "Conversely, when the devil comes at you, maybe it's because you're trying to do something right. And for whatever reason, the devil got ahold of him that night." Denzel also explains others were quick to step in and attend to Will too -- whom he apparently felt was in need of spiritual counseling -- including Tyler Perry ... who prayed with them both.

Denzel declined to disclose what exactly was said among the trio, but he did say this ... "There but for the grace of God, go any of us. Who are we to condemn? I don't know all the ins and outs of the situation, but I know the only solution was prayer."

Later in the panel interview, Denzel is reported to have talked about the idea of just sitting this one out -- to which he said ... no way, not on my watch.

DW described the moment right afterward, "I couldn't have sat in my seat. No way I could have sat in my seat. That's just not who I am." This was evident right away, because Denzel was photographed getting in between Chris and Will in the immediate aftermath.

As you may have guessed by now, Denzel is very religious ... often referencing his Christian faith -- and it seems it came in handy on Sunday, especially since Will shouted him out during his acceptance speech, when he was in tears kinda apologizing and kinda not.

Bill Maher had a hot take on Chris Rock's hair joke that supposedly triggered Will Smith's slap ... if that's the worst thing she's struggling with, she's a lucky woman.

The "Real Time" host said Friday night, "If you are so lucky in life as to have that be your medical problem, just say, 'thank God.'" He went on to drop some numbers -- 80% of men and 50% of women lose hair as part of the aging process.

He said when he first heard Jada Pinkett Smith had alopecia, he paused and thought maybe Chris Rock really did cross the line ... but then he went to rusty trusty Google and discovered what alopecia was all about, and his opinion radically changed. His conclusion ... no big deal.

Maher then looked at it from another angle, suggesting Chris' joke was actually a compliment, referencing "G.I. Jane" star Demi Moore, whom Bill said never looked hotter with her shaved head.

But, then he went in for the kill ... "And you know, just put on a f***ing wig like everybody else at the Oscars if it bothers you so much."

As we reported, both our Chris Rock and Will Smith sources acknowledge this was simmering beef that goes back to 2016, when Jada went in hard to boycott the Oscars because of a lack of inclusiveness and she and Will wanted Chris to join.

We're told Chris' response was that he was a Black man hosting the Oscars so that said more than a boycott. He took a couple of cracks at both Will and Jada during the show, and they were never the same. Multiple sources say the hair joke was just the straw that broke the camel's back.

Chris Rock's brother, Tony Rock, went in hard over the slap, and not just on Will Smith, saying, "You gonna hit my motherf***ing brother because your bitch gave you a side-eye?"

The Shade Room got video of Tony on stage during his set.

Tony has already made his outrage toward Will clear, but he tripled down at a comedy gig. After taking the stage, he said, "If you think you gonna to walk up on this stage, this ain't the motherf***king Oscars! And if you walk your ass up here, you ain't nominated for s*** but these mother****ing hands! Oh, we going Pac the rest of the year, n****. Every time you see me do a show, Pac!" Referencing late rapper Tupac, who, by the way ... used to date Jada Pinkett Smith.

Chris' baby bro has already said, Will's Insta apology to Chris doesn't cut it. As we reported, Will and Chris have not spoken since the slap and Chris has not publicly or privately accepted Smith's mea culpa.

Chris Rock had another sold-out performance Friday night in Boston, and he left without a trace of emotion, and probably for good reason.

Chris looked stoic as he booked it out of the Wilbur Theater. No way to read his reaction to Will Smith resigning from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. As we've been reporting, Chris has largely avoided the post-slap drama, and based on what we know from our Chris sources it's highly likely he didn't even know Will resigned.

Chris is sticking to his routine ... not letting the slap hijack his comedy act. Fans undeniably wanted to hear from him, but Chris says he'll probably address it later and warned it will be serious and funny.

TMZ broke the story ... multiple sources connected to Chris told us Oscar producer, Will Packer, was lying when he said Chris told him he did not want Will Smith booted from the Oscars. Packer made it seem that's what convinced the Academy to allow Will to stay. Our sources say the ONLY thing Chris said was he did not want Will arrested and he just wanted to leave.

Will Smith stole the Oscars spotlight away from "CODA," the Best Picture winner and, in the process, he tarnished a major milestone in the deaf community ... so says the Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness.

Dr. Patricia Hughes tells TMZ ... deaf people have been overlooked for so long, and their moment on a huge platform like the Academy Awards came and passed too quickly. Instead of people talking about the historic victory for "CODA," the majority of buzz was about Will slapping Chris Rock.

She thinks we should be focusing on the impactful moment for the hearing-impaired ... especially the heartfelt acceptance speech that gave the filmmakers a unique opportunity to appreciate the hearing-impaired.

Dr. Hughes says both of her children serve as her CODA -- child of deaf adult -- and the movie shows their community as a culture, something that doesn't happen often. The film also serves an educational purpose, teaching how kids can help deaf adults, and how deaf and non-deaf people can coexist.

Dr. Hughes would like to see more discussion in society about those issues moving forward -- something that could have been sparked by the film's big moment at the Oscars ... if not for Will.

Chris Rock might have a lot going on right now, but that hasn't stopped him from takin' a trip to the movies to watch a flick.

Chris showed up by himself Thursday at the AMC Boston Common in MA -- the day after his first standup show since the Oscars. Chris got some popcorn, a hotdog and a water bottle to fortify him as he watched a film ... sorry, we don't know which one, though we're guessing it wasn't "King Richard."

The other dude in the pic -- Gerard Cole -- asked Chris for the photo, and Chris happily obliged.

As we reported, Thursday night was Chris' 2nd show at the Wilbur Theater in Boston ... fans were more rowdy than usual, with several getting kicked out. Some even shouted "F*** Will Smith," which Chris shut down right away.

The producer of the Oscars is now saying it was Chris Rock who did not want Will Smith removed from the Dolby Theater after the slap, but according to a well-placed source with direct knowledge ... that's just not true.

Will Packer appeared on "Good Morning America" Friday and gave his blow-by-blow of the evening. He said after the slap he talked to Chris and said the LAPD was present and wanted to know if Chris wanted Will arrested, but Chris made it clear he did not. No one is disputing that happened.

Here's what IS in dispute ... Packer said it was Chris who said he did not want Will removed from the Dolby theater. Sources connected to Chris tell TMZ ... that was NEVER said. As one source put it, "Chris told Packer 'I'm not pressing charges. All I want to do is leave.' He was never asked if he wanted Will removed. This is the Academy covering itself." An Academy source tells TMZ, "Will Packer is not speaking on behalf of the Academy."

Packer's statement more than intimates it was Chris' decision to keep Will in the theater, and our sources simply call that a lie.

The LAPD was standing by and ready to arrest Will Smith for putting hands on Chris Rock at The Oscars -- but Chris waved them off, saying he was fine -- according to the show's producer.

In a preview clip for his interview with 'GMA,' Oscars' honcho Will Packer says LAPD officers were ready to arrest Will if Chris so wanted, detailing the conversation that happened backstage directly following the slap.

In the clip, Packer tells T.J. Holmes cops were prepared to go and get Will from the crowd and make an arrest for battery ... letting Chris know he could press criminal charges against Will.

At one point, Packer claims Chris was being dismissive of what police were telling him ... and he says he told the comedian to let cops finish their spiel before making a decision.

In the end, Chris decided against pressing charges, and Will was allowed to remain front and center at The Oscars, where he won the award for best actor and gave a tearful speech.

Will's since apologized for the slap and foul language ... but at his show Wednesday night, Chris revealed he's still processing what went down and will talk about it later on his comedy tour.

Bruce Willis is no longer the recipient of this year's "Worst Performance" Razzie -- the org is pulling the title after learning the actor's battling a debilitating condition.

Willis had 8 films from 2021 highlighted within Razzie's "Worst of Hollywood" ceremony over the weekend. However, it was his work on "Cosmic Sin" that earned Bruce "Worst Performance."

Unfortunate timing for the Razzies ... just a few days later Bruce's family announced he'd been diagnosed with aphasia, a disease that hinders a person's ability to communicate and understand language.

On Thursday, Razzie co-founders Mo Murphy and John Wilson said in a statement, "If someone's medical condition is a factor in their decision making and/or their performance, we acknowledge that it is not appropriate to give them a Razzie."

Hence, they're taking back the award.

As we reported, Rumer Willis, broke the sad news, posting, "We wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities." She says her dad has stepped away from acting as a result.

Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at The Oscars caused a ton of outrage for folks watching at home ... they flooded the FCC with complaints, calling for fines and even invoking BLM.

There were 66 pissed off viewers who felt compelled to fire off some emails to the feds about what they saw ... with most up in arms about the violent attack and voicing concern about what their kids saw and heard on TV.

TMZ obtained the complaints made to the Federal Communications Commission -- a U.S. government agency which regulates television -- regarding The Oscars broadcast ... and all 66 were focused on Will slapping Chris and shouting obscenities after the comedian made a wisecrack about Jada Pinkett Smith.

"The level of violence from one black man inflicted onto another over something he didn't like hearing is intolerable!! Are you tolerating this??? Thought black lives mattered?? Obviously not!! Is that your message???? Smith should be fined & suspended!!!!" ... a viewer from Michigan wrote.

Lots of parents complained about their kids witnessing an assault on live TV, claiming it led to some very uncomfortable conversations with their children, including one viewer in Oklahoma who says their kids asked them "if Black men are always violent?"

The slap even brought up memories of the Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction at the Super Bowl ... with a viewer from Texas writing, "Obviously, the Oscar's crossed a line last night. I should not have to worry about what my CHILDREN are going to hear during the Oscar's presentation. Not delaying the broadcast for whatever reason was a FAILURE on your part. There needs to be fines and people need to be fired over this. Have we not learned anything in the decades since the Super Bowl debacle? Overall, you have a simple job. Do it!"

Will Smith was NEVER asked to leave the Oscars after he slapped Chris Rock. In fact, the opposite is true -- he was told by the producer of the show he could stay ... this according to sources with direct knowledge who were present.

As you know by now, the Academy said Wednesday they had asked Will to leave the Dolby Theater after the slap but he refused. Three sources who were at the ceremony and witnessed various conversations tell TMZ ... yes, after the slap Academy officials were backstage with Will's reps and there were heated conversations about what had gone down.

We're told there was a split among the officials ... some did want him booted, but others did not. There were various discussions during several commercial breaks, but they never reached a consensus.

We're told Will was aware there was talk about asking him to leave the theater. During one of the commercial breaks, we're told Oscars producer Will Packer walked up to Will and said, "We do not want you to leave" ... this according to our sources.

Will Packer walked up to Will Smith just after 8 PM, around 35 minutes after the slap. That's when he told Will he could stay, according to our sources. Will won the Best Actor Award around 5 minutes later.

Will Smith was asked to leave the Oscars -- we know that -- but despite his refusal to leave the Dolby Theater after he slapped Chris Rock, forcibly removing him was never an option ... TMZ learned.

LAPD sources tell TMZ ... the cops who were inside the venue were never consulted about removing Smith ... something we're told that would have been done if the Academy wanted him out one way or the other.

As we reported, Academy President David Rubin and Academy CEO Dawn Hudson were "furious" at Will, and there was plenty of yelling backstage with Will's reps after the slap. As one source described it, the Academy honchos were "apoplectic."

Our sources say it didn't take long at all for the officials to make it clear they wanted Will out of the auditorium. The exact words used to his reps were unclear, but as we've reported, Will refused to exit.

The Academy could have buttonholed the Best Actor presenters and told them in advance ... if Will won, simply say he's not invited on stage and then quickly say "We'll be right back" and then they would go to commercial. That didn't happen, and we're told the reasoning was  the Academy officials felt it would make a bad situation even worse.

And, our LAPD sources say the officers on hand not only asked Chris Rock immediately after the incident if he wanted to file a police report, but we're told they followed up a second time and contacted Chris' rep and asked again ... both time cops were told Chris did not want to file.

Will Smith sticking around at the Oscars, after slapping Chris Rock, is NOT what the Academy wanted -- but he dug in his heels when they tried to give him the boot.

That's the new startling claim from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which fired off a letter Wednesday, announcing their Board of Governors has begun disciplinary proceedings on Will for violating their Standards of Conduct.

In the letter they write ... "Things unfolded in a way we could not have anticipated. While we would like to clarify that Mr. Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, we also recognize we could have handled the situation differently."

That's pretty shocking, especially since the speculation up to this point was that the Academy and the show producers allowed Will to stay until his Best Actor category was announced -- something for which they've been heavily criticized.

They go on to say this about the whole thing in terms of logistics ... "consistent with the Academy’s Standards of Conduct, as well as California law, Mr. Smith is being provided at least 15 days' notice of a vote regarding his violations and sanctions, and the opportunity to be heard beforehand by means of a written response."

The Board further explains that at their next meeting on April 18, they'll have a decision on his punishment -- which could include suspension, expulsion or other sanctions permitted their bylaws.

One final note from them on what Will did -- "Mr. Smith's actions at the 94th Oscars were a deeply shocking, traumatic event to witness in-person and on television. Mr. Rock, we apologize to you for what you experienced on our stage and thank you for your resilience in that moment. We also apologize to our nominees, guests and viewers for what transpired during what should have been a celebratory event."

Of course, the question now is ... when exactly did they approach him about beating it, and to what extent did they insist?

The doctor who Will Smith portrayed in the 2015 film "Concussion" says the actor's physical outburst at Sunday's Oscars ceremony isn't indicative of who he is, and thinks when the dust settles, Will's image will be untarnished.

Dr. Bennet Omalu -- portrayed by Smith -- tells TMZ ... the actor transformed his life for the better, noting he's one of the most beautiful people he's ever met. He says the incident with Chris Rock doesn't sully the actor's reputation ... it simply shows a more human side of him.

While the doctor doesn't condone violence, he thinks the slap was simply an impulsive act, which proved to viewers he isn't like other "superstars" ... he's way more authentic.

He also attributes the outburst to pressure ... with the looming question of who will win Best Actor no doubt on Will's mind. Dr. Omalu says he loves Smith even more after the incident.

Will Smith is an adept face-slapper, even teaching youngsters the ropes on how to wind up and deliver.

TMZ has obtained footage shot back in November showing Will and his "King Richard" costar, Aunjanue Ellis, on a junket. There was a Q&A and a little guy named Chris -- yes, that wasn't lost on us -- asked how to fake fight in flicks.

Will decided to show Chris some movie moves, calling the kid up on stage and showing off his slapping skills. Of course, Will didn't strike this Chris ... rather, he repeatedly showed him how to make it appear that someone is slapped, narrowly missing each time.

We've seen Will before when he wasn't acting, and slapping seems to be his go-to when he's angry.

Back in 2012, Will was at the premiere of "Men in Black 3" in Moscow, when a prankster named Vitalii Sediuk tried to kiss Will on the lips. Will unloaded on him with a backhand slap ... not that he wasn't justified, but it shows slapping is in WS's wheelhouse.

Of course, everyone knows by now, Will unloaded on Chris Rock Sunday night. What's interesting ... you see Will walk up to the stage with clear intent, and it seems it was an intent to slap, because there were no hesitations in his moves.

As we reported, the LAPD beelined it for Chris Rock after the incident and asked if he wanted to file a police report, because it was an undeniable assault and battery. Chris declined, so that should be the end of it.

Jada Pinkett Smith's husband may have tried to avenge Chris Rock's jab about her hair, but Jada herself said she couldn't care less what people think about it ... just days before the Oscars.

The "Red Table Talk" host posted a TikTok video just 4 days before Sunday night's ceremony, and it was all about hair ...  "Being a Black woman and dealing with hair in Hollywood, in the era I came up in, having your hair look as European as possible was always the thing, and that was really challenging because I liked my hair out wild and curly."

Jada says ... "I feel the freedom today. I don't give two craps what people think of this bald head of mine. Because guess what? I love it."

So, now the question ... if that was Jada's mindset going into the Oscars, was Will's reaction really about hair, or was it about simmering anger toward Rock? As you know, during the 2016 Oscar ceremony, Chris took potshots at both Will and Jada ... trashing Will's movie, "Wild Wild West," and calling Jada irrelevant after she said she was boycotting the ceremony.

Sources connected to both Will and Chris tell TMZ, there was love lost between Chris and the Smiths, and when Will and Jada watched Chris they were braced for another shot.